“I’ve just sat on my flute ……can you repair it?”

 “My trumpet valves keep sticking ……can you repair it?”

  “I’ve just found a split in the back of my violin ……can it be repaired?”

 “It was my Grandmother’s piano, I think it needs a lot more than tuning……can it be restored?”

The National Association of Musical Instrument Repairs has many members listed on this website who frequently get asked just such questions and are quite used to giving the answer “Yes”. But it is important to find the right repairer for the instrument and it is useful to understand a little of what is to be done. This section of the website aims to help make this process easier.

Different Types of Instruments

Clicking on the “Members list” on the navigation bar will enable you to find repairers in many different geographic locations, but because there are so many different types of musical instruments, many repairers specialise in the repair of just a few groups of instruments and sometimes one only. Hence it helps to know which “Group” or “Class” or “Type” or “Family” of instruments your particular instrument belongs to - it’s not always obvious. For instance a saxophone belongs to the woodwind group even though it is made of brass. For simplicity, the main instruments in each category are set out below:

Woodwind Repair

Most musical instrument repairers offer to carry out on woodwind instruments the following category of repair: - checkover and put right, service (when the instrument is dismantled, cleaned and faults put right, and re-pad or overhaul (when all pads and most corks are replaced) along with the work done in a service.   A checkover should be requested whenever the instrument seems not to be playing at its best, or before an exam or concert.   A service on these instruments should generally be carried out every one to two years.  Typically after this time the instrument will start to look a little dirty with fluff accumulating behind the keys.  At this point it is likely that a few of the pads may no longer be seating as accurately as when new and the rod screws will need oiling.    A re-pad becomes necessary when most of the pads are becoming worn or seat badly and cannot be improved without a great deal of work, which would not necessarily provide a lasting solution.  Re-pads are not often required on instruments less than five years old unless there has been some damage to them not directly related to playing. 

Flute Repair - Typically most repairers carry out checkover, service and re-pad.   Flutes are particularly prone to minor leaks when the pads become ill fitting and this makes the instrument more difficult to play.  It is normally recommended that a flute is serviced every year or at the most two. A common problem with metal flutes is that the head or foot joints become either too lose or too tight to assemble correctly which can also affect the playing. A repairer will be able to true these parts up and shrink or expand the tenons so that they fit correctly.  The piccolo is a member of the flute family and while most repairers will checkover and adjust a piccolo, many repairers will send this instrument to a specialist for a repad.

Recorder Repair - The popular sizes range from Sopranino to Contra Bass.  Many of the small cheaper plastic recorders will not need any repair but the larger and wooden ones will need repairs such as tenon re-corking, re-padding and spring replacement.  Key work may require freeing, realigning or modification.  The larger instruments often have brass tubing to supply the breath to the top of the instrument otherwise out of reach.  This tubing may need repair or even replacement.  Broken tenons may be repairable but will usually require specialist attention.  Re-voicing will usually require return to the supplier or a very specialist repairer.

Clarinet Repair - Again most musical instrument repairers will offer checkover, service and overhaul as appropriate, with replacement tenon corks and tenon repairs as well.  Clarinets are particularly sensitive to errors of regulation (where the pads are not closing together) between the two lowest pads, F and E.  This leads to hesitation when playing over the break and it is normally recommended that this be checked every year by a musical instrument repairer- particularly where the player is not experienced and would not necessarily recognise the symptoms. Cracks in wooden clarinets can be pinned and glued. Broken tenon joints can be repaired by fitting inserts.

Saxophone Repair (sometimes wrongly spelt saxaphone and often just called a sax!) - Most musical instrument repairers will offer to checkover, service or re-pad (as necessary) and many also offer to carry out bodywork repairs and dent removal (including soldering and brazing) where these are needed.    The saxophone family includes the soprano, alto, tenor and baritone and the playing of them all is affected by minor leaks invisible to the eye.  The exact effect is dependent on where on the saxophone the leak occurs.  It should be assumed by the player that any deterioration in playing on the saxophone is the result of a leak or leaks that are normally impossible for the player to detect and the instrument should be taken to a repairer for a checkover.

Oboe Repair – Again, musical instrument repairers offer to carry out checkover, service and overhaul on the oboe but there are also some repairers that specialise in the repair of double reed instruments (particularly including the cor anglais and oboe d’amour).  Although cork pads on the oboe are generally quite robust, the regulation between them can often become inaccurate such that minor leaks develop, so regular checkovers are recommended.

Bassoon Repair – Similarly musical instrument repairers will offer to carry out checkover, service and re-pad of a bassoon. As with the oboe there are also some repairers that specialise in double reed instruments and this is particularly the case with bodywork repairs to the bassoon as not all repairers have the necessary equipment for this work.

Brass Instrument Repair

Repair work on brass instruments essentially includes servicing of valves, servicing of slides (and their removal when stuck), servicing of waterkeys and general bodywork repairs as required by the customer.   In addition many brass instrument repairers also will arrange for a brass instrument to be re-lacquered or re-plated when desired by the customer.  When a brass instrument fails to speak in its normal manner this will be because there is either a constriction somewhere in the tubing (you would be amazed at some of the things extracted from brass instruments – including live gerbils!) or there is a leak somewhere. Perhaps a leak due to poorly fitting valves, a joint that has become unsoldered or a tube that has split from internal corrosion. All of these faults can usually be repaired.

Cornet Repair, Trumpet Repair, Flugel Horn Repair and Tenor Horn Repair - Most brass instrument repairers will offer to carry out servicing of piston valves, servicing of slides, servicing of water keys and general dent removal or re-soldering work.   Slides should be regularly removed by the player and condensation shaken out.  The slide surfaces should be lightly greased.   When a slide is stuck on a cornet or trumpet, the instrument should be taken to a musical instrument repairer.   The player should not use force, as damage is likely to occur which will cost much more to repair than for the repairer to remove the slide.   The same comment applies when a mouthpiece is stuck in the instrument, as considerable damage will occur if the right tool is not used to remove it.  Piston valves that are jammed or just rather sluggish are a common problem. If some simple cleaning and fresh valve oil does not cure it, the services of a brass instrument repairer should be sought.  The brass instrument repairer can remove many dents very effectively and often there will be a discussion with the customer to decide upon the extent of dent removal needed.

Trombone Repair – Here the main consideration peculiar to trombones will be the condition of the playing slide which needs to be as smooth and slick as possible.   There are many faults that can cause poor slide function including dirt, too much slide cream or there may be some mechanical reason such as dents, bends and the whole slide geometry being out of alignment.  If there is poor action on the slide the player should initially clean the stockings on the inner slide (the slightly expanded section at the ends) and the inside of the outer slide, but if this results in no improvement the instrument should be taken to a brass instrument repairer as no other action by the player will be effective.

French Horn Repair - Most brass instrument repairers will offer to carry out servicing of the rotary valves on a French horn including restringing where necessary.   This is not something that can be carried out by the player. The player should take out the slides at frequent intervals when playing to allow condensation to be shaken out.    If the slide action becomes difficult the instrument should be taken to a brass instrument repairer for servicing. The repairer normally offers to carry out general bodywork repairs including dent removal.  

Baritone Repair, Euphonium Repair and Tuba Repair (includes Eb Bass, Bb Bass and Sousaphone Repair) - Not all brass instrument repairers carry out repairs to these instruments owing to the larger range of tools required and the greater physical strength needed for some of the work.   Prices therefore tend to be higher for work on these larger instruments.    Work that is carried out by the repairer includes valve servicing, leak detection and repair, dent removal, slide cleaning, general bodywork repairs and sometimes polishing and re-lacquering. 

Stringed Instrument Repair

String instruments fall into two categories, unfretted (violin family) and fretted (guitars and mandolins etc) and not all repairers carry out work on both families of instruments.  It is important that when any of these instruments are stored unused for a length of time that they are not put in a loft or other uncontrolled environment.   Considerable damage can occur to the wooden bodywork of these instruments under these conditions, with joints opening up and cracks appearing, all resulting in an expensive repair.

Violin Repair, Viola Repair, Cello Repair, Bass Repair - Repairs to this group of musical instruments become necessary either through wear and tear or physical damage. In the first category the repairer can refit pegs, fit a new bridge, replace the soundpost and replace the fingerboard or saddles when worn, all to make the instrument play at its best.  In the second category the repairer will repair damage –such as a hole through the ribs- or repair cracks that may have formed in the front or back of the instrument.   Other parts of the instrument can be replaced or re-set if necessary.  The repairer can adjust a chinrest, refit the spike holder to a cello or bass and make good damaged areas of varnish needing touching-in.   The scope of work done during the repair of a stringed instrument should be agreed between the customer and repairer before work starts.

A further repair offered by many string repairers is bow re-hairing.   This is needed when the hairs of the bow become straggly or partially broken such that the number of hairs remaining in the bow is insufficient for the purpose and when the hair becomes dirty or stretched.

Guitar Repair, Mandolin Repair, Ukulele Repair, Banjo Repair, Sitar Repair and other Asian Instrument Repair -    

Repairs to this group of musical instruments become necessary through either wear and tear or physical damage.  The repairer can re-fret the instrument, repair the bridge, replace the machine head, and carry out general body repairs according to need.  Instruments can be restrung and those such as the banjo have the vellum replaced.   The full scope of work should be agreed between the customer and repairer before work starts. 

Piano Tuning and Repair

Repairs to Pianos fall into several categories.   Most become identified when the piano tuner visits the instrument for the first time.  Repairers can replace damaged parts of the action and where necessary make new parts for the keys or other moving items, as spares are rarely available.   Missing ivories can be replaced with attention given to matching the colour of the original.  When the case is damaged or the French polish in poor condition, repairers can generally restore the instrument to a good standard of appearance.    Repairs can also be made to the frame where it is no longer able to take the tension imposed by the strings.   Some piano tuners also carry out repairs but others will refer the customer to a repairer when necessary.

Percussion Instrument Repair

Repairs to percussion instruments include all types of repair to drums.   Marching drums, such as snare drums, tenor and bass drums can be serviced and can also be recovered to alter the marking when required.  Replacing the heads on these drums is sometimes done by the player but will be done by the repairer on request.

With timpani repair, the repairer can overhaul the pedal mechanism, replace the heads and deal with bodywork damage as requested.   Some percussion repairers also offer to restore old rope tension drums that can be used as decorative features rather then for playing.

Retuning of mallet instruments such as the xylophone is a specialist repair, but some repairers offer this.  Where significant damage or tuning problems occur it may be more economical to buy a new one.

An instrument requiring repair should be taken if possible to the repairer who will give an indication of the work that will be needed to bring the instrument up to good condition. 
 

Finally, if you have any queries about the suitability of any instrument for repair and restoration, do get in contact with anyone in the membership list to discuss things either by phone or e-mail – if they do not feel competent to undertake the work themselves they will usually be able to recommend someone who can.