Old music maker is only after old wine (7)
I believe the answer is:
sackbut
'old music maker' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I cannot understand how one could define the other.
'only after old wine' is the wordplay.
'only' becomes 'but' (but can mean only - eg 'life is but a dream').
'after' says to put letters next to each other.
'old wine' becomes 'sack' (I've seen this before).
'but' after 'sack' is 'SACKBUT'.
'is' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for sackbut that I've seen before include "Early form of trombone" , "music maker" , "one blows into it" , "Musical instrument of the Renaissance" , "one on the slide" .)