Cleaning

Tear Down and Clean - Woodwind

  • Instrument is completely disassembled
  • Body section is degreased and ultrasonically cleaned (wood excepted)
  • Wood joints are oiled and reconditioned
  • Keys, rods and screws are hand cleaned and pads are cleaned as needed
  • Silver finishes are polished
  • Mechanisms are reassembled
  • Oil keys (no regulations are made – See: Play Condition)

Flush and Clean - Brass

  • Instrument is completely disassembled
  • Body and all component parts are degreased and ultrasonically cleaned
  • Detail cleaning of all slides, valves and casings
  • Silver finishes are polished
  • Replace alignment corks and felts, water key corks and faulty springs 
  • Slides are greased, rotors are oiled
  • Instrument is reassembled

Regulations

Play Condition - Woodwind

  • Repair body tube and tone holes as necessary
  • Correct post and key alignment
  • Fit and straighten keys as necessary for operation
  • Clean tone holes and pads as needed (A full cleaning will be done if extremely dirty)
  • Replace any key corks and felts
  • Pad coverage is inspected with a leak light and all leaks are removed
  • Replace any faulty pads
  • Regulate and oil mechanisms and remove lost motion
  • Play test

Play Condition - Brass

  • Removal of dents affecting the response of the instrument
  • Instrument is inspected for foreign objects lodged in bore
  • Check all braces and joints and solder as needed
  • Check tuning slides for proper fit and function
  • Replace any felts, corks and springs as needed
  • Check all slide and valve function
  • Play test

Overhaul

Repad - Student woodwinds

  • Disassemble instrument and clean all component parts
  • Perform body repairs and level all tone holes
  • Swedge keys to remove lateral play
  • Replace all pads, corks and felts
  • Assemble instrument
  • Level and seat all pads
  • Regulate and oil mechanisms, set key heights and remove lost motion
  • Clean mouthpiece and perform facing repairs as necessary
  • Play test

Mechanical overhaul - Professional woodwinds

Same as above plus the following:

  • Closer attention spent on body repairs
  • Keys and rods are fit to stricter tolerances
  • Premium materials are installed and regulations made to stricter standards
  • More corrections made for response and intonation

Overhaul - Brass

  • Remove all old finish and clean instrument
  • Replace any rotted or extremely damaged parts
  • Remove all dents and pay close attention to cosmetic flaws
  • Solder all braces and align instrument
  • Polish, degrease and refinish instrument and re-plate any necessary parts

Customization

Our custom shop is able to offer a variety of services for the discriminating upper level player. Services include:

  • Key modification and alignment for individualized fit to the musician 
  • Design, fabrication and installation of custom fixtures and levers 
  • Intonation enhancements such as tone hole inserts, undercutting, custom venting as well as the use of exotic materials
  • Valve rebuilding
  • Rotor rebuilding