Our repair philosophy

Good repair work is good for everyone, no matter how long they have been playing.  A Student MUST have an instrument that plays as good as a professional instrument, because  young musicians don't always know how to make the instrument do what they want.  We have often heard the comment at other repair shops, "well, it's just a student horn, it plays good enough." 

How sad.  Student musicians need all the help they can get.  They certainly don't need to be hindered by their instrument.  They can overcome an old instrument, or a beat-up instrument, AS LONG AS IT PLAYS WELL!

Here's how to tell if your repair tech is up to par.

Woodwinds:

The best way to tell if your woodwind instrument is properly adjusted is to play it.  Really!  But don't push the keys down hard.  If a woodwind instrument plays its lowest note without having to squeeze the keys shut, it is ok.  However, if you have to have a gorilla grip to get that bottom note to come out, it is not ok.  A very light touch is the real test, using just enough pressure close the keys.  The lighter the touch, the better the repair technician.  Haven't you ever wondered how professional players can play so fast?  Their instruments are in perfect adjustment, and they can use a very light touch!

Many times, a poor repair technician will tell you "well, after you play it awhile, those pads will seat in better."  DON'T YOU BELIEVE IT.  If it was repaired properly to begin with, it will play great right from the start.  You will often see a professional player play their instrument, testing all the alternate fingerings, right in the repair shop when they pick it up.  That's how they know if the repair tech has missed something or not.  A good repair tech will never be offended if you play test your horn.  A REALLY good repair tech will play it themselves before you get it.  The VERY BEST repair techs will not be happy with the instrument until YOU are happy with it!

And another thing - NO INSTRUMENT REPAIR TECH WORTH HIS SALT IS GOING TO TELL YOU THAT THE PROBLEM IS YOU!!!  A good technician might tell you, "well, I have done everything I can, maybe we need to try a different mouthpiece," or "what kind of reed are you using, do you mind trying a different one?"  In other words, if he or she can't fix the instrument to your satisfaction, you shouldn't be charged and you SHOULD expect them to work with you until you are satisfied. 

IF A REPAIR TECH TELLS YOU THAT IT IS PROBABLY JUST THE CHILD, OR A PROBLEM WITH YOUR TECHNIQUE, CLOSE YOUR INSTRUMENT CASE AND FIND ANOTHER TECHNICIAN.

Brass:

All solder joints on repaired brass instruments should look pretty much as good as they were when the instrument was new.  If you look at it and see solder glopped on, or worse, hanging off, it was not done correctly.  Good solder joints will last a long time, too.  If it breaks again right away, the joint wasn't cleaned before soldering.  Well, unless you are using it as a baseball bat.

All slides should work freely, but still draw a vacuum.  Test for a vacuum by pulling the slides without depressing a valve.  You should hear a "pop."  Some really bad repair techs will use lapping compound to get the slides and valves to work, but that makes them leak air.  We have actually seen a French horn valve that had been sanded and buffed so much that it wallowed around in the valve casing!  The result was that the horn played "stuffy."  If your valve or slide looks like it has been sanded, beware.  Lapping really should be a last ditch effort.

Trumpet and cornet 3rd valve slides should work very freely, without any air leaks.  For the ultimate test, try this.  Hold your horn with the mouthpiece end up.  Depress your 3rd valve, while holding your hand under the 3rd valve slide to catch it if it falls off.  The 3rd valve slide should fall, without any effort on your part.  But, when the 3rd valve is not depressed, and you pull the slide off, you should still hear a pop.

Trombone slides should move very freely, with no "grabs."  A really good trombone repair tech will never use an "expander" to take out dents, but will always use a trombone rod along with a tiny dent hammer.  You may see some very tiny hammer marks where the dent was, but the OPPOSITE side of the tubing should not be pushed out.  That's the trouble with expanders.

And if your instrument has been overhauled, does it look good?  Push on the metal with your finger.  Does the metal feel thin?  It shouldn't.  Is the engraving still readable?  If the overhaul shop buffed all of your engraving off, they have probably just ruined your instrument.