Vintage Saxophone Repair

Are you looking for vintage sax repair by a shop you can trust? More and more people are discovering the great saxes that were made from the 1920s through the 1950s. Perhaps you have one that belonged to you as a child or has been in your family for years. Maybe you bought a vintage sax on eBay and were not prepared for the work involved to restore it. If you do not know of a reputable shop that is experienced with vintage saxes, maybe we can help. Not all repair shops are willing to spend the time required to do this type of work. There are also many differences in the types of materials and techniques involved in the repair of vintage saxes. Don't trust your sax to just any shop, make sure they are experienced. with vintage.

The same services offered for standard saxes are available for your vintage sax, however, the prices are slightly higher because of the special circumstances vintage instruments involve.

It is not recommended to re-lacquer a sax that has never been refinished. However, once an original instrument gets to a certain point depending on the condition of the finish and the amount of other damage it may be done as a last resort. If the sax has been refinished before and it is in very bad condition now, a restoration will actually increase the value. The engraving can also be redone since it is usually degraded from previous buffing. If we proceed with the refinishing, every effort will be made to reproduce the original style of finish or to duplicate an optional finish such as silver plating in either a bright or matte finish. If a brass finish is desired, the body will be carefully buffed to only the minimum amount required. Keys will be also be carefully machine buffed. Clear lacquer is standard, but gold tinted lacquer is also available

For most saxes you may choose from several types of pads as described in our standard sax services. When a Buescher still has the correct snaps, I will only use correct Buescher metal backed snap in pads. Conns can have the original Reso-Pad style or any other type. All others can choose between Plain, plastic domed, metal domed, flat metal or noyek metal resonators. Roo pads are available at additional cost.

You could take your vintage sax to just any local repair shop and have it rebuilt. Most likely the shop will use standard techniques used on today's modern saxes and treat it like just any rebuild. Many times I have seen damage done by these shops such as silver plating buffed away or matte finishes buffed smooth. Buescher saxes frequently have their snaps removed so that modern pads can be glued in. Forked Eb and G# trill mechanisms are butchered or deactivated. Vintage saxes should be preserved and respected for they are reminders of a time when true Craftsmen took pride in the products they made. It is that same pride that we put into each vintage rebuild. It's not done in the fastest or easiest way, but the correct way with correct materials. I think you will see a difference and if you are new to vintage saxes, just make sure whoever you leave it with knows the correct methods. Please note that silver polishing is an additional charge based upon the condition.

Polishing Silver ................................ $200-400

Re-engrave ...................................... inquire

Gold plate complete or partial ......... inquire

Modify keywork ............................... inquire