A Visit to the Horn Workshop

First Visit [October]

I arrived in Vienna in September and sent an email to Otto at the end of September.
The content included:
1. A request to visit the workshop in person and try out the instruments,
2. The days the workshop is open, and
3. The model numbers and prices of the instruments they handle.
I received a reply a few days later, and they kindly accepted my visit. Regarding point 3, they told me to check the price list on their website.
I left Vienna early on the morning of October 1st, transferred at a German border station called Passau, and arrived in a town called Mühldorf in the Upper Bavaria region of Germany. The workshop was located less than a 5-minute walk from there.

Upon arrival, I was told, "You can play all the instruments hanging on the wall!" and I was able to try them out slowly and thoroughly. That said, at the time, my German was almost at a beginner level and my English was poor, so I communicated with sheer determination.

After trying out the instruments, I received a brief explanation mainly about the ordering procedures and delivery times. The delivery time seems to be 5 months. I was moved, thinking, "Instruments can be made in just 5 months...!" After finishing, I had cake and coffee at a cafe near the station and went home.

Ordering [December]

After visiting Otto, my order was slightly delayed because university had started and I was trying to manage my finances. Since I was returning to Japan in June, I thought I should place the order soon, so I sent an email in early December.
I received a reply immediately saying, "I will prepare the invoice, so please let me know your address."
I bought these three items:
1. B/F Double Horn Modell 201 "München" in brass, detachable bell
This is the horn body plus custom options. I added various options such as lacquer, bell flare, water key, hand-hammered finish, and an adjustable finger hook. It cost 7,489.91 €.
2. Gig Bag for Horn MB5-ST - Modell 201
This is a Marcus Bonna case. It cost 570.59 €.
3. Powerstopf-Dämpfer für Waldhorn
This is a stopping mute. It cost 133.61 €.
With the 19% German VAT added to this, the total came to 9,750.99 €.

Trial and Fine-tuning [April]

After placing the order, there was a gap for a while, and I was contacted again at the end of March. The message said, "The valves have arrived, so we will start making the horn. If you can come to the workshop again in mid-April, you can try it out in its unfinished state."

The thumb rotary was a little stiff, so they fine-tuned it for me. They fix most things right away, so it's really great to be able to fine-tune it to your liking at this stage. It was an amazingly good instrument. The yen was quite weak during this period, and honestly, I was worried sick. About half a year had passed since my first visit in October, but I was able to communicate in German just a little bit. I'm happy. It was a little colder than in October, and I thought again that Germany is a harsh land. For some reason, it takes about 15 minutes for my mobile connection to connect smoothly in Mühldorf. It's scary when your phone stops working even for a moment in a foreign country. The round-trip fare between Vienna and Mühldorf was 80 € at its cheapest. It took about 4 hours one way via Salzburg. During this period, my living expenses were very tight, and money was always on my mind.

Pick-up [June]

An email arrived in late May saying, "You can pick up your instrument anytime!" I went to pick it up on June 3rd. Also, I had decided to trade in the instrument I was using at the time, so I had them take it. Due to the weak yen and strong euro, they bought it for a much higher price than if I had traded it in in Japan, so I think it was a good deal. I want to earn income in foreign currency in the future.
Also, at this time, I received an export certificate (Ausfuhrbescheinigung). On the way back, I stopped by Salzburg. My instrument must have breathed in the air of the city where Mozart was born.

Return to Japan [July]

I left Vienna on June 30th and returned home on July 1st. I kept the instrument as carry-on luggage, and it stayed in the overhead bin the entire time. It was a bit nerve-wracking, but there is no better place for it, so it couldn't be helped.

Procedures at Vienna Airport

When purchasing goods within the EU, you must, of course, pay that country's Value Added Tax (VAT). However, if you are not an EU citizen, you can receive a refund of that tax by following the prescribed procedures.
1. Obtain an export certificate (Ausfuhrbescheinigung) from the workshop.
2. Get a customs stamp from the DEV counter at the airport you are departing from on the day you return home.
Note: At this time, you must have the item as carry-on luggage
3. After returning home, send the export certificate with the customs stamp to the workshop via international mail.

I will provide a supplementary explanation regarding point 2.
The DEV counter at Vienna Airport was located past security, just before the boarding gates. The counter was smaller than I had imagined. To get the customs stamp, you need three things: the actual item, the receipt from when you bought it, and the export certificate (Ausfuhrbescheinigung). Since you must show the actual item at the DEV counter, you must definitely keep it as carry-on luggage. Also, I paid 7€ as a fee to DEV.

Procedures at the Japanese airport

You must pay customs duties. You can find the formula for calculating customs duties if you look it up. In my case, since it was a 9,700€ purchase, it came to 91,000 yen. For some reason, card payments incur significant fees, so I recommend using QR payment.

After returning home

As I wrote earlier, I sent the export certificate with the customs stamp to the workshop via international mail. For payment, I used the Wise account I had been using during my time abroad to transfer the funds. I sent the money in several installments.

Afterword

In any case, I am glad that Otto's workshop was in a location I could visit as a day trip from Vienna! Since I had to go to the workshop a total of three times for trial playing, adjustments, and pickup, saving on accommodation costs was a big deal. I am interested in Paxman and Alexander as well, but having to get on a plane every time I visit is a hassle!
Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Nicole, who handled my email correspondence so politely, and to the master craftsman, Martin Ecker.

Reference links for Otto

Otto Official Website
Price list and Catalogue
Instagram