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Accident, Price and Repair

3K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  hornfixer 
#1 · (Edited)
Well, I have a fairly nice saxaphone, and the other day a big accident (hence the topic name) happened. I was going to go upstairs to my room to practice my horn when i grabbed my case. The thing that i did not realize was that my case was still open, and out comes my saxophone body, hits the ground on its bottom and then i catch it before any more damage is done. Well, i take it, play it a bit, and it seems to be fine, no leaks or anything. Finally when im putting it back away, i noticed on the very bottom, where theres a curve and a fin, the bottom of the saxaphone is flat (right in the center bottom) and the length of it is 2 inches long and about 1 inch wide. After finding this, I was freakin out . . . a lot. So, i have 3 questions 1) is this going to make my horn sound significantly worse? 2) is there any way to repair it? 3) if there is a way to repair, how much (estimate) do you think it would cost?
 
#2 ·
Depending on the type of horn and thus the size of the horn's bow (i.e. alto, tenor etc.), and the extent of the damage, it could result in no effect on the horn's playability, all the way to impacting the intonation, free blowing characteristics etc.

Damage on a horn is never a good thing on many levels, but a ding or dent in the bell and or bow, as long as the tone holes and keywork are not impacted, is usually far less of a concern than higher up the horn, such as the upper body and neck.

Have a tech look at it. If worse comes to worse, he will be able to remove the damage. Dent work is never cheap, but it likly is only going to be a cosmetic problem. The tech will be able to determine this.

If you post a few photos of the damaged area, the many techs on this forum will likely give you an idea of what to expect, and what needs to be done if anything.

By the way, it's Sax-O-phone, not sax-a-phone.;)

Cheers and welcome to the forum.
 
#3 ·
It's the most challenging area for dent removal.

However rather than make the instrument play worse, it quite likely makes it play better. Many saxes play the low notes better with the equivalent of what you have done, i.e. with a constriction dropped into, or soldered/glued into the bend of the bow.

However, a dent this significant suggest that the instrument was jarred sufficiently to misalign some of the posts that support the keywork. Check for play between the posts. A jar like that can also put a slight banana bend in the straight part of the body.
 
#4 ·
Here are some pictures from photobucket. It doesn't play really bad and I've checked all my pitches with a tuner and they are all fine. I'm just naturally embarassed that I actually did something that stupid. I'm kinda beatin myself up about it but w/e, i can always get it fixed. You can all probably tell what sax it is, and thats the main reason im super embarassed, lol









 
#6 ·
I may be a knucklehead, however it looks to me like the brace took almost all of the force of the impact. When I follow the curve of the horn, not the support, it looks like there has been very little change in it's shape. I almost thought that it hadn't changed the shape of the horn at all except in picture 2 it looks as if the bottom has been slightly flattened. If it was my horn I would take it to a tech make sure the rods have not been affected and that there are no leaks, and then I would play on and consider the dent to have added some character. C'est la vie, life's too short to sweat your mistakes, I am pretty sure you will never repeat that mistake again. Jay.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Oh, that isn't going to effect anything other that the looks, trust me. That isn't anything to worry about. Getting your first dent or scratch (especially on a new horn) is like having the same thing happen on your new car. It's painfully irksome, but the grief will pass in time.;)

I caused an infinitesimal little pencil point ding on my first BRAND NEW horn, a Selmer/Paris SA80 Series I (I see yours is a Series II), MANY years ago when they first came out, and nearly tore my hair out. It had ABSOLUTELY zero effect on the horn's performance, and was barely visible too.

My how things change.;)

Now maybe you will think of it as the artist's tool that it is, not a holy relic, and get down to some nose to the grindstone woodshedding with it. I know I did.:D
 
#8 ·
Like said, that won't affect much unless the body was slightly bent, but you said the horn plays fine so that may not be an issue.

For that dent to be fixed you have two options. Have a tec do the best he can to push it out, but the guard will always have a flat spot, or have the guard removed (un-soldered), the dent removed, the guard either replaced or re-shaped, soldered back on, and have the bow spot-lacquered to look like new again. For the latter, it can get kind of expensive, and the dent will not affect anything other then cosmetics, so I wouldn't worry about it.

Besides, if you play your alto inbetween your legs nobody will ever see it.
 
#11 ·
mastabruce said:
I feel a lot better, lol. Still going to take it to a tech and have it looked at and junk. Its the first dent or overall "injury" my sax has ever had. As of yesterday, it has been one year and eight months since i first got it.
Yours lasted longer than mine. I put the ding into mine after precisely one week. Dumb teen that I was.;)
 
#15 ·
:cool:
t-tane said:
Perfect dent for Boehm tool, DENT REMOVAL RINGS FOR SAX BOW, 594/1,
http://boehmtoolscom.t3-kundenserver.de/uploads/media/special_tools_for_saxophone_woodwind.pdf
Few years ago I bought from Selmer Paris factory dent bow guards like 7$ / each, it´s much more easier to chance the guard than try to take dents out of it.
But Your low B is much better with that dent...
This tool has been discussed amongst some of the finest technicians in the world, and we don't feel this particular set of Boehm shoes is needed, if one has basic dent removal types of equipment. And it is useless for anything but the area under the cap/guard. Forget it on the sides of the bow. In this instance I don't believe the bow to be damaged underneath. If it is slightly, the dent in the bow itself can be easily removed using concventional tools/methods, while the cap/guard dent is cosmetic. I agree with replacing the cap/guard, as it would have to be removed anyways for any attempt to repair it. Put a new one on and call it a day, if the customer needs to have the cap damage removed.

Like I say about automobiles, all band instruments should come pre-dented and pre-scratched.. :cool:
 
#16 ·
I agree that the linked tool will do nothing conventional tools do.
I agree that nothing can be done with the guard without removing it.
I agree that replacement makes more sense that trying to repair the guard.
I agree that the very small body dent below the guard is relatively easy to remove.
I agree that any notes affected, will be affected for the better, especially low B and C#.
Lacquer is likely to be burnt brown during any re-soldering of the guard. Re-lacquering, unless done professionally, may be cosmetically worse than the dent.

Another option is to replace the dented guard with a self-adhesive polymer equivalent, which in time is likely to become the industry standard anyway. (They probably offer better protection) They are available from Badger State Repair and Supply Corp.
 
#19 ·
I agree with Gordon.

Your horn is worth more with a dented guard than a relacquered bell.

If it really bugs you, you could buy another horn and sell that one. The difference in price would be about the same as repairing that one and you would have one that has not been relacquered.

Personaly it woulden't bother me a bit, you should see my horn, and I am a repairman.
 
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