.Ripped Flute Pad

I carry out repair work on most Woodwind instruments such as:

  • Bassoons, Contra-Bassoons
  • Oboe, Cor Anglais
  • Flutes, Alto Flutes, Piccolo and Wooden Flutes
  • Clarinets, Bass- and Alto-Clarinets
  • Saxophones, Soprano-, Alto- and Tenor-
.Improperly glued in Saxophone Pads can cause leaks

Cost

The prices for repairs vary a lot due to the work needed and it is only possible to give estimate prices for repairs. Work is charged on an hourly rate.

Average Clarinet Services cost about $80-$150, Flute Services are about the same.

Oboe Service are a little bit more between $150 and $250. Bassoons are very time consuming and depending on how much needs to be done, they can vary between $250-$400 for an Instrument in good condition and significantly more for complete overhauls with rotten timber issues or cracked tenons.

Saxophones are between $150 and $250 usually, again, if it's a vintage instrument or it needs more work or new pads, it costs more. For more details, please give me a ring on 09-814 1940 or 021-181 9269

More about repairing...

Repair Work is a vital part being a Woodwind Instrument maker. Throughout the years I came across various repair situations that challenged all my skills as Woodwind Instrument and Tool Maker.

Coming from Instrument Making rather than Repairing and with my own Flute production running, I am not shy to do repairs on instruments where other repair-technicians stop. Making a new key or even whole new Instrument parts, all that can be done.

Since I learned my Instrument Making skills on the Bassoon and the manufacture of it, Bassoon Repairs and complete overhauls are my speciality as well as Flute making and wooden flute repairs.

Here are some examples of some special repair work that I did:
for more information, please hover over the picture


Flute Repairs, examples of Ripped pads that are hard to spot sometimes...

Ripped Flute Pad Small holes in Flute Pad


A damaged Lip-Plate of a wooden Flute head joint is fitted with a African blackwood Patch

LipPlateRepair01 LipPlateRepair02 LipPlateRepair03 LipPlateRepair04 LipPlateRepair05 LipPlateRepair06 LipPlateRepair07 LipPlateRepair08 LipPlateRepair09 LipPlateRepair10 LipPlateRepair11 LipPlateRepair12


Making a missing Ab key from scratch

Nickel Silver key cup and keypart Keycup and keypart silver soldered together Key-Rod and key-cup part with the hole for the Key-rod Key-cup part and Rod assembled Key-cup part after silver soldering the key-rod and needle spring hook Handmade Roller key, cut out of sheet Nickel silver Cut out Raw key before filing and bending to the final shape Filed Roller key wih Roller and Roller-screw Assembled Roller Key before soldering onto key-rod Roller Key fixed with wire to the Key-rod before soldering Test-fit of the now silver soldered key before sanding and buffing Test-fit of the now buffed key Roller Key buffed to high sheen before Nickel plating Roller Key now Nickel plated and properly installed with Pad and key-corks The finished, Nickel plated Ab key All assembled and ready to play!


Repairing a broken Wing joint tenon on a wooden Bassoon

Broken Bassoon Tenon Bassoon Tenon repair Cutter Cutting Brass Tube seat All parts before assembly brass tube in wing joint brass tubing in tenon the finished job the finished job


Repairing a cracked and out of round Bell tenon on the same Bassoon:

The Original Tenon, cracked and out of round A custom turned wooden sleeve pushes the timber together and into a more round shape The cracks are now glued together and the timber is pushed close to round by the sleeve and a mallet A brass ring is turned to fit onto the skimmed down tenon The brass ring is then turned to the correct diameter Underneath the tenon cork, the former crack is still visible Here the same repaired crack visible from the inside The finished repaired tenon