S.E. Shires

What S.E. Shires does

S.E. Shires Co. is a manufacturer of handcrafted professional brass instruments, founded in 1995 and based in Holliston, Massachusetts. The company designs and builds trumpets, trombones, euphoniums, and French horns in three product tiers — Custom Series (handcrafted professional), Artist Series (signature models co-developed with principal orchestral players), and Q Series (more accessible pricing). Notable proprietary technical features include the Bollinger Tuning System, axial-flow valve design, hand-hammered two-piece bells, interchangeable leadpipes, and detachable flare bells. Every instrument is assembled and finished in the single Holliston workshop by a self-described "small, tight-knit group of craftspeople" who are themselves accomplished brass players.

The business model is dealer-mediated for instruments (pricing is not publicly disclosed; customers are routed to a global network of Custom Shops and Authorized Dealers, with optional in-person fittings at the Holliston showroom) combined with direct-to-consumer e-commerce for accessories, mouthpieces, cases, care products, practice tools, and branded merchandise. The company extends its product ecosystem through exclusive OEM partnerships with Pickett Brass (mouthpieces) and Marcus Bonna (premium cases). S.E. Shires has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eastman Music Company since May 2014. Customers are primarily professional orchestral musicians, jazz soloists, conservatory students, and educators; artist endorsements include principals of the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Berliner Philharmoniker.

Revenue is generated through unit hardware sales across instruments and accessories. The accessories and merchandise line carries publicly listed prices ranging from $4 (enamel pin) to $255 (Marcus Bonna premium case), while instrument pricing is opaque and negotiated through dealers. There is no subscription, software, or service revenue stream, and the company has no disclosed AI, digital platform, or software products.

Name

S.E. Shires

Legal name

S.E. Shires Co.

Website

https://seshires.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

S.E. Shires Co. is a handcrafted professional brass instrument manufacturer based in Holliston, MA, producing trumpets, trombones, euphoniums, and French horns across Custom, Artist, and Q Series lines. Founded in 1995 and owned by Eastman Music Company since 2014, the company serves professional orchestral musicians, jazz players, and educators through a global dealer network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brass Musical Instruments

NAICS

Musical Instrument Manufacturing (339992), Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (459140), Musical Instrument and Supplies Retailers (45914)

SIC

Musical Instruments (3931)

akta.pro primary industry

Instrument Parts, Repair & Maintenance (Luthier, Tech Services, Spares) (MPAIAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Musical Instrument Retail (Guitars, Keyboards, Drums, Band/Orchestra) (CRALAEAA), Audio Accessories & Consumables (Cables, Stands, Cases, Strings, Picks, Heads) (MPAIAJAF)

Keywords

• Brass instrument manufacturing
• Handcrafted trombones trumpets
• Professional brass wind instruments
• Musical instrument accessories mouthpieces
• Custom orchestral instruments

Headquarters

HQ city

Holliston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Brass Instruments: Sale of handcrafted trumpets, trombones, euphoniums, cornets, and flugelhorns through Custom Series, Q Series, and Artist Series product lines
2. Mouthpieces: Sale of trumpet and trombone mouthpieces manufactured exclusively by Pickett Brass, including standard and artist signature models
3. Cases and Accessories: Sale of instrument cases (including Marcus Bonna premium cases), lubricants, care kits, and Alessi practice tools
4. Apparel and Merchandise: Sale of branded merchandise including hoodies, t-shirts, hats, mugs, glasses, aprons, and tote bags

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

S.E. Shires designs and handcrafts professional brass instruments — trumpets, trombones, euphoniums, cornets, flugelhorns, and French horns — in its Holliston, Massachusetts workshop, organized across Custom Series, Q Series, and Artist Series lines. Each instrument is built by craftspeople who are themselves brass players, combining old-world artisan techniques with modern manufacturing standards to deliver precise mechanical action, even response across registers, and customizable configurations including interchangeable leadpipes and bell options. The company also sells mouthpieces (manufactured by Pickett Brass), Marcus Bonna cases, lubricants, care kits, Alessi practice tools, and branded merchandise.

Product overview

S.E. Shires Co. is a manufacturer of handcrafted brass instruments, primarily trumpets, trombones, euphoniums, and French horns. Their product portfolio is organized into three main instrument series: Custom Series (handcrafted professional instruments), Artist Series (signature models developed with professional musicians like Joseph Alessi, Colin Williams, George Curran, Blair Bollinger, Ralph Sauer, and Michael Davis), and Q Series (more accessible pricing tier maintaining professional quality). The company also offers a comprehensive range of accessories including mouthpieces made exclusively by Pickett Brass, premium cases by Marcus Bonna, lubricants, care kits, and Alessi Practice Tools. All instruments are handcrafted in their Holliston, MA workshop, with a stated commitment to 'Quality without compromise' and over 25 years of craftsmanship tradition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 2-year warranty coverage
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Pickett BrasscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerPickett Brass produces S.E. Shires mouthpieces exclusively for the company. Each mouthpiece preserves the best features of the finest vintage American mouthpieces with incredible consistency and precision. All mouthpieces come standard in silver plated finish and are only available through S.E. Shires or authorized dealers.
• Marcus BonnacoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerMarcus Bonna handcrafts premium instrument cases exclusively for S.E. Shires in Brazil. These fiberglass cases covered in black nylon combine flexibility and lightweight design with superior strength and durability. Cases can be adapted to fit various S.E. Shires instruments safely and properly.
• Joseph AlessiflagshipOthersWorld-renowned trombonist and Principal Trombone of New York Philharmonic. Co-developed the TBALESSI and TBQALESSI artist models, as well as Alessi practice tools (ScaleUP and ExcerptUP). Active in promoting the brand and developing educational products.
• Blair BollingerflagshipOthersPrincipal Bass Trombonist of Philadelphia Orchestra. Co-developed the Bollinger Tuning System and TBBO Blair Bollinger Artist Model bass trombone with unique design elements not found on other S.E. Shires instruments.
• George CurranflagshipOthersBass Trombonist of New York Philharmonic. Developed the TBGC George Curran Artist Model featuring custom yellow brass bell and axial-flow valve configuration.
• David RejanoflagshipOthersPrincipal Trombonist of Los Angeles Philharmonic. Co-developed the TBDR David Rejano Artist Model trombone.
• Michael DavisflagshipOthersInternational jazz soloist and educator. Co-developed the TBMD Michael Davis Model and TBMDP Michael Davis+ Model small bore tenor trombones designed for jazz and commercial settings.
• Colin WilliamsflagshipOthersAssociate Principal Trombone of New York Philharmonic. Developed the TBCW Colin Williams Artist Model tenor trombone representing an ideal realization of the heroic New York low brass sound.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Edwards Instrument Company: Edwards is a direct competitor in custom handcrafted brass instruments (trumpets, trombones), with a similar boutique model serving professional players. It is one of the closest substitutes for a Shires buyer evaluating premium American-made brass.
• Schilke Music Products: Schilke is a direct peer in professional brass instruments and custom mouthpieces, with deep artist endorsements in orchestral and jazz idioms. Highly comparable in target buyer, customization model, and premium positioning.
• Kanstul Musical Instruments: Kanstul is a direct peer producing handcrafted professional brass instruments, including trombones and trumpets, with artist signature models. Comparable in craft-based production and professional-segment focus.
• Getzen Company: Getzen is a direct peer in brass instruments (trumpets, trombones, cornets), with a long-running professional and student lineup. Comparable in product category and customer overlap with Shires' Custom and Q Series.
• Rath Trombones: Rath is a direct peer in handcrafted professional trombones, particularly bass and contrabass models. Comparable as a small-batch artisan maker serving orchestral professionals.

Broad incumbents

• Conn-Selmer (Bach, King, Conn): Conn-Selmer is the dominant incumbent in brass and woodwind instruments, with historic brands like Bach, King, and Conn competing across student, intermediate, and professional tiers. Comparable as the largest traditional competitor in the same brass category.
• Yamaha Corporation (Brass & Wind): Yamaha is a global incumbent offering professional brass instruments (trumpets, trombones, horns) alongside a much broader instrument and pro-audio portfolio. Comparable as a large-scale competitor that sets baseline expectations for quality and dealer reach.
• Besson / B&S (Buffet Crampon): Besson/B&S is a European brass instrument maker (now under Buffet Crampon) producing professional brass instruments with global distribution. Comparable as an established competitor in the professional brass category.

Others

• Eastman Brass (Eastman Music Company): Eastman Brass is a sister brand within Eastman Music Company (Shires' parent), producing intermediate and professional brass instruments. Comparable as a sibling portfolio offering at adjacent price tiers.
• Willson Brass (Eastman Music Company): Willson Brass is another Eastman-owned brand producing professional brass instruments (euphoniums, tubas). Comparable as a sibling brand in the same corporate family, with overlapping artist and orchestral customer base.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/seshiresco
• Facebookfacebook.com/SEShires
• Instagraminstagram.com/seshires
• Xx.com/seshires
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/s.e.-shires-co.-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about S.E. Shires