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Band & Orchestra Repair Services
"A repair tech is a problem-solver, mechanic, acoustician, plumber, musician, body worker, innovator, painter, jeweler, tool & die maker, electroplater, counselor, buffer, chemist, designer, carpenter and machine tool operator all in one. A tech will have to employ brute force at times and a feather touch other times.
Repairing band instruments requires a large number of interdependent skills each requiring a high degree of development. Too, intimate knowledge of how instruments function acoustically and mechanically is continually fostered through learning and experience."
Source: National Association of Professional Band Instrument Repair Technicians (NAPBIRT)
In our repair shop, we cater to a wide range of needs, from minor adjustments to comprehensive overhauls and even custom work. Our skilled technicians are adept at identifying and resolving any issue your instrument may have.
Don't hesitate to bring in your instrument for a free estimate.
Woodwind Repair
Customers often approach us with questions like, "My clarinet is hard to play. Can you fix that?" or "I have a pad that keeps falling out and needs to be reattached." These are common concerns, and we address them using a blend of time-tested and modern approaches. Woodwinds can be finicky, but with the right materials, they can feel and perform better than ever before.
We offer a range of options, from natural cork and traditional pads that bring out the instrument's rich history, to newer materials like synthetic foam pads and various sheet goods that enhance keywork precision and playability. For more extensive issues like dents, broken keys, or structural damage, rest assured, we have the expertise to restore your instrument to prime condition for your next performance.
We service all woodwind instruments: flutes, clarinets, saxophones, oboes, bassoon, etc. From key adjustments to complete re-pads and bodywork, our skilled repair technicians will do what it takes to get your instrument playing at its best.
Complete Repad & Mechanical Overhaul
Saxophone
- Disassemble instrument
- Remove all pads, key corks/felts, and neck cork
- Ultrasonically clean instrument, keys, and neck in a safe biodegradable solution
- Straighten and swedge keys
- Check pad cups for flatness
- Fit pivot screws/posts
- Perfect toneholes
- Fit neck and receiver
- Straighten body (if necessary) and remove any minor dents
- Reassemble with new synthetic key corks/felts, premium pads, and your choice of resonators
- Play test and adjust for intonation and response.
Clarinet
- Disassemble instrument
- Remove all pads, key corks/felts, and tenon corks
- Polish keywork
- Ultrasonically clean keywork
- Clean and bore oil wood instruments
- Straighten and swedge keys
- Fit pivot screws/posts
- Install teflon inserts on specific keys
- Reassemble with new synthetic key corks/felts, tenon corks, and synthetic Valentino and Omni pads
- Play test and adjust for intonation and response.
- Add cork pads to top joint for an additional charge
Flute & Piccolo
- Disassemble instrument
- Remove all pads, key corks/felts, and crown cork
- Ultrasonically clean instrument and keys
- Polish body, head, and keywork
- Straighten and swedge keys
- Fit pivot screws/posts
- Perfect toneholes
- Straighten body (if necessary) and remove any minor dents
- Reassemble with new synthetic key corks/felts, premium pads, and fit/seal new crown cork
- Play test and adjust for intonation and response.
- Valentino synthetic pads are used on Piccolos
Brass Repair
Many brass instrument problems often arise from dirt and grime. We employ a robust 90-gallon ultrasonic cleaner, paired with a biodegradable solution and high-frequency sound waves, to thoroughly clean your instrument. This process also includes replacing all felts and corks to ensure optimal performance.
Dent removal is another crucial aspect of brass repair, and we utilize a combination of traditional and modern techniques, including our Magnetic Dent Removal System (MDRS), to restore your horn's appearance.
Additional services encompass soldering, brazing, slide refitting, and valve adjustments. We're more than happy to evaluate any brass instrument you bring in.
From dent removal, valve and slide maintenance, to professional cleaning our shop prides itself on professional work.
Magnetic and Traditional Dent Removal
We use the Magnetic Dent Removal System (MDRS) to remove dents from areas that our traditional tools will not reach without un-soldering joints. It is a great addition to our collection of tools, and especially effective on large brass and saxophone bows.
Polishing Raw Brass
We can hand polish (without buffing) raw brass or raw nickel instruments. Any instrument that is not lacquered will eventually become tarnished.
Ultrasonic Cleaning
Our service center is equipped with a 90 gallon Ultrasonic Cleaner. Ultrasonic cleaning is an innovative method of cleaning musical instruments through the use of high frequency sound waves and a biodegradable, environmentally friendly cleaning solution. Transducers mounted in the tank create tiny bubbles which clean and scrub the entire instrument in a safer, more thorough manner than traditional mechanical or chemical cleaning methods.
Ultrasonic Flush and Clean
- Disassemble horn
- Remove all corks, felts, water-key pads, rotor bumpers, etc.
- Clean instrument in Ultrasonic cleaner, using ultra-safe biodegradable cleaner
- We then use air powered nylon brushes to clean the interior of the instrument and slide tubes
- Pistons, rotors, and slide tubes are polished
- Measure valve/rotor port alignment and check with borescope
- Reassemble horn with new corks, felts, synthetic water-key pads, orange silicone rotor bumpers, etc.
Orchestral Strings Repair
Luthiery is a cornerstone of our shop, intertwined with band and guitar work. This discipline boasts a deep historical connection, much like the art of playing these instruments. We personally scrutinize all components, from pegs to bridges, to ensure top-tier condition, ensuring your instrument stands the test of time.
We rely on hide glue, a time-honored solution, for orchestral instrument repairs. Its application is strategic; stronger glue secures critical parts like bass bars for longevity, while weaker glue eases disassembly for delicate repairs. Every orchestral instrument undergoes a meticulous examination for accurate estimates. This is crucial, as concealed issues like seam openings or loose bass bars can be overlooked.
We employ various techniques to provide you with the most precise estimates, guaranteeing outstanding results for your orchestral instrument. For more substantial tasks like open center joint repairs, mending broken pegheads, or even component reconstruction, we approach them with the requisite time, precision, and expertise.
Jacob Bowles, our head string instrument repair technician, was trained at the Chicago School of Violin Making. Jacob oversees the orchestra string repair services for our company using the skills and knowledge he acquired from his years of experience as a luthier.
Bow Rehair
- We use the best white hair.
- The bow will be carefully disassembled, cleaned and, where appropriate, gently polished, taking care not to induce undue wear.
- The camber of the bow and the fit of the working parts will be assessed and discussed with the owner if necessary.
- A quantity of hair appropriate to the bow and the owner’s wishes will be picked and counted out by hand, removing any with detectable faults. Typically in this picking process we will discard 5% to 15% of the hair we receive.
- Once the hair is inserted into the bow it will be left to dry for a time in order to gauge the length before the final fitting of the spreader wedge and the finishing of the rehair.
- The working parts will be lubricated before the bow is returned to its owner.
- Only at the owner’s request, we will apply a first coat of rosin to the bow.
Bridge Replacement
Bridges are cut from maple blanks. Each instrument has a unique shape and the bridge has to be cut to fit the curve of that top. Bridges are tuned by carving out areas that carry the sound from the bridge top through the feet and into the instrument, where the soundpost transmits the vibrations to the back. Lasting for decades, a good bridge should provide great tone and comfort for the player.
