Tech/maintenance Repairing keyguard

[AlonW]

My Martin alto is missing this part that attaches to the keyguard. Can this be fixed?

 

[turf3]

Well, of course it CAN be fixed. The question is just HOW you want it to be fixed.

Option 1: cut a little piece of brass (I'd probably use 1/8 sheet), briefly form it to mate with the tube and the guard, solder in place. Perfectly functional and serviceable, but not original in appearance.

Option 2: cut and form a piece of brass to duplicate the rather elaborate shape of the other supports, solder in place. Approaches original appearance, requires a lot more labor time.

It's hard to tell from the photo, but if the impact that knocked that piece off distorted the sax body, that needs to be fixed first.

 

[thomsax]

I think the missing part is nickel silver. Maybe silver plated, is't rather shinny. You can use brass as well depends if you want to keep it close to original. Buy bars instead of rods. Maybe something PigSquealer can do?

 

[turf3]

I think the lower part (square cross section) is nickel alloy and the upper part (round section) is brass. Again, it depends on how much time = $ you want to invest. Putting a support there so the guard is stable is pretty simple. Duplicating the general shape and appearance impression will take more fabrication time and $. Making an exact duplicate of the original support will require still more fabrication time and money. All are doable. Me, I'd probably do something quick and simple, and defer the fancy exact-duplicate version to the future (which would probably be never).

 

[SaxBoss]

Can the shapes be cut with a lazer? Then bent to conform?

 

[turf3]

Can the shapes be cut with a lazer? Then bent to conform?

Yeah, but why would you do that, when it's so much easier to use a hacksaw, files, and a Dremel tool?

Don't propose using a cannon to swat a fly.

 

[thomsax]

The missing part is solid nickel silver on my Comm II. The other two are nickel silver and brass.

 

[jonf]

Well, of course it CAN be fixed. The question is just HOW you want it to be fixed.

Option 1: cut a little piece of brass (I'd probably use 1/8 sheet), briefly form it to mate with the tube and the guard, solder in place. Perfectly functional and serviceable, but not original in appearance.

Option 2: cut and form a piece of brass to duplicate the rather elaborate shape of the other supports, solder in place. Approaches original appearance, requires a lot more labor time.

It's hard to tell from the photo, but if the impact that knocked that piece off distorted the sax body, that needs to be fixed first.

I'd go with option 1 every time. It'll be functional, not take long, can be done with basic tools and leave more time for actually playing the thing.

 

[Ivan]

...and defer the fancy exact-duplicate version to the future (which would probably be never)...

That's bleak

You're saying there's no future?

 

[PigSquealer]

@AlonW , take it to Manny @ Horn Connection. He’s close to you and may have a doner. I don’t have any of that material.