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Gutted - how long does it take to fix dent in bell?

I suspect it will repair easily and so well that afterwards you won't know where it was.

A kid I know dropped his trumpet which landed on one side of the bell rim, putting a nasty looking crumple about an inch up the bell.

For a living I have used welders, angle grinders, hitting implements from telephone hammers to 14lb sledges, every type of woodworking tool and boatbuilding tool that you can think of, chainsaws and all manner of instruments of destruction... and he was keen that his mum didn't know...

It took me about half an hour, but I was working cautiously (it's not really like boatbuilding or tree felling...) and I had to improvise some tools out of scraps of hardwood. But I was pleased (as was the kid) because afterwards you would never have known it had happened.

A professional repairer will sort it for you, no problem - they won't need to figure out how first!
 
Last June, my daughter and I got to play together for the first time in 20+ years in a charity show my wife and I do each year. During intermission of the Saturday Matinee we went to have pictures taken by our group's professional photographer and when getting on lift to go back to the pit her neck strap hook came loose on her Buescher Aristocrat and it hit the floor pretty hard. Dinged the bottom bow and the bell and knocked off the cork to the G# link. To say the least she was sick.
Poor thing couldn't play anything above G.
During the break we dashed home and got my Grassi alto so she could play the last performance. I was able to get the bell sorted and most of the ding in the bow out and her tech, where she lives, set "Freckles" to rights.
(She's on the lookout for a Grassi alto now. She called it a Monster sound)
 
MontyMac said:
Last June, my daughter and I got to play together for the first time in 20+ years in a charity show my wife and I do each year. During intermission of the Saturday Matinee we went to have pictures taken by our group's professional photographer and when getting on lift to go back to the pit her neck strap hook came loose on her Buescher Aristocrat and it hit the floor pretty hard. Dinged the bottom bow and the bell and knocked off the cork to the G# link. To say the least she was sick.
Poor thing couldn't play anything above G.
During the break we dashed home and got my Grassi alto so she could play the last performance. I was able to get the bell sorted and most of the ding in the bow out and her tech, where she lives, set "Freckles" to rights.
(She's on the lookout for a Grassi alto now. She called it a Monster sound)
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So pleased she got it sorted, lucky you were close enough to get the alto :)

Jx
 
Bari's being the beasts they are are all too prone to accidents. I have suffered two such incidents. The first at home. Off stand onto wood block floor. Pigtail a real mess, yes I felt sick as one. Tech fixed it no problem, just like new a little lacquer loss due to soldering. Wet salivary digits putting it away slipped just bending a couple posts and keys, fixed in no time, plays like new.
Has suffered numerous minor dings scratches to bodywork mostly clashes with other musicians or their instruments, (not usually my fault) they usally come off worse. So much so that I now wear my dings with pride.

I do fuly understand the need pride and desire to keep a cherished first hand, nearly new instrument in pristine condition, as I no longer posess one I leave it to those who do.

Hope it's sorted soon. LOL Al
 
U CAN CALL ME AL said:
Bari's being the beasts they are are all too prone to accidents. I have suffered two such incidents. The first at home. Off stand onto wood block floor. Pigtail a real mess, yes I felt sick as one. Tech fixed it no problem, just like new a little lacquer loss due to soldering. Wet salivary digits putting it away slipped just bending a couple posts and keys, fixed in no time, plays like new.
Has suffered numerous minor dings scratches to bodywork mostly clashes with other musicians or their instruments, (not usually my fault) they usally come off worse. So much so that I now wear my dings with pride.

I do fuly understand the need pride and desire to keep a cherished first hand, nearly new instrument in pristine condition, as I no longer posess one I leave it to those who do.

Hope it's sorted soon. LOL Al
Click to expand...

I think I just feel so responsible for it, it was much loved by it's previous owner and out of respect for him I want to keep it nice.:)

Jx
 
Colin the Bear said:
Wear your scars with pride.
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The gentleman I bought my first Grassi bari from ( poor Soul had 5 Baris and the wife mentioned they needed more room in the den; he was keeping 2 and the Grassi was the last to go, but he's sure he'll miss The Lady Ida. He plays in a couple of Big Bands in Southern California) had said it had fallen one time due to a poorly built stand (I learned also, only a Hercules will do) but I had not seen the slight waves and micro crazing in the lower loop of the pigtail till a few months ago. Doesn't matter too much in an orchestra pit anyway.
 
Graftons are getting brittle thesedays , it`s unlikely your Vibrato will be as problematic in 50-60 years time as polymers have improved vastly since the 50s . I`m still going to have to get a Vibrato when one shows up at the right Price . shame they`ve not bothered to make a tenor
 
aldevis said:
If you were dealing just with the wife, while the poor soul was away, you could have got some serious deal, for the sake of extra space.
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Perhaps, >:) but I'd guess their relationship is better than that. {{Or his 12 step program worked better than mine.}}
And as I live half a continent away, him offering the Grassi on eFlay was the only way I was able to acquire one at that point in time.
It was an anniversary present from my wife. She asked me if I wanted a playing Bari ( the Keilwerth was/is still under reconstruction) and as her mother was from Italy, she asked at the onset of the search if the Italians made saxophones. Within a couple of days the Lady Ida was on the auction. (with 10% of the sale going to St. Jude's Childrens Hospitals)
After it came in and played it I was so impressed at the sound that I got the buying bug for Italian horns, but as I'm a
cheap stingy bastard I've stopped at 6 Grassis (2 each but no sops) and an unnamed Alfonso Rampone Tenor. 4 of them need work but along with the Keilwerth I have more than enough to teach myself almost every facet of sax repair.
 

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