Broken Winds Repair

My poor customer, who shall not be named, suffers from carpal tunnel, as evidenced by a lot of previous movement of their thumbrest in the past, just trying to get it where it is comfortable to play.

They had a moment of frustration when they decided to ”not bother their technician”, but then brought this to me with much embarrassment.

Please, oh please, feel free to contact me! It’s no trouble! Especially when your clarinet costs upward of $4500!
Well just don’t, no matter what your clarinet value is.

Good to go now. Play on!

This English Horn upper joint had a crack that was approaching a tone hole, so posts were removed, and I carbon-banded the body. Professor will be keeping an eye on this one to see if pins are needed in the future, but I believe that this repair will go the distance!

Quick fix on a LaMarque oboe C-D trill linkage. Not my most beautiful work, but fabricated within a reasonable time-frame and completed within deadline! Actually, was pretty apprehensive to even post this, as it’s not perfect… but neither is this very old instrument that needs more than it is worth. (For techniques classes at UI. I’ll post some nicer work soon :)

Unfortunately, I will be out of commission for roughly 6 weeks due to back surgery on November 6th. Uncharted territory, this, but I will post again as I feel better, and as my doctor allows. Obviously no tubas or baritone saxophones for a while. Wish me luck!

Having never tried one myself, I’ve naturally been skeptical of the effects of the heavy mass screw and other saxophone “tone enhancing” accessories. Still, when a customer requests one, I am always happy to oblige!

Finally got around to making a leak tester! Took way longer to get the parts than to build it! I already isolated a leak in my own saxophone neck and remedied it. Plays like a totally different instrument!
(Special thanks to Gino Mauricci for the schematics and parts list way back in repair school 19 years ago, and Jacob Deming for the clarinet case housing idea!)

You never know what you’re going to find in a case. Occasionally you hear something rattling around in there and you’re never really sure what it is. Usually if I can’t get it out with some strategic shaking, I move on.
Coins, reeds, broken ligature screws, pencils, broken neck screws like the one pictured, batteries, even ROCKS one time. But they were pretty rocks, not gravel.
This interior was really loose so I removed and reglued but didn’t expect this. I believe this is the first time I’ve found used fingernails.
Extra key pearl! Score!
Anybody need a hair tie?

Fabricated a neck brace a while back…
These photos are prior to some more dentwork on the neck where it creased from being pulled down. And silly me forgot to take one more photo of the totally finished product, but here it is.

A fairly basic repair by most tech standards, but soldering without burning lacquer is tricky. Metal neckstrap hooks beat brass. Luckily this Bari sax didn’t hit the deck when this one failed. Plus, you can see where the strap damaged surrounding lacquer in an orbital pattern. Stick with the plastic hooks people!

Cracked C Clarinet bell extension. Funday Sunday! I wish I had taken a “before” picture of the crack caused by improper fit. If you check the “after” photo you’ll see the weak point above the vent.
Carbon fiber banded, removed some inner diameter to fit, and good to go!
Be sure and check with your tech when ordering custom parts for your instrument 🙂