Bent Straight Soprano
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The actual removal of the bend might not cost much, it’s the time spent readjusting and putting back in optimal playing condition that would likely make up the majority of the bill. Prices vary a bit based on where you live too. Take it to a shop and ask for an estimate.
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I’ve seen this done many times and the person whom I saw doing this the most ( David Crane of Matthews) starts certainly with this when taking care of many a soprano. If done properly and this was just a “ banana shaped saxophone” bend and not folded in two, there may even be little to adjust afterwards because the procedure implies the bending back with all the keys attached.
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Exactly, and I've had two tenors with upper body tube bends straightened at very little cost. One was $40 and the other ran $80, but only because a slight ripple had to be rolled out magnetically.
Seems a lot of modern horns bend quite easily. Good news is they are straightened with little physical effort.
I straightened my True Tone soprano using my knee and two hands, working carefully. The location of the bend was such that I could easily gauge progress by checking whether a long rod (that I verified was straight) would slip easily through the various posts. When it did, I stopped bending.
Hardest thing was finding safe places for the two hands and the knee where applying force wouldn't bend something else (like a post) or shove a needle spring into me.
Hardest thing was finding safe places for the two hands and the knee where applying force wouldn't bend something else (like a post) or shove a needle spring into me.
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the way I've seen this done is with a tool sold by saxophone supply shops which looks like a table leg (I've long thought it was indeed a leg), they (in different sizes) are used for all manner of saxophones
The sax goes on it and is then pulled ( where and by how much is where the expertise comes) in the opposite direction of the bend. Tenors and alto , I have seen severe bends taken away for the most part only with the use of these.
![]()
The sax goes on it and is then pulled ( where and by how much is where the expertise comes) in the opposite direction of the bend. Tenors and alto , I have seen severe bends taken away for the most part only with the use of these.
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Tech here uses various sizes of dowels and works as you describe. He knows from experience just what direction to apply force. The roll-out of any ripples with the strong magnets is also quite a skill. Takes him a lot longer to do that than the body straightening.
I think he gives me a break on price because I’ve brought him a couple dozen horns for repairs. We have a running argument now over how to pronounce Buescher. I say Bisher; he says Byusher. Evidently no one, even a skilled tech, is infallible.
I think he gives me a break on price because I’ve brought him a couple dozen horns for repairs. We have a running argument now over how to pronounce Buescher. I say Bisher; he says Byusher. Evidently no one, even a skilled tech, is infallible.
Picked up a sax in 2002 and here I am.
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A tech I used fixed a bent body tube on a tenor for me and it was one of those “look away” situations for sure! Great outcome and I’m not sure he even charged me, it was done so quickly.
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As others said it's almost always possible to fix.
Re those mandrels... a close fitting mandrel doesn't work because of spring back. It might improve a very significant bend, but it won't do anything to a small bend, and won't completely fix any bend. The sax would simply flex to straight while on the mandrel, then bend back when you remove it.
You can use a mandrel loose as a protection against the body buckling... but I don't know of a single time that this has happened, when not using a mandrel.
They can only work on straight sopranos or altos/tenors if the bell is removed. Most of the times bend are removed on altos/tenors without removing the bell.
For sopranos, or when the bell is removed on altos and tenors, I prefer divided mandrels. These are are like body mandrels was divided into sections with some overlap, and have a tiny amount of parabolic shape. You can put the sax over it and see how aligned the end is with the rod. This is my favourite method to remove bent soprano bodies because it requires a lot less strength from your hands, and doesn't have sax keys pushing on any body parts (which can hurt a little).
Anyway the usual method of bending it back (or straightening rather) over your knee, stomach, etc. is fine.
Re those mandrels... a close fitting mandrel doesn't work because of spring back. It might improve a very significant bend, but it won't do anything to a small bend, and won't completely fix any bend. The sax would simply flex to straight while on the mandrel, then bend back when you remove it.
You can use a mandrel loose as a protection against the body buckling... but I don't know of a single time that this has happened, when not using a mandrel.
They can only work on straight sopranos or altos/tenors if the bell is removed. Most of the times bend are removed on altos/tenors without removing the bell.
For sopranos, or when the bell is removed on altos and tenors, I prefer divided mandrels. These are are like body mandrels was divided into sections with some overlap, and have a tiny amount of parabolic shape. You can put the sax over it and see how aligned the end is with the rod. This is my favourite method to remove bent soprano bodies because it requires a lot less strength from your hands, and doesn't have sax keys pushing on any body parts (which can hurt a little).
Anyway the usual method of bending it back (or straightening rather) over your knee, stomach, etc. is fine.
'Whack a mole'! Yep, its quick and dirty, but it works.
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obviously different people have different techniques , I have seen mandrels as illustrated above being used by David also to bend back any curved saxophone with the bell on (no need to do that only on the tube) . He has performed this in front of me many times. It has to be an art.
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Do you mean he inserted from the top? This means the "mandrel" has to be smaller in diameter than the top of the sax, and usually even smaller than that because of octave vent sticking in. Actaully that's not a mandrel... but is that what you meant? A mandrel is generally a tool that either has a close fit to the inside of whatever you put on it, or is used to shape something over it to is shape.
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no, i mean that David Crane puts( the ferree's mandrels illustrated above )it through the bell and bends the saxophone straight/. I've seen him doing multiple times on many different size horns.
Always one of the most impressive things, along with his superb undenting and burnishing work.
I can assure you he doesn't remove the bells to straighten saxophones ( soprano or otherwise)
similar discussion here
www.saxontheweb.net
I think that other technicians also use the same method or something similar causing questions (from what he saus hornfixer appears to use the mandres in the same way)
Always one of the most impressive things, along with his superb undenting and burnishing work.
I can assure you he doesn't remove the bells to straighten saxophones ( soprano or otherwise)
similar discussion here
Straightening the sax body - the only method in existence?
Could you explain me please why there is only one standard method of straightening the sax body? I am talking about that 'straightening tool' that Ferrees sells. BTW, what is that tool? I heard some call it 'the rod'. Is that something special that is worth spending $73 for? If you have a...
www.saxontheweb.net
I think that other technicians also use the same method or something similar causing questions (from what he saus hornfixer appears to use the mandres in the same way)
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Today I straightened a really severly bent soprano in a different way. The bend was about 10cm below the top of the soprano so there was no way to get the correct leverage and correct the bend where it actually was located, not in the common ways of straightening a soprano (with my stomach or with a mandrel inside the sax).
I used the mandrel "reversed" by putting only the tip of the mandrel inside the tip of the saxophone (where you put your mouthpiece), then I put my leg under the middle of the saxophone.
Then I straighten the sax by carefully bending back at the right angle and with my hands tight around the sax, just below where the bend was. I do this by tiny increments many times before it's perfectly straight - you don't want to over bend.
Rather easy when you know what to do, but it can easily go very wrong by using to much force or by not controling the force and angle.
I used the mandrel "reversed" by putting only the tip of the mandrel inside the tip of the saxophone (where you put your mouthpiece), then I put my leg under the middle of the saxophone.
Then I straighten the sax by carefully bending back at the right angle and with my hands tight around the sax, just below where the bend was. I do this by tiny increments many times before it's perfectly straight - you don't want to over bend.
Rather easy when you know what to do, but it can easily go very wrong by using to much force or by not controling the force and angle.
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Clarifying a few things...
From what I understand from Milandro (explained more in addition to his posts here), the method he described is using the mandrels basically as levers to move an assembled saxophone, not as a mandrel inside the sax body. This is similar to other methods except a mandrel is used, but any tool that can be used for support in that way and work as a lever would work the same, the mandrel isn't used as a close fit to the body.
What I explained as a problem is when using the body mandrel as a mandrel i.e. inside the body. This is sometimes suggested as a method to straighten bent sax bodies, but it's not what Milandro posted here. Just misunderstood "the sax goes on it".
The method of divided mandrels I explained does use the mandrels as mandrels inside the sax body. It is my favorite method, but it does require removing the bell on all saxophones except straight sopranos, so I don't always use it (sometimes it's better to straighten bodies with the bell on regardless, depending on the situation).
From what I understand from Milandro (explained more in addition to his posts here), the method he described is using the mandrels basically as levers to move an assembled saxophone, not as a mandrel inside the sax body. This is similar to other methods except a mandrel is used, but any tool that can be used for support in that way and work as a lever would work the same, the mandrel isn't used as a close fit to the body.
What I explained as a problem is when using the body mandrel as a mandrel i.e. inside the body. This is sometimes suggested as a method to straighten bent sax bodies, but it's not what Milandro posted here. Just misunderstood "the sax goes on it".
The method of divided mandrels I explained does use the mandrels as mandrels inside the sax body. It is my favorite method, but it does require removing the bell on all saxophones except straight sopranos, so I don't always use it (sometimes it's better to straighten bodies with the bell on regardless, depending on the situation).
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I’d rather say the mandrel is used as fulcrum, the lever, the way I have seen this done is the saxophone itself.
The mandrel is set, horizontally, in the vise, then the saxophone , with the mandrel in the bell , goes around the mandrel, bell down body up, the operator grabs the saxophone upper body and flexes Carefully (though with a certain amount of energy) it in the opposite direction of the bend.
This technique is not without any risk but doesn’t require the bell to be separated from the body (which will imply resoldering most of the vintage saxophone bells), I have seen this and it is applied to all saxophones, straight or curved.
The mandrel is set, horizontally, in the vise, then the saxophone , with the mandrel in the bell , goes around the mandrel, bell down body up, the operator grabs the saxophone upper body and flexes Carefully (though with a certain amount of energy) it in the opposite direction of the bend.
This technique is not without any risk but doesn’t require the bell to be separated from the body (which will imply resoldering most of the vintage saxophone bells), I have seen this and it is applied to all saxophones, straight or curved.
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