Hey guys, it's been a while since I've been here, have been busy. Anyway, I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this but if not, then moderator please move this topic to somewhere else.
For the pilot I'm working on I'm going to have a band playing a song and for that I need instruments for the puppets, at least as props, in the right size for them (they are about average size puppet, around a foot or so) that looks realistic. Now, I have heard from a friend that some online store that focus on rock articles usually sell miniatures of instruments but they're way too small for the puppets and toystores do have toy instruments the right size but they never look like the real thing. Do you know any online shop that sell music instruments in the right size that looks real? They don't have to be playable, I add the sound in post production.
If not, then are there any good ways to make the props by yourself and still get a real look to them? Maybe some videos online?
The instruments I'm looking for are a base guitar, a keyboard, a rock guitar, a tenor saxophone and a drum set.
I would be most grateful if you guys can help me out.

Buy the toys and paint them up to look real.   You might also need to add bits and pieces to them like strings.  That would be your best bet.  You can sometimes find instruments via doll stores on the internet but it is hit and miss.

Shawn has the simplest method...buy an instrument in a toy store and repaint it, if necessary. I have either purchased or built many puppet instruments over several years. Here are some comments and tips.

Keyboard: make one from a box with an attached lid, like one that has manila envelopes in it. Find one the size you want. Paint it black. Put a mic stand attachment to the bottom. Get white vinyl letters to spell out Roland or Yamaha along edge that will be toward audience. Stick in a few pieces of mic wire and switches (junk stuff) and as long as you keep the "back" edge toward the audience, there is no need for any "keys"

Sax: General public doesn't know the difference between a tenor sax and any other sax. Find one of those silver "alto" saxes with multi colored keys, then repaint it. Look at Zoot from the Muppets, this is pretty much what he plays.

Guitar: Find one in a toy store. I've found several different guitars that are the right size with different body shapes. Never had to paint them.

Bass: Basically a guitar body with a longer neck, although there are some "short neck" basses. Main difference is they use ony 4 or 5 strings, thus 4 or 5 tuning pegs. You can build your own by cutting out the shape from a piece of thin plywood or cut a longer neck and attach to a guitar body

Piano: Made one from foamcore.

The main thing here is how close your audience will be to the instruments. A TV production, with close ups will require a lot more detail than puppets on a stage that are a constant distance from the viewing audience.

Hope this helps.
Cruppetman

Check out One Way Street. Their last catalog had some instruments for sale, including a drum set, which is, usually, the hardest to find.

Cruppetman

Hey, the prop instruments at One Way Street aren't bad! http://www.onewaystreet.com/category/props_scenery/1 I hadn't seen them before.

I was going to suggest searching on Ebay for a company named "Emenee". They made toy instruments back in the 50s and 60s that come as close to looking like the real thing as anyone could hope for. And they are smaller...for kids. I'm almost certain Emenee toys were used for the original Muppet instruments. They just look so close and the time period matches.

Thanks for the tips, they are very helpful. Maybe I will buy them either through toy stores or One Way Street.
Just two questions on my mind:
1: When coloring the instruments from the toy store, what kind of paint should be used, model paint maybe?
2: I looked at the drum set on One Way Street (looks very good) but do you have any idea how to change the basedrums "drumskin" to something that is not transparent and having a different band logo?

Buy a piece of white, or colored, posterboard, cut it to the same size as the drum head and glue it over the existing one.

For painting instruments...WASH THE INSTRUMNT IN DAWN DISHWASHING DETERGENT! Air dry and then spray paint. The Dawn removes an oil that remains on plastic when it is injected into a mold. Test several types of paint on the back of the instrument. Try Krylon or floist's paint. Some spray paint will dissolve plastic, so TEST FIRST.

Try NOT to paint instruments, if possible.

Cruppetman

I have a similar question. I want to make (not buy, make) a wooden flute. I thought about using paper clay, or simply a cardboard tube... or even use a piece of dowel. What would be the best material?

Is this a non-playing flute? I'm assuming it is and my answer will be based on that.

To give it some character, I'd use a piece of bamboo. My second choice would be PVC pipe. Over the years I've made more props out of PVC than anything.

Cruppetman

Er, yes, sorry I should have mentioned: non-playing. It's basically just a visual prop, although the puppet (a muppet) will appear to be playing it. Basically I'm thinking of having the flute and then creating an invisible string or similar which will slip around the wrist. The puppet's just going to be posed with the flute, but it would be cool if it could be used when the puppet is moved.

Bamboo is a good idea, but I like the idea of PVC more - can PVC be painted?