[Guest]

Is it that the parts on cheap saxophones are generally harder to replace since they use different types of screws?
And I mean how hard is it to change the pads and springs on a cheap sax? I couldn't imagine it would be that bad.

So anyone here can give me a few reasons as to why ppl would turn down a cheap sax to fix?
thanks!

 

[saxmusicguy]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

I've never heard of a repair shop turning down any job as long as they have time for the work and customer is willing to pay the charge.

 

[simso]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

Im happy to repair any sax. However certain things must be understood.

Time is money. Money is time. So if I had for example a yamaha 100 in for service, I know the mechanism setup well, the relationship of the parts etc, it is a known quantity. So it is easy to quote out a repair and do the repair. Some instruments of unknown manufacturer come with a miriad of issues from key slop to porrly designed mechisms that take a lot of work to get going correctly, sometimes they have none of these issue ""sometimes"". For this reason it is an unknown quantity and some repairers may not want to deal with an unknown quantity to start with.

The biggest issue I see or have is non brand name flutes, trying to get them to play well can be a true challenge. Most of the time the cost to repair said cheaper instrument outways the price of a replacement instrument

 

[hornfixer]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

Some shops like them because they need to be repaired so often.
My shop doesn't like them because they so often can't be repaired.

 

[griff136]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

Im happy to repair any sax. However certain things must be understood.

Time is money. Money is time. So if I had for example a yamaha 100 in for service, I know the mechanism setup well, the relationship of the parts etc, it is a known quantity. So it is easy to quote out a repair and do the repair. Some instruments of unknown manufacturer come with a miriad of issues from key slop to porrly designed mechisms that take a lot of work to get going correctly, sometimes they have none of these issue ""sometimes"". For this reason it is an unknown quantity and some repairers may not want to deal with an unknown quantity to start with.

The biggest issue I see or have is non brand name flutes, trying to get them to play well can be a true challenge. Most of the time the cost to repair said cheaper instrument outways the price of a replacement instrument

I totally agree with Simso. there's no point in doing a half hearted job some of these instruments can be repaired to a good standard but it takes time and that costs.

Another factor is guaranteeing your work as a repairer. I admit there are certain instruments I will not work on and expain to the customer my reasons There are others I will work on but because of cheaper soft materials used for the making of keys etc instruments can go out of regulation as soon as theyre out of the workshop.Then the customer is back wanting a repair done free of charge as it had only recently been set to playing order. I will do repairs if the customers insist with the caveat that they test play the instrument in the workshop before they leave and the work is done on the understanding that it comes with no warranty/guarantee.

 

[MusicMedic]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

We will work on anything but, like Simso said, time is money.

For example when I was training Dan, who does saxophone key work in my shop, we gave him a brand new chinese alto to fit the keys on. His goal to get it as perfect as possible. He ended up having to drill out the ends of all the pivot keys and plug them. He replaced all the rods AND pivot screws etc... It was a tough job. Over 2 weeks of key work later it was pretty tight and nice.

 

[hornfixer]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

If you buy a (off) brand new $300 sax and you put $1500 worth of work in it, then you have a $300 sax.

 

[saxhorn4]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

I don't care to work on anything i suspect would not hold an
adjustment. The kind of instrument that "got it playin" now...but
I warranty my work and cannot ,will not, guarantee that these instruments will
be playable tomorrow.

 

[dexdex]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

Here in Switzerland where cost of labor is very high, this phenomenon disqualifies even midclass horns with well known brands like Jupiter, as their prices are roughly equal to the cost of a full overhaul. We could maybe export used Jupiters to ... wherever makes sense.
My bad weather backup Jupiter alto is still looking for some good-willing competencies...:|

 

[Chris Peryagh]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

I've worked on the odd £50 cheapo Chinese clarinet and the repair cost uually exceeds that, but the end product as has already been stated is still a £50 cheapo Chinese clarinet with all the defects that come with it. Similarly with a £150 alto sax - trying to make it into something it'll never be is a futile task.

You can't polish a ****.

 

[KEN K]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

I try to repair everything but when I try to repair a horn that is so badly made it just will not stay in adjustment I give it back to the customer .

I could say more but I don"t have time.....I have to get back to polishing a ****.

 

[Sigmund451]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

According to mythbusters a **** can be polished.

...however, that does not make me want one.

 

[Starsax A2]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

My local shop says they won't simply because they can't guarantee the sax will stay adjusted after they've worked on it due to the cheap, soft metal the keys are made of. They don't want to have to keep tweaking a horn for free which won't stay tweaked. Can't blame them.

 

[Chris Peryagh]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

Ok, you can't make a silk purse out of a pig's ear, or you can't turn a sweatshop built sax into a Yamaha 875EX.

As these cheap Chinese imports are effectively white goods like a freezer or microwave which are probably far cheaper and easier to buy than repair when they conk out, there's little point in doing too much to them as they'll be binned after they've exceeded their 6 month lifespan - the youngster or whoever is learning on them will realise their shortcomings and either give up completely (either due to they're not enjoying it, they've lost interest or got infuriated by it) or upgrade to a better quality instrument from an established maker.

 

[Oric Muso]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

People expect you can get spares for new instruments but it can be nightmare trying to get hold of spares for cheap instrument. Some suppliers simply tell you they don't sell spares. The amount of faffing about trying to get something that'll do makes it more trouble than it's worth.
Some instrument have pretty bendy keywork. Set it up, play it for a bit and then check it again and it's off.
Other instruments come in with a catalogue for problems. There's a part come of which needs fixing for it to work again. The teacher says it'll only cost £10. What about the rest? Putting the bit back doesn't fix the sax, it still needs all the other problems fixing. But the teacher said ... ... .. Agh!
Shops that get plenty of work in can refuse to work on some instruments. I don't blame them. I don't get a great deal of work in living in a sparesly populated area. I have to fix the things - somehow. I often can't charge a proper rate for all the work needed and have to find ways of getting the things playable.

 

[ptung]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

If you buy a (off) brand new $300 sax and you put $1500 worth of work in it, then you have a $300 sax.

^ This is probably the most universal answer, imo, complicated by the repairer's impression (accurate/communicated or intuited) of the customer's expectations, based on the value of the instrument. To feel like the customer thinks you're doing something wrong because repair rightly costs $125-$150 on an instrument that cost the client very little wrongly puts the repairer in an awkward position.

I have had to do repairs in ways I would not stand behind on an older PRC make because the customer could not afford to pay for them to be done properly, and had only paid $200 or whatever for the instrument. It would have been wiser to refuse the work, with apologies (rather than do work about which I had to say, "Please do not tell anybody I did this") because even doing the customer -- a working professional -- a large favor on labor time, I could not afford to do the work the way it should have been done. That is a VERY awkward and no-win situation for the repairer.

 

[Grumps]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

So anyone here can give me a few reasons as to why ppl would turn down a cheap sax to fix?
thanks!

It's no secret really. The main reason a tech won't work on a cheap saxophone is that they don't want to be held responsible for it should they break one of the parts trying to repair it.

 

[Enviroguy]

The real problem is that local shops around here would probably refuse to work on a Barone sax for the same reasons. They'd say no parts are available and they can't guarantee the adjustment.

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

 

[JohnGalt]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

Okay, I'll say it ... I think the established techs who have reputations think that they doing an overhaul on a Bundy II is like putting lipstick on a pig ... it's beneath them ... if you bring a crappy horn to Emelio he will just point that person over to the "other guy" at the shop ...

 

[JohnGalt]

Re: Why normally doesn't repair shops want to repair/fix cheap saxophones?

... who's a great guy btw ...