Practically every day in our repair shop we come across emergency repairs. What we discover is that these repairs are not a result of a traumatic injury but rather a slow break down over time from lack of regular maintenance. … Continued
The Bassoon is one of the most intimidating instruments in the band but when you break it down it’s really not that complicated at all! The first thing to understand about bassoons is at the top of the instrument, the … Continued
As the marching season comes to a close, many instruments will be put away until Summer Band Camp. If you are indeed going to put your instrument up for an extended period of time, here are some helpful tips to … Continued
Recently in the shop we have come across several instruments that have the incorrect screws in the posts or guards. We are here to tell you that NOT all screws are the same and they are definitely not interchangeable. There … Continued
We have all been there. You are in a practice room or on a stage and that dreaded silence killer comes back to haunt you, the sticky pad! Before we can address how to fix the sticky pad we need … Continued
We see so many instruments at the beginning of the school year that have been hiding out in a closet for the last twenty or so years just waiting patiently for someone to play it again. When it emerges from … Continued
In our shop the technicians have their own mouthpieces to play test every instrument that they repair. It’s a good thing too because the mouthpieces that we see in the cases are gross!!! We often go over swabbing out woodwinds … Continued
Too many times this year we have had the displeasure of trying to remove an extremely rusted hinge screw from a binding key and post. There is a very simple solution to prevent your instrument from looking like this: … Continued
How do you know the difference between a dent that will affect the playability of an instrument and one that is simply a cosmetic annoyance? For many years players were told that the closer the dent is to the mouthpiece … Continued
In order to maintain your brass instrument it MUST be chemically cleaned at least once a year. In between your chemical cleanings, it is also a good idea to bathe your brass instrument. Keeping it free of dirt and grime … Continued