Musical instrument and method of assembling same

A musical instrument, comprising:

• a tubular body having
• an internal tube with at least one tone hole disposed in a surface of said internal tube to provide air communication between a region inside the internal tube and a region outside of the internal tube;
• and
• a first outer shell member configured for attachment to an outer surface of the internal tube;
• at least one key member including a tone hole closure portion, an axle portion and a biasing member, the tone hole closure portion being movable relative to the tubular body between at least a closed position in which said tone hole closure portion covers the at least one tone hole disposed in the internal tube, and, an opened position in which said tone hole closure portion does not cover the tone hole disposed in the internal tube;
• at least one of said axle portion and said biasing member are configured for location in a seating location provided by a seating portion disposed on at least one of the first outer shell member and the outer surface of the internal tube whereby the first outer shell member is configured for attachment to the outer surface of the internal tube so as to secure therebetween at least one of the axle portion and the biasing member in its seating location for operation of the key member;
• and
• a thumb rest disposed on the tubular body, said thumb rest being movable between a plurality of positions relative to the tubular body.

A method of assembling a musical instrument, said method including steps of:

• (i) providing a tubular body having:
• an internal tube with at least one tone hole disposed in a surface of said internal tube to provide air communication between a region inside the internal tube and a region outside of the internal tube;
• and
• a first outer shell member configured for attachment to an outer surface of the internal tube;
• and
• (ii) providing at least one key member having a tone hole closure portion, an axle portion and a biasing member, the tone hole closure portion being configured for movement relative to the tubular body between at least a closed position in which said tone hole closure portion covers the at least one tone hole disposed in the internal tube, and, an opened position in which said tone hole closure portion does not cover the tone hole disposed in the internal tube;
• and
• (iii) locating at least one of said axle portion and said biasing member in a seating location provided by a seating portion disposed on at least one of the first outer shell member and the outer surface of the internal tube;
• and
• attaching the first outer shell member to the outer surface of the internal tube so as to secure therebetween at least one of the axle portion and the biasing member in its seating location for operation of the key member, wherein the first outer shell member includes a plurality of holes disposed therein whereby when the first outer shell member is attached to the internal tube, the plurality of holes disposed in the first outer shell member are configured to align with the tone hole portions disposed in the internal tube.