Sensational Selmer vintage saxophone- band instrument repair- sax repair
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- Опубліковано 7 жов 2024
- In this episode, Wes works on a vintage Selmer tenor sax.
Topics include:
Breaking corrosion
Silver solder joint setups
Leveling pads
Light finger touch method
Thanks for watching.
From what I’ve seen on UA-cam, folks who repair instruments all seem to have a relaxed calm demeanor. Maybe it’s a natural talent for staying patient and chill that helps with the work. Enjoyed the vid keep em comin.
Never thought about that until I read this, but you may be on to something. Frustration does happen and then you have to go take a walk or work on something else while you think of the next course of action. But definitely have to stay level headed. Thanks
Ola amigo. Faço esse trabalho no Brasil. Realmente exige muita paciência.
I can think of a few who are among angriest people around. Maybe they are the exception, maybe there's no rule. You'd also think machining and engineering professions must have that element to them that you must be patient and display attention to detail, and yet people with a short fuse somehow make it there as well, a lot of them actually somehow. Anyway no point wasting time on UA-camrs who aren't innately pleasant. Wes is a treasure.
@@SianaGearz yeep, un tipo agradable. Salud 🤙
I always have respect and admiration for everyone with these abilities that keep my horns playing!
I have no idea how I ended up here watching your videos...but I like where I am! 👍🏻
My grade school band director smoked a pipe-that tells you how long ago that was, and he kept a box of pads-he would use his lighter, and melt the shellac that held the keys, and replace the pads-no charge-I thought it was awesome! Thank you for these videos-very interesting!
I still smoke a pipe.
Thanks for this informative video. It is hard to beat a Selmer, and I think you did it justice.
Nothing like em!!
Thanks for watching.
I just love watching masters of their craft work. I don't have any musical talent or instruments, but I could watch you work all day long.
I love watching craftsmen at work, especially on saxes.
I had a few things go through my head! One is the brilliance of your solder work. It's not my favorite thing to do and you make it look easy. The next was your attention given to the light show and finally, I was thrilled that whoever did the previous pad job didn't use weldwood contact cement! Again, beautiful work!
Have had a few weldwood pads.......hate that junk.
Glad you mentioned the silver solder. Lots of band directors use the lead and it's not as good. I really enjoy your excellent repair work. So nice to see a really great repairman at work. Thanks .
THANK YOU FOR YOUR VIDEO !!!
Wes, I'll pass an old electricians de-soldering trick on to you. Clamp a piece of pine wood close to where you're working, either vertical or horizontal. In whatever position you need it That's close to what you're de-soldering. Grasp the item to be un-soldered, with pliers in one hand and your torch in the other. Make sure no one is next to you. Heat up your metal till the solder starts shining and quickly hit the wood with your pliers. The solder will keep going and your metal will come to a fast halt! The centrifugal force makes the liquid solder fly on out. Spread a damp rag in the "Spray Zone" so you won't have lead BB's up in things, like motors or equipment. Hope this helps you de-solder.
Nice job. It's good to have the tools and know how to use them. I admire your skills and experience.
I can watch you all day Sir .I do repairs in Guyana South America. We don't have shellac in this country so we have to use contact cement and it works just fine. Keep up the good work Sir.
Brother, you are awesome. Thank God for people like you. Thanks!!!
un des plus détendus et des plus intéressants travaux que j'ai eu le plaisir de regarder . Je viens d'apprendre plein de petites choses nouvelles pour moi mais intéressantes et même souvent essentielles . Je reviendrai souvent vous voir Wes Lee ! Ca en vaut vraiment la peine :j'ai appris en passant un très bon moment en votre compagnie
. Que demander de mieux !!!
Thanks Wes, you are a true master with a subtle touch and seem at one with your instrument, really informative video.
Craftsman- needed now more than ever. Excitement welled up inside when you played the low b, c#, b flat. I loved the soldering but even more, the grinding, not leaving the solder blubber on the inside. My tech excites me in the same way. I brought a Kohlert 55 alto, with oval tone holes and dents top of dents. We did resurrection- plays now like 1955 with roo pads. Thanks- good time!
the attention to detail applied to each project I’ve seen really speaks to the pride you take in your work and the love you have for each and every instrument you touch. certainly a level to aspire to in any field.
I’m so impressed with your work and your work ethic. Great work, brother.
Thanks again, and again Wes.
Loved this video. I had a Selmer pretty much like that. I bought it new in 1960 or so and played it in a dance band for several years. Sadly I sold it after I quit the band.
Wes, I tried you leather strip tip for leveling pads. I have to admit it works quite well , not for everything but, now they are the first thing I grab on my bench. Thanks so much !
Sweet! Going from good to GREAT!
Beautiful work Wes. I love the care and attention you put into these beauties!
1953... wire neck key (prior to the Mk VI solid plate with the S logo)... and split (offset) keyboard... must be a Super Balanced Action... just before the Mk VI. Nice!
Love the videos Wes! I use Zep industrial purple degreaser (basically lye) to break down silver solder flux so there's no etching like with acid. I also use it for darkening the brass to match patina or if left in long enough to strip lacquer. Something I picked up from a friend and I've been loving the results!
What a great job to have, true artist craft.....Thanks for sharing.
"chorus of angels" hooked me🎷
Thanks Wes a real craftsman at work , enjoyed your video.
Excellent work man ship and workshop
Nothing else like this on YT … that’s why it’s so interesting.
Συγχαρητήρια για το πάθος που δείχνεις για την τέχνη σου και ευχαριστώ που το μοιράζεσαι μαζί μας !
Wow! You are amazing! Questions
What is the oldest instrument you have worked on?
What instrument has been your most challenging?
What repair has been your most rewarding?
Thanks again!
I like it saxophones, so it's interesting to me how building and how fixing the saxophones problem,thanks for the video.
Mestre!! É assim que vejo você, um grande mestre dos instrumentos de sopro, sou seu Fã, aprendo muito com você, muitíssimo obrigado, quero fazer um curso com vc, se possível, mas acho que isso seria um sonho difícil de realizar , Deus abençoe você a cada dia!!
Beautiful tone .
Having a blast getting caught up with all your videos.
Love your videos. Thanks.
One of the last SBA's. Very nice.
hey I really enjoy your videos. Thanks for sharing
The best youtuber ever
That’s a mighty lofty compliment, but thank you.
That sounded like 1978 band class. Clean. Just nice horn
Hey man, good stuff I watched 2 episodes and am learning all sorts of stuff by watching you work. 1st time to hear and see. Thank you.
Fine work sir thank you wonderful insight to you craft.
Great instrument and a great repair. Like your v-notch for the braze. Gotta get those pads dialed in. If it don't play it don't matter how shiny it is!
this sax has an amazing sound
Solid work
Thanks for sharing this repair work Wes !
I have a 1933 Selmer Paris that I got for $200, it was my first sax. It was corroded as heck though, but played quite well, despite being used in marching band by the previous owner.
Great work
..... Very cool job and tips ... Am thinking of a Buescher true-tone, and not being a player yet was worried about bad pads ... But now, I can perhaps bring a small light and like you showed, check for gaps and light showing when I lightly press the notes ... Perhaps I can expose reason to lower the price a bit if the gaps are present .....
Great job
I play saxophone and I thought this was really cool!
Nice work.
Awesome. Thanks for having me.
Loved it, thanks you
What a great old horn........................lucky owner to have it..........................lucky owner to also have a repairman with such special skills. You have got the touch for sure! I'm a guitarist but I love Jazz trumpet and sax players. I could name off the greats but I'm sure you are familiar with many of them already. Guitar repair is working with different types of materials but to do it right you still have to have the chops and personality to do it right........................patience is a must, anything that is done right has taken time to do it that way. I'm amazed by your work.............so I'm going to follow and watch more. That is some shop you have there...............you could build and repair many things in there, not just musical instruments.
I have a 1916 selmer. I think it has all original pads on it. I am new to music and want to take care of it.
Getting the band back together!
Looks like that poor sax had some really questionable repairs in the past. Really nice to see it get the TLC it needed from a tremendously gifted repairman! A vintage sax can last for a long time if it's properly cared for.
Good job!
Amazing work, amazing sound!
Thanks for playing it.
Wes: the sax should never be lifted out by the bell. Especially tenors. Lifting like that bends the bell brace area causing the bell keys to be out of alignment. The bell winds up pulling upwards and has to be aligned again so the keys close. Near 100 percent of my sax repairs have this issue so the customers have to shown how to lift out by the middle of the sax or support the sax at the top. This common problem is well known to my repair friends. I'm surprised you lifted that out like that. I am thinking of making a video to help folks out and prevent this issue. Thanks making a video on repairs.
I had one of those tenors in the mid 80's. It was an OK horn, nothing special. But the "SBA" altos from the same era are unequaled. Paul Desmond knew.
Vielen Dank für das interessante Video. Tolle Arbeit 👍🏽
Wes I'd really like to see a shot of how you clamped that band to keep the curvature before you soldered it. Thanks.
Nice work dude
Awesome work
Brought back good memories. Thanks. New sub.
Thanks a lot , wonderful insight
I'm impressed. Was wondering if you played also. Guess you do. That's a sweet old horn.
Great job man. Tony, tenor/alto and piano
After all your work recuperating wonderful to hear them sing a few notes €;-)}
The best way to have repaired that broken ring was not soldering it but welding it with a laser welder with some fine filler wire. You would have still prepped it the same but welding it from the backside with just a little going through to the top. After some light filing & buffing the joint would be invisible and as strange as new.
I found my grandson a Cleveland alto sax. Tech said it needs a complete overhaul. The pads were dead and coming out, and the whole thing needed cleaned.
Nice work!
GOOD JOB
Regarding brazing : Prepping parts - does not require beveling, - unlike welds. One can tape/masks / then sandblast the narrow contact area.A costum jig often needed for exact positioning of parts - aiming for smallest possible gap before flux /heat/brazing. The solder will, by capillar effect, be sucked into the gap - ( if properly, cleaned, fluxed and heated. ) Best Regards
nice clean repair & work, wish ya showed that small adjustment to get that lower stack pad to close with out using an ice cream stick to bend teh key to level I know that s WRONG just saying what ive observed in my 50 years of watching hackers hack a horn!
I get instruments like these where customers says (i only need this to be re fitted), after inspecting the instruments i found most pads leaking or missing silencers...but still dont want to fix that...only fix what i told you😂
I end up fixing everything and only charge them what they requested to be repaired...just cannot send the instrument in that condition no matter what
It looks like a relaq judging on the fading of the engraving.
Hi Wes what cemicals do I need to clean the inside of a brass instrument really injoy your lessons on UA-cam hope you can help
Would love to know how to get a quote for repairing some old Trumpets I played back in the 90's during my high school band days. And I hate to say it especially after watching a video where you mention it....but my high school age repair skill for fixing broken joints was....superglue. 😞 I've always wanted to get them fixed in case my future grand kids want to play or maybe to donate to a local music group that has a need for them. Thanks for the great videos.
I’d like you to have a look at my dads Selmer..
I always hate to see these older horns in such a state... I work on horns from middle and high-schools and some of them are so bad that they go in the parts pile. It's a shame. But, love the repairs you did on this old Mark VI.
It's not a six.
cool stuff' Weslee! frist vid on brass horn repair....%)
I can see how sax work can tie you up for a full day or two.
👍👍👍
Need an apprentice? My son would Love this type of work.
im not saxophone player but play and sing in a band and you can hear diffrent on a selmer and other saxophones.so ritch in sound
Wes, this is Wes Ricketts. Nice first name! I have a 1971 Selmer Mark VI by serial number look up. What's the real value on this Tenor horn? I keep seeing all kinds of prices being asked for. The lacquer isn't in great shape and there are some small dings. I'm gonna check out the pads and light leak check it. I'll also check the keys as well for action.
lol @ the 10:25 mark...."Ouch! That's hot!"
That horn is built very similar to my Selmer Alto, though I think mine is from the 80s not the 50s.
I like your idea of great shape?
Looks like this was owned by someone that went to Mississippi State ... Just saw the second sticker. I was right! Which makes sense since I see you're based in MS. Hmmm, I wonder if you ever worked on my horn back in the day . . .
Good video, but can suggest and I was cringing 😬 when you were removing those seized screws from the band with a slotted screwdriver , just in your hand .please for the sake of your left hand and put the band down on the table for support and your right hand unscrewing the screws,if your right hand slips and it will ,that screw driver will go towards the bench and not your left hand.Been there done that.🥲😉
I caught that as well on replay. I definitely got lucky. It didn’t feel out of control but could have so easily. And I’m sure we could compare left hand scars from the slip! Thanks for watching the video and more importantly watching out for me. Much appreciated.
@@wesleemusicrepair9820 no problem we are far and few unicorn brass and woodwind techs.Especially in Canada 🇨🇦
They really need to get a proper case for that horn. The amount that thing is rattling around in that old case is going to destroy that horn.
Would have been nice to know what model Selmer that was
It may be "cool" and defiantly vintage but you didn't mention that it was re-lacqured. At least from what I can tell, in the video. The color and the worn down engraving on the bell looks like it to me.
What do ya think?
I think it doesn’t matter to me, it was a great instrument that played stellar.
@@wesleemusicrepair9820 *Definitely* a re-laq but overall in pretty good shape. Could've possibly been a Selmer factory re-laq because the dark color/shade looks period correct. Then again, I don't think the factory would've buffed the bell area that much to make most of the engraving disappear. As I'm sure you also know, those horns were originally sprayed with nitrocellulose lacquer which unfortunately burns off quite easily, even with a butane torch.
I’d guess that the person who did the pads before wasn’t relaxed or calm... probably gave a real good discount on the job too.