Welcome to the website of
JOHN ALVEY TURNER
- possibly the oldest British musical instrument business still trading!
For more than 200 years the name of John Alvey Turner has been renowned as a supplier of fine musical instruments. The picture above shows the shopfront of our premises in New Oxford Street, London around 1930.
Today we are specialists in all kinds of acoustic fretted instruments - banjos, mandolins, guitars, ukuleles and all the many variations thereof.
Whether your need is for a set of custom strings, a new, used or vintage instrument, restoration or repair work to the highest standard, or you are just interested in fretted instruments of any kind, we hope you will find something of interest in these pages.
WE BUY, SELL AND EXCHANGE all fretted instruments - guitars, banjos, mandolins, ukuleles, Hawaiians, resophonics - in fact, anything cool, interesting or unusual!
We are now the UK agent for Mandolins made by acclaimed Nashville TN maker Sim Daley - see Mandolin page and www.simdaley.com for further details!
NOTE FOR OWNERS AND COLLECTORS OF JAT BANJOS, ETC
The John Alvey Turner company did not manufacture instruments and those that bear our name were usually custom made for JAT by a variety of other companies over the years. Early banjos (late 1800's to WW1) were made by such as Weaver, Wilmshurst, Temlett, Cammeyer & Clifford Essex and later instruments by Windsor, Abbott, Sidney Young etc.
A Bishopsgate address on the label indicates a date between 1900 and 1926. Unfortunately there are no records or serial numbers to confirm dates or makers although sometimes the workmanship, style, decoration etc indicates that an instrument was made by a particular individual or factory.
JAT no longer has any original old parts or fittings for these or other vintage instruments but can supply new style or reproduction parts as available.
‘PHONE OR EMAIL US - SEE “CONTACT US” PAGE FOR DETAILS.
Proprietor : Philip Alexander
Consultant : Doug Parry
Website design by Lanfranc © 2007 John Alvey Turner
Latest Update: 29th July 2010
VISITOR COUNT
Please note that we do not have retail premises at present and that the business operates primarily from Phil Alexander’s home in North London. Phil is happy to meet with customers by appointment and trusts that all concerned will bear with us until such time as our premises situation is resolved.