Innovation with Attitude
Nubya Garcia and Shabaka Hutchings take delivery of their new Dave Walker Designs saxophones .
About Dave Walker
Our Passion for Music
The launch of Dave Walker Designs in January 2025 follows years of meticulous research and development. Every instrument we produce reflects our unwavering commitment to excellence, combining cutting-edge techniques and technology with the finest materials to create instruments that not only sound incredible but are built to last. That is why we supply all of our instruments with a lifetime guarantee.
Whether you're performing on stage, in a band room or practicing at home, our instruments are crafted to inspire confidence and enhance artistry. Beyond our instruments, we pride ourselves on offering first-class customer service. From the moment you choose Dave Walker Designs instruments, you know that we're here to support you every step of the way, providing personalised advice and assistance to help you achieve your musical goals.
Discover the difference of expertly crafted brass instruments designed with passion, precession, and performance in mind.
Background: Dave’s instrument support career began in 1981 at the largest music shop the North of England, the renowned RS Kitchens Ltd. Here he quickly progressed to becoming the head of the entire brass and woodwind repair department. He moved to BandSupplies in 1986 where he continued to work in instrument support, Dave also represented the company at large trade shows, advising the wider public and private sector on instrument solutions.
In 1992 Dave founded All Brass & Woodwind with a pure focus on innovation. His unique approach to instrument design resulted in a long-term collaboration with Geneva Brasswinds as their Chief Designer and Technical Director. He was responsible for the innovation, design and production of the next generation of Geneva’s brass and woodwind range which are currently played by some of the World’s top instrumentalists. As part of his role, Dave also worked throughout China and Europe and was responsible for overseeing operations in relation to quality standards and commercial production of his designs.
With his unique approach, detailed expert knowledge and long-established reputation as a problem solver and innovator, Dave continues to deliver lectures internationally and in 2018, received the honorary title of Visiting Professor at Leeds Conservatoire, recognising his expertise and service to instrument design and tonal enhancement.
In his relentless drive to push the boundaries of instrument design, Dave currently works closely with World renowned musicians, analysing their personal style and producing personalised instruments that reflect their individual requirements, aiding their musical journey and development. These unique design skills also reflect a passion and commitment to support musicians wherever they are in their career including creating bespoke solutions for musicians with specific issues due to illness or injury, examples are designing and producing a one-handed saxophone, mouth pieces for musicians who have had strokes and key work repositioning.
In his spare time Dave competes in international dinghy sailing events, restores award winning classic cars and undertakes specialist photography including for band tours, album covers and promotional material.
Welcome to Dave Walker Designs - where your music matters.
Pete Whareham plays Dave Walker Designs
Normally low A baritones are way less vibey and pretty cumbersome to do anything fun on, but this one seems to have the vibe and the ergonomics to be able to fly about but also bring the filth if needed. I think it’s the same thing as the brutality I found in the tenor the other day - it’s there if you want it but the horn is so sensitive and responsive that you can get a big, full sound without having to switch that on if you don’t want to. The super tight linear shape of a low A normally means the sound feels more projected in a straight line away from the player, so it feels quieter when you play it, whereas with a low Bb the sound seems to feel wider. With this one the sound is directional and spreads at the same time. It’s amazing!
Nubya Garcia plays Dave Walker Designs
The balance of sound
it gives me the ability to be myself,
huge onstage sound and the sound fills the hall which allows me to play without worrying about my sound.
working with Dave over the past 7 years has been a joy.
Edger Jones plays Dave Walker Designs
Beautiful beast
Loving my brand new Tenor Saxophone designed by @dave_walker_designs_ @all_brass_and_woodwind the sound has even more depth and resonance than my other @daveallbrass1 horn .Dave’s horns are bespoke designed specifically for the saxophonist .We had many deep conversation last regarding sound and he’s come up with something that truly surpasses all my expectations innovating new design uniqueness in the process of finding solutions ..I’m totally knocked out with the results looking forward to gigging and recording this beautiful beast very soon. !!
Chip Whickham plays Dave Walker Designs
Dave Walker is a national treasure!
Dave Walker is a designer who has managed to create a new horn with an old heart with his custom made series.
I’m lucky enough to have a soprano and a baritone!
They have everything you want in a horn, depth, projection and resonance.
He has managed to capture that old school sound, but integrated with a modern set up. Stunning horns.
Everything on the design is thought about and has a function. Every thumb rest, keyguard or palm key is working towards his concept of resonance.
The horns resonate in your hands in such a satisfying way. The tone is full and the response is effortless.
The detail is phenomenal. A lifetime of design and hard earned knowledge is in these horns. Stunning. He even customised the palm keys to fit my hands. Now that is attention to detail!!
You only have to look at the list of who’s playing on his horns to know that something is going on!
Shabaka Hutchings, Nubya Garcia, Pete Wareham, Ed Jones………,,
Don’t take my word for it!
@all_brass_and_woodwind
@dave_walker_designs_
Soprano:
I literally didn’t ever pick up my Mark VI soprano again after playing his soprano, it is THAT good!
The intonation on the soprano is stunning. Never played any soprano that is so in tune and still has a huge tone!
Baritone:
Just brilliant huge sound. Easy to play but the sound is full and the projection is the best I’ve ever known and for me, this for is so important a thing. It’s rich and classic sounding but has bite that is just perfect. Can’t stop playing it!
Jasmine Myra plays Dave Walker Designs
I love the sound and response
I feel totally in love the accuracy and precision I get from my horn, the sound fills the stage giving me total control.
Ben Powling plays Dave Walker Designs
killer ergonomics and intonations plus a big, warm sound
benpowlingmusic Loving getting to know this amazing new horn from @dave_walker_designs_at @all_brass_and_woodwind.
Really feels like it combines the best elements of modern and vintage horns - killer ergonomics and intonations plus a big, warm sound. A lot of horn at a very good price.
Jame Mainwaring plays Dave Walker Designs
love the control
Throughout my journey exploring the saxophone and its potential, I’ve always felt I had to compromise between creative flow, playability, and producing the biggest possible tone.
As an improviser, I need enough resistance for my playing to reflect the challenging music I’m drawn to writing — that physical engagement keeps me mentally connected. With the right amount of resistance, the diaphragmatic muscles become the instrument rather than the saxophone itself. I can focus there, and the horn does the rest. When my body’s relaxed, the airflow changes made to the horn via my fingers seem to guide my tongue, mouth, and embouchure naturally, allowing me to focus on my contribution — to the music, my collaborators, and the environment — while maintaining tone and intonation at faster speeds and across wider intervals. Tongue position, soft palate, and lip pressure then become expressive choices rather than necessities.
These horns have been the answer to that search. The neck adjustments on both alto and tenor (which I play roughly 50/50) have provided a continuity I’ve never experienced before. Switching between them in one sitting used to be more challenging — constantly chasing consistent intonation and the “sweet spot” of resistance — but that’s pretty much gone thanks to Dave’s horns.
The tenor and alto respond with an immediacy and depth that’s hard to put into words — it’s almost as if they anticipate what I want to do before I do it. Listening back to recordings, I feel closer than ever to the sound I’ve been chasing for the past twenty years. The horns have the depth and openness of Dave’s previous model, the Lineage, playability a step up from all other modern and vintage horns I’ve tried, and the added resonators really open everything up, boosting the whole instrument and balancing those naturally stuffy areas — the projection is phenomenal. I’m getting more oxygen to my brain, so I can stay fully in the creative flow and in the moment. Not only that, but multiphonics — a current obsession — are speaking with much more ease and volume, consistent with conventional playing, even on the more unstable ones. I’m looking forward to exploring these further and delving deeper into the polyphonic potential of these horns.
The first blows on the soprano and baritone DW horns were genuinely inspiring — a real shift in how I think about the instrument. The solid copper soprano is unlike anything I’ve played — it continues the same consistency, with the freedom to create a dark sound but the facility to push into brightness when I want to. The timbre is far more even across the range than most sopranos — it feels less like a “different” instrument and more like a higher member of the same family. The whole horn resonates and fills the room.
The baritone is a total beast — dramatic, powerful, and versatile. It can unleash bass lines with real authority, yet easily switch to a vocal-style ballad. The top range sings, and the intonation is spot on.
knoel Scott plays Dave Walker Designs
sun ra arkestra
i have chosen to play Dave Walker Designs saxophones mainly because I can hear myself in its timber which allows me to express myself.
my recent purchase of the alto has now come into my family of saxophones to complement the tenor and baritone .