Saxophones Case refurbishment

I did this case renovation a while back. A few pictures posted here and there but nothing of the complete build.
Sometimes there are no options for a aftermarket replacement case. So this is what happens when you try to restore what you have. It’s very time consuming but in this case (pun intended )worth it.

This is a case to a 1933-ish H. Bettoney metal clarinet. Initial inspection it looked like it just needed a few spots of glue.

I’ve never done a complete overhaul of a case before. Previously I’ve had some success relining the interior of a flute case.

I’ve had extensive formal training in cabinet furniture/Millworks. Originally the trade I planned my future for. Things change. This project is well within my comfort zone. I actually started to giggle because this was just stupid. I’m only doing this because I can and need the case. I already know this is going to be 50 hours of work.

 

[ghostler]

@murrayatuptown , somehow, I thought your sax was a bari, my bad. Alto cases tend to be a little less expensive. Plus, there is more to select from, as more people buy altos. One thing I've learned. Although a gig bag is easier to tool around in, I've sustained dents to my altos, they just don't protect as well as a hard case.

 

[murrayatuptown]

So much has changed. That odoriferous alto has been joined by several more, even a baritone.

I picked up a Martin Indiana tenor masquerading as a Pan American. It has beveled soldered tone holes! One latch was broken off. I had the horn repadded & other work short of an overhaul. It sounds great. Case is worse inside than out.

I liked it so much I found a Martin Indiana alto. Both latches were smashed & twisted. Repad & a bit less work than the tenor is done. The outside reeks of mildew & the bookcloth is lifting away in places.

I have the tenor case interior gutted, scraped & started on the alto case. Both the cases reek of mildew.

I have a plan to refinish both cases inside & out.

 

[PigSquealer]

So much has changed. That odoriferous alto has been joined by several more, even a baritone.

I picked up a Martin Indiana tenor masquerading as a Pan American. It has beveled soldered tone holes! One latch was broken off. I had the horn repadded & other work short of an overhaul. It sounds great. Case is worse inside than out.

I liked it so much I found a Martin Indiana alto. Both latches were smashed & twisted. Repad & a bit less work than the tenor is done. The outside reeks of mildew & the bookcloth is lifting away in places.

I have the tenor case interior gutted, scraped & started on the alto case. Both the cases reek of mildew.

I have a plan to refinish both cases inside & out.

That PA (Martin) tenor is unique. I’ve only seen one !

Vintage Pan American Martin Stencil Bb Tenor Sax Saxophone with Case Mouthpiece and Neck Strap for Parts or Repair 1947 | Metro Gnome Music

Up for sale is a vintage Pan American Bb tenor saxophone. This is a Martin Stencil horn with soldered on tone holes. This sax was just checked out in our shop and will need pads to be a functioning horn. All the parts are there, but the pads are shot, and need to be replaced.

metrognomemusic.com

If the top & bottom of your cases are heavy pressboard ( type of dense cardboard). You may be better off just replacing them.

If you do reuse them, I would apply a sealer coating inside & out prior to the upholstery work.

1945 “Tolex” covering was used on cases and amplifiers. Mostly by Fender & Rickenbacker 1950 onwards. Keratol (1850s maker ?) and Fabrikoid, made by Du Pont (1905, patent-1915) were often used.

Keratol is one of the more popular prewar trade names for imitation leather. There were others. This is a celluloid combined with linseed oil, applied to fabric, and a pattern then embossed with a roller. This was used for suitcases, buggy tops, furniture, instrument cases, etc. In the 1950's it was gradually replaced by equivalent products made of vinyl (PVC) on fabric.

Fabrikoid

Fabrikoid - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[turf3]

I think that was the Pan Am made by Martin that caused one heck of a kerfuffle over on SOTW.

Frankly, for soprano alto and tenor saxophones, most of the time it makes more sense just to toss the old case (or stick it up in the attic) and buy a nice clean new one.

Baritones are a different matter as no one seems to make a low-Bb case; they're all that horrible supposedly "universal" style that wastes vast amounts of space. And bass saxophones - well, the choices are pretty much nothin'. So my baritone and bass cases have been patched and re-patched and re-re-patched, lots of fiberglass and some thin high grade plywood, new latches all round, nice new piano hinges. I don't futz around with trying to find replacement fake leather coverings, I just paint the exposed wood flat black and get on with it. Ugly? Oh hell yeah.

 

[Ivan]

I think that was the Pan Am made by Martin that caused one heck of a kerfuffle over on SOTW

Do tell

 

[murrayatuptown]

I think that was the Pan Am made by Martin that caused one heck of a kerfuffle over on SOTW.

Frankly, for soprano alto and tenor saxophones, most of the time it makes more sense just to toss the old case (or stick it up in the attic) and buy a nice clean new one.

Baritones are a different matter as no one seems to make a low-Bb case; they're all that horrible supposedly "universal" style that wastes vast amounts of space. And bass saxophones - well, the choices are pretty much nothin'. So my baritone and bass cases have been patched and re-patched and re-re-patched, lots of fiberglass and some thin high grade plywood, new latches all round, nice new piano hinges. I don't futz around with trying to find replacement fake leather coverings, I just paint the exposed wood flat black and get on with it. Ugly? Oh hell yeah.

Ha! Maybe it wasn't the horn but my TMI on SOTW.

Sorry if I hijacked this...

The split (L+R, if I'm not using proper terminology) bell keys are apparently the problem with fit. I tried two cases at a band instrument shop where I have work done, and the tenor wouldn't even go inside a Protec or soft rectangular BAM case. They didn't have other ideas.

The cases I got with the tenor and alto are both luan or other mahogany with 'book cloth' exterior.

The tenor case, under the interior lining had some kind of thick paperboard that shaves off in thin layers with a chisel, but the same wood. It looked overwhelming but it's about the crazy vision of its future and thinking 'I can do this'.

I have been wanting to do something with a flooring design I saw in Europe in 2019 that just hasn't made sense or inspired me in all the other situations (like my own flooring or other wood projects). This I am inspired about. I should leave it at that until I am closer to success than the beginning steps. It takes me a while to get moving. I have tooling figured out and bought two more rolls of veneer last week on top of one I got in 2019. So I'm too deep into this refurb idea to back out.

I have a Handcraft (II) soprano in the shop and the tech says we just can't put the clean overhauled horn back into its case. A case for soprano is probably not too challenging. So Stinki diCase will be #3. It has the raised metal Martin logo so I have to think a bit more about that.

 

[murrayatuptown]

Do tell

I asked someone how I could recognize that a horn marked Pan American was actually made by Martin as an Indiana and why to use the Martin s/n chart instead of the Pan American one, which was a 10-year discrepancy.

It wasn't to question or criticize other people's expertise, but from the perspective of how I could acquire confidence to insist it was such an unusual thing to other people who know a lot more than I do...and never heard of a Martin Pan American, and also for people who know nothing about the subject. Like an insurance claim, antique dealer, or some other 'outsider'.

I don't have 'cred' to back it up once I state it. If it's marked Pan American, it's a tough argument to back up it being a Martin. The soldered tone holes were a strong indicator, but there isn't a s/n table one can reference that says Martin-made. "Someone online told me" might not be enough.

There ARE other Martin Pan Americans besides the one I bought.

My quest for more detail personally offended someone who partially 'lost it', inferring some off-the-wall things. There was so much multi-party dialog that latecomers were responding to all kinds of angles, including the misunderstanding. I said I was going back to lurking on that forum. I do still participate there.

'nuff said, or maybe too much. I'm laughing about it now, but it was pretty ridiculous.

 

[PigSquealer]

The split (L+R, if I'm not using proper terminology) bell keys are apparently the problem with fit. I tried two cases at a band instrument shop where I have work done, and the tenor wouldn't even go inside a Protec or soft rectangular BAM case. They didn't have other ideas.

Yes, split bell is correct term.
Protec make a case for split bell alto & tenor
PB305CTXL tenor
PB304CTXL Alto

 

[PigSquealer]

The cases I got with the tenor and alto are both luan or other mahogany with 'book cloth' exterior.

The tenor case, under the interior lining had some kind of thick paperboard that shaves off in thin layers with a chisel, but the same wood. It looked overwhelming but it's about the crazy vision of its future and thinking 'I can do this'.

I have been wanting to do something with a flooring design I saw in Europe in 2019 that just hasn't made sense or inspired me in all the other situations (like my own flooring or other wood projects). This I am inspired about. I should leave it at that until I am closer to success than the beginning steps. It takes me a while to get moving. I have tooling figured out and bought two more rolls of veneer last week on top of one I got in 2019. So I'm too deep into this refurb idea to back out.

Any pictures of the case projects ? I for one would enjoy seeing your work in progress.

 

[murrayatuptown]

Any pictures of the case projects ? I for one would enjoy seeing your work in progress.

Thank you for the ProTec case recommendations!

I will photo document.

 

[murrayatuptown]

Mr PS:

Do you think those are likely fits
or
known to fit such Martins?

Or are there too many variations in Martins over the decades to be sure without trying?
Thanks

 

[murrayatuptown]

If they fit, that would allow be the leisure of figuring out the Louis Cube marquetry and provide safe storage and transit while the basket case ones are on the drawing board.

 

[PigSquealer]

Mr PS:

Do you think those are likely fits
or
known to fit such Martins?

Or are there too many variations in Martins over the decades to be sure without trying?
Thanks

If they fit, that would allow be the leisure of figuring out the Louis Cube marquetry and provide safe storage and transit while the basket case ones are on the drawing board.

There’s a thread on all this information somewhere around here. Can’t find it at the moment.
The PB305CTXL tenor and PB304CTXL Alto are specifically made for LH, split bell and large bell rims. The site information is correct. Others may have more affordable suggestions.

https://www.protecstyle.com/TENOR-SAXOPHONE-EXTRA-LARGE-CONTOURED-PRO-PAC-CASE

https://www.protecstyle.com/ALTO-SAXOPHONE-XL-CONTOURED-PRO-PAC-CASE

 

[murrayatuptown]

If they fit, that would allow be the leisure of figuring out the Louis Cube marquetry and provide safe storage and transit while the basket case ones are on the drawing board.

...allow ME...

 

[murrayatuptown]

Thank you. Maybe I missed the photos earlier but I saw them.