We are always pleased to deliver new RAJA instruments, and we are currently finishing up two such instruments that both have custom decoration. Ken Fung is the Monette mouthpiece dealer in Hong Kong (Victoria Music Centre), and a longtime Monette client. He is pictured in our 100-page Monette Mouthpiece Manual and User's Guide with his C Samadhi. As this is being written we are just a few weeks away from delivering his matching Bb RAJA, which he has been waiting patiently for for three years. Ken's new instrument has an integral B1-1M mouthpiece, and features decorated fingerbuttons and bottom valve caps. The bottom valve caps have well over 2 karats of Rubies and diamonds set in them, and the finger buttons have dazzling Australian boulder opal, turquoise, lapis and sugilite.

Ken Fung's bottom caps pictured here. Click on the image for a larger picture.

We are also getting ready to deliver our latest fully decorated Nirvikalpa Samadhi to Jorge Fort, a client of ours from Argentina. At the time of this writing, Jorge's instrument is set for delivery in just a few weeks. This instrument is one of our most elaborate to date, with intricate saw-pierced sheet bracing and the delicately pierced "coaxial" outer bell. Soundposts between the inner and outer bells on these instruments are hand placed as a fine-adjustment, which is remarkably time consuming. The decorations on these presentation instruments are by Dave Monette's friend, Portland designer and goldsmith Tami Dean. Upcoming decorated instruments yet to be built by Dave, Tami and the Monette staff include instruments for Brian Lynch, Terence Blanchard and Charles Schlueter. Please watch for Bruce Forster's beautiful photos of Jorge's new decorated instrument in the next Monette on-line newsletter.

Jorge Fort's braces just before plating. Click on an image for a larger picture.