[Perfect Pitch]

I bought a bent 12M Conn Baritone off eBay (got ripped off):x
Faced with prohibitively exorbitant repair bills and with little other option, I am going to have a go myself, as it doesn't seem insuperable.
The bend is right where the cross brace is on the main body with one tone hole distorted. It looks like someone had the bell on the floor and leaned on top and bottom hard enough to deflect the body a centimeter or two.
Do you have any advice please?

 

[griff136]

bad news re getting ripped off, are you sure it wasn't done in transit?
have you emailed the seller?

some pictures would help also.

 

[Perfect Pitch]

Thanks for your reply. Sadly a photo really wont help as there is only a slight kink at the crossbrace/tonehole area but that translates into a substantial bend over the length of the body. Figured I would make up a suitable piece of cylindrical wood to sit inside the bent area/tonehole and pull the bend out as otherwise it would entail dismantling and unsoldering of the body whch in my untrained hands would equal disaster

 

[milandro]

......on the other hand you could have it done by a capable technician (Gordon is in New Zealand right?), take the financial punishment and play a beautifully set horn. It is unlikely that the damage is only there, probably some or all rods need to be straightened too and it could be that the horn would benefit from being overhauled. Transport damage is very likely in Baritones, lots of momentum or inertia in all those big and relatively thin parts, most of which have seen a hard life being always bashed about more than any other horn in the band. I really think that straightening the body is not work for a person who il less than experienced. Look also at key/tonoholes , probably they do not line up anymore.

 

[KEN K]

I would bet that the body of the horn is also bent.
It always bends to the weak side which is where the tone holes are.
Some force hit the top of the horn and it bent.
You have to bend it back the other way.
How can you do that?

I worked on some old bent baritone saxes for a poor school district and they bid not have the money to straighten them so here is what I did.

DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!!!!!

Leave the horn together.
Find a strong table and fold up some blankets and put them on the desk.You can also use a pillow. You must have about 4 inches of soft surface.

Look and see which way the bend goes. You want to knock it back the other way.

Hold the bottom and middle of the horn and hold it parallel to the floor. Let the top 12 to 14 inches be right on the blankets . You are going to raise the horn straight up about 6 inches and drop it straight down so the top section of the horn hits the blanket. You will be holding on to the bottom and middle of the horn. Take a look at it and see if it has moved ,if not try it again. DON'T get carried away.

If the blankets are soft the keys and post will sink into them without damage but the shock of the solid surface will be enough to bend the body back.Also the force is spread over the top of the horn. Do not just hit the very top of the horn.

This should straighten the horn and at the same time a lot of the rods will straighten and tone holes will level out.

You still have to do work on the horn seating pads, leveling tone holes and things like that. You also might push in some of the post but that will not happen if the padding is thick .

I have done this many times on old baritone saxes and it seems to work for me. PLEASE BE CAREFULL

 

[Perfect Pitch]

Thanks. Altho I didn't read your post i have effected a very good result with judiciously placed pieces of dowel inside and a knee on the rear. A few gentle applications of pressure and eyeometer and she is blowing like a beauty. Sure beats the $1200 quoted for a budget conscious type like myself

 

[hansmartini]

'Altho I didn't read your post i have effected a very good result with judiciously placed pieces of dowel inside and a knee on the rear.'
Good for you. More than one way to approach a lot of things. You must have a good analytical and visualising mind. congratulations.
Hans

 

[Gordon (NZ)]

Thanks. Altho I didn't read your post i have effected a very good result with judiciously placed pieces of dowel inside and a knee on the rear. A few gentle applications of pressure and eyeometer and she is blowing like a beauty. Sure beats the $1200 quoted for a budget conscious type like myself

It sounds as if either you had luck on your side, or you play with a gorilla grip, or you have little eye/feel for detail.

After straightening a sax body there is usually a lot of adjustment of the mechanism to be done, particularly on a bari. Typically some posts need realignment to remove sloppiness from pivots, pads need re-adjusting to tone holes (which may need re-levelling) and hence linkages need checking.

 

[saxtek]

Send your horn to Gordon. You're lucky to have him nearby at any price.

 

[Perfect Pitch]

you play with a gorilla grip, or you have little eye/feel for detail.

I think you must be referring to the previous owners so I shall not take offence. :flower:

 

[Gordon (NZ)]

I object. You have taken that quote out of context.

You should have considered my entire statement... "It sounds as if either you had luck on your side, or you play with a gorilla grip, or you have little eye/feel for detail."

I gave you three options. If it is in your opinion not two of those, then consider accepting the third - "luck on your side". No need focus on the other two and get defensive. Quite simply, if they don't apply, then they don't apply, and no offence need be taken.

On the other hand, if one of those two that you don't like actually DID apply to you, then the truth should be accepted for what it is, without offence being taken. Be rational, not emotional.

 

[ChuBerry47]

My tech just fixed a King Bari with the same problem.