REPAIR

I take between 1 and 3 overhauls for hire, monthly (and not more than this).  While the best situation is always to work with a trusted and competent repair technician locally, if you can't find a repairperson in your area, or can't find one with whom you feel comfortable, please feel welcome to email me (link below) and we can discuss work by mail.  Generally, at present, my overhaul waitlist is too long for me too take much, if any, spot repair by mail.

Every horn is met according to its own needs, in the end, and pricing reflects this.  While work is performed on a sliding scale, according to each horn's needs, the base price for a full overhaul is usually between $575-$695, depending on brand and pitching.  Altos have the lowest base price, generally, followed by soprano, tenor, and then baritone.  Conn and modern saxes (from a mechanical viewpoint, those based on the Mark VI or SA80 designs) take a bit more time than Martin, Buescher and King, although Martins sometimes require some extra expense if the toneholes are not level or otherwise damaged.  Base price is simply a reflection of the general difference in work times that various designs usually require.  Base price does not include extra costs for special or custom materials (for example, Just Saxes-custom, screw-in, reusable resonators), or for work related to mechanical damage beyond normal, minor wear & tear.

Overhauls are performed to the customer's personal taste and the horn's needs, with choice of pad and resonator, as well as other custom installation materials.  Some of these materials when desired can be quite expensive, but they will be made available at my dealer cost on overhauls (I do not sell overhaul or repair materials separate from overhauls).

Turnaround time on overhauls during periods of normal work volume is 2-4 months by mail, shorter locally (mostly because shipping and unpacking, etc., takes extra time, but also because overhauls by mail require extra time in playing and testing, to assure stability of the work prior to completion), with extra time sometimes required for certain kinds of work (e.g. reconditioning jobs requiring resealing lacquer coating, which sometimes has to wait for conducive climatic conditions, & other types of work that have to "cure" before further work resumes).  Turnaround time depends primarily on the amount of work on my bench at the time the horn arrives, and will be clearly estimated at the time of the work order's scheduling.  I normally work on several horns at once - this helps me keep a fresh attention span for each horn, and the day's work as it moves - and this is one of the reasons I have a longer turnaround time than some may expect.  I can usually lower price a little for customers who do not mind longer waits, because to work with greater peace of mind is literally worth its weight in gold, both to me and in terms of results.

I can schedule overhauls ahead of time, but work will be performed first according to need -- those in dire straits without a trustworthy tech nearby will receive first priority -- and then on a first-come-first-served basis.  Please understand that, when inquiring, if I cannot take your horn right away it's because I have already committed to work on other horns.

 

REFINISHING SERVICES (COSMETIC RESTORATION) Hand (no-machine buffing) refinishing: . $400 sop / $425 alto / $450 tenor* * prices include complete needle spring replacement, which is part of any no-buff refinishing. New! - click here to view pics of & information about no-buff stripping - Tarnish removal (no machine buffing or harsh abrasives): . (please click here, or pics,  for "before & after" illust's) - for gold and/or silver plated horns - $75 - light tarnish, chemical bath & rinse $150 - medium to medium-heavy tarnish $195/$225 - heavy/very heavy tarnish - bare brass - $75 - light tarnish $175 - heavy tarnish (no "crystalline" oxidation) $250 - heavy tarnish with crystalline oxidation   Jump to: Refinishing...Buy...Sell...Trade Appraisals...Overhaul...Customizations

Every overhaul has its own unique requirements, but as a general rule every overhaul I do includes at least the following:

A note on horns sold by JustSaxes that have not been overhauled:

In general, every horn purchased by Just Saxes is overhauled prior to listing for resale; in very rare cases, horns arrive in a condition that is close enough to optimal that an overhaul really isn't necessary.  When horns are listed for sale with an "as current" price versus a "with overhaul" price, it's because I can offer an overhaul at a low price when selling a horn.

As pads age, they tend to develop leaks too fine to be found with a leaklight, but that nevertheless do affect the response of the horn; this is the primary reason that a full reinstallation of pads, linkage materials, and spring replacements, can and does improve the playing responsiveness of a horn that is already playing very well and does not appear (with a leak light) to be leaking.  Horns sold with an optional overhaul price are fully serviced by Just Saxes, to optimize playing condition, given the current installation.

Consignment sales merit some special considerations.  Generally speaking, on saxes sold on consignment, I perform only those adjustments that are risk-free.  Since consignment horns are sold with full Just Saxes protections and support, I make every effort to optimize their performance prior to listing them; the limit of these repairs are things like soldering, bending of keyguards, post-straightening, so forth -- repairs that have a risk of complications such as posts breaking off, etc., since I charge a very low commission and would be responsible for any complications resulting from risky procedures.  It should be understood by overhaul customers that unpleasant circumstances like posts detaching do occur during overhauls, especially on certain models/makes (e.g. Martins), that these problems often cannot be forseen without actually undertaking dismantling of the instrument, and that such problems may involve extra work (to be charged at $25/hr).  No extra charges will ever be incurred on a horn from JustSaxes without prior notice; if, in error, Just Saxes should fail to notify buyer, or request permission from buyer to perform services to be charges at services beyond agreed overhaul price, those services are to be provided free of charge.

A wide range of customizations are available, "from the ground up."  My own tenor, for example, is a Conn Chu Berry on which I've switched out the original, more difficult upper and lower stacks, and left hand table, for much faster & more comfortable Keilwerth keywork (the horn from which the keys were filched was actually a vintage German-made stencil, which used the same keywork and hardware as Keilwerth, in the same period).

I'll put a webpage up, linked here, soon, with detailed notes about the Conn.  Meanwhile, there are notes & photos below, to give some examples of custom work (and just to post some pics of the horn in what seems the most appropriate spot on my site).  Only a relatively limited number of types of customization were done on this horn - or are still pending, so many customizations are not described or documented below, such as customizations particular to specific makes, and necks (modern Selmer necks, for e.g., tend to like some particular dimensions and to benefit from number of modifications, in many cases).  As far as prices for customizations go, I ask $25/hr, on the clock, plus cost for parts.  Jobs the size of this Conn, tho, will be charged at a (not modest) flat rate.

Clicking on the thumbnails will link to larger photos:

Before finding my Chu tenor, I had been looking for a candidate for this kind of retooling for some time.  My favorite sound is vintage Conn, and of the Conns my favorite voice is the Chu's.  Chus just tend to be a bit deeper, if a little less projecting, than 10Ms, but my favorite keywork is the Mark VI's; the only reason I had not put the two together earlier was the lack of the right horns, at the right time. Once I found this Chu, and played the neck on my 10M, I knew this was the horn for the job.  I chose to use a Keilwerth in-line vintage horn for the keywork, because this would give me the closer, faster, more modern main keyboard, along with a design that, heavily influenced by Conn, fell right in line for the most part with Conn's tonehole layout.  I wanted to stay with a non-ribbed construction, to keep the horn as close to original feel and performance as possible (Chus are horns that VIBRATE, and I did not want to discourage this one from doing its thing).  Vintage Keilwerth keywork was the best candidate on a number of counts -- among them that the left hand table can be mounted without removing the bell-body brace (see below).

   Besides being an extremely promising player, this Chu was in near-museum condition, and would have been a collector's item, had I done a restoration.  I kept some of the original keywork, with minor modifications, for example the palm keys; the original palm keys were a little low, and the Eb was shorter than ideal, so I added epoxy risers.  The next alterations I make will be a high D extension which allows the high Eb to be played with both Eb and D open, but only the Eb depressed.  I'll also add an F# helper bar, improve on the G# system, including a no-stick spring addition, when time permits.  I'm considering changing out the front-F design for Yamaha; I really like the Yamaha Custom's front-F design, for feel and function.

   Vintage Conns have a small, pearl button for a thumbrest, that is a little uncomfortable to play on for long stretches.  I've replaced the Conn thumbrest mounting with a Yamaha mounting and Yamaha thumbrest.  The octave mechanism and mounting hardware are Keilwerth/Dorfler.  I originally mounted a cosmetically stunning, pearl-inlaid, wide Keilwerth-style thumbrest, featuring the cut-out that accomodated the teardrop Keilwerth design, but it felt a bit awkward.  The teardrop octave key rest has been altered to conform to the curve of the Yamaha thumbrest, and it still is a tiny bit too far right for me.  At my next opportunity, I'll add a bit of an epoxy wing to the thumb touch, extending it to the left.

   One nice thing about changing to the Keilwerth mechanism was that the left hand stack sits a tiny bit lower, relative to the player, on a Conn than on a Keilwerth; this makes mounting the thumbrest (for best comfort) a bit challenging, when combined with placing the octave key mechanism at the right height, vertically, both for ergonomic and mechanical function.  I managed to make everything fit just right, with the body octave lever almost completely projected, unlike those of most vintage horns; this is one of the nice things about Yamahas, that their design does not leave the octave key mechanism open to the damage that other horns often suffer, when transported without a neck plug.  Most of the upper stack was a breeze, but the octave key vent and mechanism are executed very differently on the Conn.  The solution is a bit strange, inasmuch as the G linkage needs a very FAT cork, but functionally the result is very nice & smooth.

   Though the left hand table was one of my main reasons for changing the keywork, I'm not satisfied with the results.*  The early keywork design I used, a "Balanced Action" style construction has an inherent flaw in the way that the C# keyarm is designed.  It flares out to the side too much when depressed, because of the arc of the key arm's motion.  I've made several changes to the low B touch, to faciliate the C# to B slide, canting it downward (this is a modification that can make a VI or Yamaha Custom much slicker, here, too), lengthening the face of the B touch both so that the tip of the finger has better leverage when playing the B by straight downward pressure, and so that the slide from C# is a bit more sure.  I've also raised the surface of the C# and altered it with several bends to minimize the sideways action of the key; raising it and bringing it into a position where it actually overlaps the B slightly (without any compromised action) allows not only for a better C# to B slide but a better C# to Bb slide.  Low C# to Bb can also be a challenge on this early modern keywork design.  Ultimately, I'm not satisfied with the LH table results.  Unless this changes, after I've been playing on this horn longer, I'll likely go ahead and change it out for either a modern Yamaha or Cannonball left hand table, and go ahead with the bell-body brace change.

* see below for an update regarding the table - I've since replaced the BA-styled table with Cannonball keywork and hardware.

   Modern, Yamaha keyguards make adjustments to bell key heights, and protection of the keycups much better.  On Conns, the low C and Eb keycups are particularly exposed, and the low C's seating and adjustment are extremely easy to compromise, even by simply resting the horn in one's lap.  The Yamaha (i.e. Selmer-styled) key guards provide much better protection; I kind of thought I would like the look of them, as well (I do).  The original Conn low Eb/C were kept, and their ergonomics, with the new lower stack, actually feel better than originally.  The Eb needs a little help yet, and I will probably eventually as a slight extension to it, including a wing, for more sure "footing" when sliding up from low C.  The lower stack had to have a bit more radical mechanical work done to install than the upper stack; the original Keilwerth/Dorfler F# key cup was too small, so the original Conn F# cup was used.  I toyed with the idea of changing the F# linkage arm to a modern (double screw) one, but am glad I didn't because I would have to undo it in order to add the extension I would like to add.  After adding the F# helper (because it will be necessary to offset the leverage change), I'm doing to extend the F#-to-G# linkage so that the linkage arm contacts the G# cup at the center of the cup, rather than the side.  I think this will give a tiny bit more solid action to the G# arm, especially when the automatic G# is activated, i.e. for bell key articulations, for example.
 

   When taking out keywork and mounting hardware, there is not just alot of soldering but soldering clean up.  If you look, you'll see smooth spots where Conn hardware once was.  The plating on this horn was original, and after touching up the silver plating it will be a bit less blemished from the remaining solder "shadows" of old hardware feet.  When soldering on new hardware, it's possible to be a bit more "invisible" in bonding the new hardware with solder, but I prefer to make sure that the entire rib or foot is bound to the horn by solder, and to allow for a bit of soldering evidence.  Applying less solder may make for less evidence that a repair has been made, but mechanically speaking it will not survive the test of time (i.e., the bond will break and the part will fall off, eventually, if solder is not applied to the entire contact surface.

   Making keys was probably the funnest part of this job.  The little rocker mechanism you see behind the low Bb key is the linkage to the low Bb lever.  The posts are Conn posts, as is the original key from which the rocker is tooled.  I had never seen a refiguration of keywork like this done when I started this job, so coming up with practical, creative solutions to mechanical problems was much more necessary than on most customization work; all of these customizations were made with both feel and function in mind.  The key touch lever's links to the rocker, for example, closer to the fulcrum and the key cups arm further, so that relatively little motion of the Bb lever moves the Bb cup a relatively greater distance.  Similarly, though the high E key touch is the Keilwerths (and therefore modern, arced/ergonomic design), I added a riser to bring it closer to the finger, and make it conform to the finger's actual position when operating the key.  I kept the side Bb and C mechanisms of the Conn, and they are a bit lower, relative to the German main stack touches than with the original, but I kind of like this; the slightly more downward movement is actually faster for me than the more sideways action, and I don't notice the difference in placement now that I'm accustomed to the horn.
 

   Yamaha thumbrest.  I made this substitution in part because it gives so much flexibility in terms of what kind of thumbrests can be put on, with only the turn of a screw.  Ponzol, Tim Glessman, and several others (including Yamaha) make thumbrests that are interchangeable on this hardware.  I'm not satisfied, though, with the feel of this thumbrest, even after moving the mounting position around several times (i.e. longitudinally -- the rest is adjustable up & down, as well as side to side).  I like Ponzol's design, in the abstract, but haven't had any yet myself, so trying one is a natural next step.

   Probably, eventually, I will end up reinstalling a forked Eb for this horn.  I just wanted to try a simpler, more modern design first, as I have never found myself applying the forked option for any of the special voicings it helps articulate, in my own playing.  For now, the forked Eb is covered with a penny.  The low B cup is actually a reworked low D cup.  In this photo, you'll see the sloppiest work that I did on this horn; it's sloppy aesthetically, but there's a logic to it.  The C# linkage arm had to be made in something of a peculiar way, because on the Conn the C# cup is not located in the same place, longitudinally, as on the Keilwerth; it's too close to the top/center line of the horn to allow for proper leveraging while mounting the C# key to coordinate well with the Bb and B keys, so I had to make the linkage in such a way that the turning of the key tube made the linkage touch move vertically the greatest distance possible; further, because there is relatively heavy pressure on the C# key, I wanted excess silver solder to provide support for the soldered-together linkage/tube joint.  Another relatively sloppy solder joint is that of the added low Bb regulation foot, which also has excess solder on it to discourage the solder from giving way, since it must act as part of the key rather than just as an adhesive force.  At the brace, you can see the way that it was possible to "rewire" the low B key to wrap around the brace, in order that the LH table could be mounted without changing out the bell-body brace.

   The only basic piece of equipment not yet on this horn is the clothesguard, for the backside of the lower stqack.  I have the bulky vintage metal Keilwerth guard, from the donor horn, but would rather put on a smaller, lighter, more attractive guard; I've ordered a Yamaha 875 clothesguard, but it's just not here yet.  It will be gold, like the cup guards.

   The left hand table.  Epoxy risers extend the Bb tough in different ways, for different finger actions.  The pinky tip's resting area is lengthened and broadened go provide surer action when using a pressing action, and a slight wing is built up at the back of the key for contact with the second digit of the finger when sliding downward.  There are teflon patches on the low C# touch -- looks bad but works well.  The teflon trick is not recommended, because they need regular replacing; they just are a bit smoother and less apt to snag a finger that should keep moving, when sliding.  This table probably is not going to stay.  It's worlds better than the original table, for me, but the final result can still be better, I think, if I go ahead and revise it again.  There's probably a way I can get away with just substituting a rocker low Bb keytouch, and fashioning a VI-type mechanism, but I want to move the whole table toward the center a bit, so probably I will indeed end up installing the left hand table hardware from a modern horn. 

* update, 8.25.03:  I did finally go ahead and redo the LH table with Cannonball keywork, finally, mostly for the sake of improving slides between C#-to-B and Bb from both the other bell tones.  I also ended up reinstalling the forked Eb, which probably will get some further alterations, including a keyguard, and redone E linkage, later.  A couple of pics (thumbs - click on any to enlarge):

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Since customizing the Chu, I also got back in trade a Transtional model Conn tenor that I really like, and that has been matched to a Gloger solid silver neck, with LH table from Keilwerth Tone King added.  A few pics of this job (risers/extensions on G# still "under construction" - C# could be put flush with table, but it's better functionally a bit higher, as it makes slide to Bb better, and slide to B better, because it doesn't depress quite so far below either when operated):

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Paid appraisals are available at $25 each, $50 for written, legally binding appraisals.*  I'd like to offer them as a free service, but there just isn't time enough in a day for me to do that.  Many internet dealers receive hundreds of inquiries daily, asking in various ways for free appraisals - that would drive me batty, as it does them, so please don't be upset if you email me asking for a free appraisal, and I can't do it for you.

* Appraisals given for insurance purposes are performed with the implicit, mutual recognition that neither I or Just Saxes are legally bound to provide legal testimony in any legal proceedings regarding the horn in question.  Written appraisals by Just Saxes should be regarded as legally binding testimony/deposition, in and of themselves.

* Casual appraisals, with work orders, are free of charge.