RS BERKELEY

What RS BERKELEY does

RS Berkeley Musical Instruments is a privately held manufacturer of brass, woodwind, and orchestral string instruments founded in 2002 and headquartered in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, with a workforce of 51–100 employees. The company's product portfolio spans student through professional grades across trumpets, trombones, tubas, sousaphones, French horns, flugelhorns, cornets, euphoniums, saxophones (including the artist-co-developed Virtuoso Series), flutes, clarinets, piccolos, oboes, English horns, bassoons, violins, violas, cellos, and basses, plus a complementary accessories line that includes officially licensed Dizzy Gillespie Elite Series mouthpieces and Legends Series mouthpieces modeled after iconic jazz artists.

The company monetizes exclusively through hardware sales to a network of over 200 authorized retailers across all 50 US states plus international distributors in twelve countries (Austria, Canada, Chile, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Armenia, Spain, and Switzerland). RS Berkeley does not sell direct-to-consumer; pricing is set at the dealer level. Marketing relies on a content blog, a dealer-locator tool, and an artist ambassador program featuring professional saxophonists and jazz luminaries (including Tom Scott, Eddie Daniels, George Garzone, Wayne Shorter, Tim Ries, and Michael Brecker) to drive top-of-funnel awareness and bottom-of-funnel dealer referrals.

The business model is a channel-partner GTM with horizontal segmentation across student musicians, professional performers, and marching/outdoor ensembles. Differentiation rests on artist-branded signature SKUs, multiple finish options, USA-made training tools (JORB embouchure trainer, Tri-All trial tool), and broad product breadth across all orchestral instrument families. Operational signals are mixed: the catalog and dealer network are active, but the most recent blog content dates to January 2022, and no funding rounds, acquisitions, or leadership changes are disclosed.

Name

RS BERKELEY

Legal name

RS Berkeley Musical Instruments

Website

https://rsberkeley.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

RS Berkeley Musical Instruments, founded in 2002 and based in Scotch Plains, NJ, manufactures brass, woodwind, and orchestral string instruments sold exclusively through 200+ authorized US retailers and international distributors in twelve countries, serving students, school band programs, and professional musicians.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Musical Instruments

NAICS

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

SIC

Musical Instruments (3931)

akta.pro primary industry

Musical Instruments (Acoustic & Electric) (MPAIAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Brass instruments
• Woodwind instruments
• Orchestral string instruments
• Musical instrument manufacturing
• Band and orchestra supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Scotch Plains

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Musical Instrument Sales: RS Berkeley generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of brass, woodwind, orchestral strings, and marching instruments through authorized dealer networks. Products range from student-level instruments to professional-grade instruments, sold at various price points through retail partners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

RS Berkeley designs, manufactures, and distributes brass instruments (trumpets, trombones, tubas, sousaphones, French horns, flugelhorns, cornets, baritone horns, euphoniums), woodwind instruments (saxophones, clarinets, flutes, piccolos, oboes, English horns, bassoons), and orchestral strings (violins, violas, cellos, basses). The company sells exclusively through authorized music retailers and educational suppliers, with products ranging from student-level to professional-grade instruments including the premium Virtuoso Series saxophones and licensed Dizzy Gillespie Elite Series mouthpieces.

Product overview

RS Berkeley Musical Instruments offers a comprehensive portfolio of musical instruments across three main categories: Brass Instruments (trumpets, trombones, sousaphones, French horns, flugelhorns, cornets, baritone horns, euphoniums, and tubas), Woodwind Instruments (saxophones including the professional Virtuoso Series, flutes, clarinets, piccolos, oboes, English horns, and bassoons), and Orchestral Strings (violins, violas, cellos, and basses). The company also provides supporting accessories including Legends Series and Dizzy Gillespie Elite Series mouthpieces, JORB embouchure training tools, Tri-All multi-purpose trial tools, and string accessories. Their products range from student-level instruments to professional models, with the Virtuoso Series saxophones representing their premium line developed with input from jazz artists like Tim Ries and Michael Brecker.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brass Instruments Complete line of brass instruments including trumpets, trombones, sousaphones, French horns, flugelhorns, cornets, baritone horns, euphoniums, and tubas designed for students and professionals. Available in various finishes and configurations with hand-lapped valves, hand-spun bells, and precision-engineered bores.
• Woodwind Instruments Full range of woodwind instruments encompassing saxophones, flutes, clarinets, piccolos, oboes, English horns, and bassoons for various skill levels from student to professional.
• Orchestral Strings Orchestral string instruments including violins, violas, cellos, and basses along with string accessories for student and professional string players.
• Virtuoso Series Saxophones Professional saxophone series developed with input from renowned jazz artists including Tim Ries and Michael Brecker, featuring seven unique finishes including antique matte, lacquer, silver-plated, black nickel, gold-plated, dark lacquer, and unlacquered. Endorsed by notable musicians including Tom Scott, Eddie Daniels, Wayne Shorter, and George Garzone.
• Dizzy Gillespie Elite Series Officially licensed trumpet mouthpieces, swabs, valve oil, and care kits featuring Dizzy Gillespie branding, made in the USA.
• Legends Series Mouthpieces Officially licensed mouthpiece reproductions modeled after iconic musicians including Herb Alpert, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, Claudio Roditi, Woody Shaw, Clark Terry, and Glenn Zottola.
• JORB Embouchure Training Tool Embouchure training tool designed by Jack Onque and Richard Boulger with spring-loaded cushioned rim for brass players to develop lip vibration and aperture strength. Made in the USA with models for trumpet/cornet, trombone/baritone horn, French horn, and tuba/sousaphone.
• Tri-All Multi-Purpose Trial Tool Multi-purpose trial and training tool for beginning band students compatible with flute, clarinet/saxophone, trumpet, and trombone/baritone horn. Designed to promote good hygienic practices and reduce germ exposure. Made from non-toxic FDA-compliant materials, includes Rico reed, manufactured in the USA.
• The Ultimate Reed Sculpting Tool Reed-friendly tool (ULT19) with hand-lapped curved blade for sculpting and balancing reeds for maximum vibration and performance, suitable for single and double reeds.
• Brass Accessories Brass instrument accessories including JORB embouchure training tool, Legends Series Mouthpieces, and Dizzy Gillespie Elite Series products.
• Woodwind Accessories Woodwind accessories including adjustable clarinet barrel, Elite Series accessories, Eddie Daniels Signature Series ligatures, Legends Series mouthpieces, Mag Studio One mouthpieces, Tri-All multi-purpose trial tool, and The Ultimate reed sculpting tool.
• String Accessories String instrument accessories including Jascha Heifetz JH-4SET Strings Set and other violin strings.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Getzen Company: Getzen is a Wisconsin-based brass instrument manufacturer producing trumpets, trombones, and tubas for student through professional use. It is a direct competitor in the brass segment with comparable horizontal market positioning and US manufacturing heritage.
• Allora Musical Instruments: Allora is a US brass instrument brand focused on student-to-intermediate models sold through online and dealer channels. It competes with RS Berkeley in the entry- and mid-level brass segment with similar pricing and distributor-based go-to-market.
• Selmer Paris: Selmer Paris produces premium professional saxophones and clarinets favored by top jazz and classical artists. It competes with RS Berkeley's Virtuoso Series in the professional saxophone tier that RS Berkeley explicitly targets with its jazz-artist endorsements.
• Yanagisawa Saxophones: Yanagisawa is a Japanese manufacturer of professional saxophones widely used by jazz and classical players. It directly competes with RS Berkeley's Virtuoso Series among professional woodwind buyers and shares the international jazz-artist endorsement playbook.
• Jupiter Band Instruments: Jupiter manufactures student and intermediate brass and woodwind instruments primarily for school music programs. Its product portfolio, dealer-driven distribution model, and band-program focus make it one of RS Berkeley's closest direct competitors in the educational segment.
• Eastman Strings / Eastman Winds: Eastman manufactures handcrafted orchestral strings and select wind instruments aimed at intermediate and professional players. It overlaps with RS Berkeley's orchestral strings line and student-to-pro woodwind offerings, often sharing dealers and competing in similar showrooms.
• Bundy (by Conn-Selmer): Bundy is a value-oriented student brass and woodwind brand owned by Conn-Selmer, sold almost exclusively for school band programs. It competes with RS Berkeley on student price points and is a direct rival for school-bid contracts.
• C.G. Conn: C.G. Conn (Conn-Selmer) is a heritage American brass instrument brand producing student through artist-grade instruments. Its broad brass catalog and rich history overlap directly with RS Berkeley's positioning across all skill tiers.

Broad incumbents

• Conn-Selmer: Conn-Selmer (a Steinway subsidiary) is one of the largest US brass and woodwind manufacturers with brands like Bach, Selmer, Armstrong, and King. It competes head-to-head with RS Berkeley across student, intermediate, and professional brass/woodwind lines and dominates school band programs nationwide.
• Yamaha Band & Orchestral: Yamaha offers one of the broadest catalogs of brass, woodwind, and orchestral instruments globally, including highly popular student lines like YTR and YAS. Its scale, marketing budgets, and global dealer network make it the dominant category competitor for both RS Berkeley's student and professional lines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rs-berkeley

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 RS BERKELEY