|
| Instrument Cleaning
Services
|
Instrument cleanliness is important to any
wind instrument, and critical to the proper operation of any brasswind
instrument. I would estimate that 60% of trombone slide problems that
I encounter involve cleanliness, and dents and alignment are only 40%
of the problem. Also, I have witnessed the mangling of too many valve
springs on piston and rotary instruments where the player wanted faster
action, and all that was needed was a good cleaning. Instrument cleaning
is central to my repair operations, and I strive to render each instrument
as clean as when it left the factory... or better. To this end, I treat
each brasswind instrument I work on to a chemical cleaning of the appropriate
level. First, each instrument is disassembled and washed thoroughly
with warm (not hot) water, a good degreasing detergent, and appropriate
scrub brushes. Once the parts have been thoroughly degreased, then
they are immersed for 20-30 seconds in a de-limer/de-scaler solution,
to remove calcification. This calcium buildup is the culprit that makes
your valves still feel rough and gritty after you've washed them at
home. Home-cleaning of instruments is good and recommended, but occasionally
the instrument should still be professionally cleaned. After immersion
in the de-limer/de-scaler, the parts are thoroughly rinsed, then immersed
for about 5 seconds in bright dip solution. This acid essentially turns
the brass bright yellow again, so that it essentially looks like new.
The solution does not react with lacquer, but does make silver-plate
turn hazy, so a silver-plated instrument must be completely hand-ragged
and silver polished after being chemically-cleaned. This treatment
removes any buildup from Monel pistons, making them perform like new
or better, and the chemical reaction with the brass not only makes
it look better, but gives long-term protection from corrosion.
After being bright-dipped, the parts are carefully
rinsed and then thoroughly washed yet again in warm water and detergent,
then rinsed again, dried, and inspected. If any green/white deposits
remain, these parts are given extra attention and re-cleaned, until
the instrument is flawlessly clean. I like to completely dry the inside
of the instrument as well as the inside and outside of all parts, so
that the lubricants will adhere to the metal better and not be diluted.
All slides are checked for proper fit, and alignment adjustments are
made as necessary. Valves are precision-aligned with the appropriate
felts, corks or rotor bumpers, then the instrument is assembled using
the appropriate Hetman lubricants. They are non-toxic, and provide
the highest level of performance from your instrument and highest level
of protection for the slides and valves. On trombones, I will either
lubricate the handslide with Trombotine cream and Hetman HydroSlide,
with Slide-O-Mix, or leave the slide dry and let the customer treat
it himself. On valved instruments, the springs are evaluated and replaced
if necessary, to ensure quiet, fast operation. I carry valve guides
for every major make of instrument, and replace them if needed during
this operation. The result is an instrument you can play with confidence.
This instrument cleaning service is my basic, professional play-condition
servicing, which includes removal of minor dents, replacing the water
key cork(s) if necessary, and polishing the silver or lacquer.
|
 |
| Play Condition
Restoration |
Includes all of the above, plus more substantial
dent work, replacing the leadpipe if necessary, and re-plating the
valves if they are substantially leaking, pitted or worn. The aim of
this service is to restore an instrument to 100% playability without
the expense of a complete restoration. With this service the instrument
would not be re-lacquered or re-plated, but would be made to look as
good as possible within the prescribed budget, whether it is an instrument
that does not need a restoration, just some substantial dent work and
minor buffing and spot-lacquering to make it look virtually new, or
if it is an instrument that could really use a refinishing, but the
owner's budget dictates otherwise.
|
|
| Full
Restoration |
During Full Restoration, an instrument is
brought back to like-new condition or better, with careful attention
to the appearance
of the
instrument
while not compromising on playability, either. When an instrument comes
to me for a complete restoration, I discuss it in detail with the owner,
then oversee the project and do some of the work myself, but I rely
on my friends at Badger State Repair in Elkhorn, Wisconsin for the
valve
re-plating, silver-plating and most of the lacquer work. They also
have an engraver in their employ, so that worn antique engraving can
be enhanced,
or new engraving can be added. These folks are masters at what they
do, and I consider it a priviledge to work with them. When they have
done
their work, I receive the instrument back and go over every square
inch of the instrument, being as picky as possible, until I am satisfied
that
it is the best that it can possibly be, both in appearance and in playability.
Sometimes I will stand there for two hours with a restored instrument,
just trying different thicknesses of valve alignment until I find the
best in-tune and most resonant setting. Why play a so-so instrument
when you can play an extraordinary instrument? In the restoration of
historical
instruments, special attention is given to each detail, to make sure
the instrument is as correct as possible. If necessary, I can fabricate
replica braces or other parts that may be missing from a historical
instrument. For instance, I have a 1935 York original CC tuba I am
restoring, and
two of the three original bell screws and flanges were missing. I made
two replicas, and they are close-enough that I'm now not sure which
are which. These services are necessarily somewhat costly, as they
are extremely
time- and labor-intensive, but there are instruments out there that
are worth this sort of investment.
|
|
| Mouthpiece
Modification / Restoration |
|
| I routinely repair bent mouthpiece shanks, polish mouthpieces, and cut down the shank size on mouthpieces to fit small receivers. I can also drill out backbores to open-up a mouthpiece if desired. Restoration of mouthpieces that are currently in production is often not economical, as you can buy a new one for less than what a restoration costs. However, if you have a historical mouthpiece, or one that is just your favorite and you want it restored, I will do that for you. Just please bear in mind that I generally try to do several at one time, as multiple mouthpiece plating orders at the plater's saves on my cost, which saves on your cost. If I were to do one mouthpiece by itself and have it silver- and gold-plated by itself (gold-plating needs a good base of silver plate to adhere well), the cost on a one-only mouthpiece would be $150.00 or more, whereas if I get 4 or more done at one time, I can drop the price by one half. Mouthpiece orders sometimes take a while, so I ask for your patience if you get a mouthpiece restored. I can get it done quickly, but it will be much more costly.
|
 |
| Case Repairs |
| I carry a variety of hinges, latches, and handles, and can also add wheels to a case if desired. Some cases are worn-out and need replacing, but many times we can make that old case sturdy and attractive again, protecting your instrument and saving you money. We are also a source for a variety of replacement cases and Altieri instrument bags and case covers. |
|
| |
Copyright © 2006
Lee Stofer Music Service |
|
