PPT mouthpieces

Rough idea of a price for a complete repad

Damflask

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For a soprano saxophone. I’m in the uk.
Thanks in advance
 
Depends who you go to. Where in the UK?

And do springs, corks, felts, also need replacing? Does it need cleaning?
 
I will probably go to Leeds. I’m in Hebden Bridge. I’m just after a very rough idea.
 
A lot of times, when repairpersons make posts on the internet, it's about self-promotion, "only my way is the right way, so you should only come to me," etc.. This isn't that. IMO: with maybe some exceptions for people with a different use of language, removed from the internet and other professionals, anybody who calls what they do a "repad" should be avoided (unless this word has a different professional use abroad).

When you replace pads on the whole saxophone, that should be done after and only after everything has been made right mechanically, no "lost motion," everything hardware in as optimal a setting as possible. If that's not how it's done, any corrections (improvements) to the mechanism potential decrease the performance of the saxophone as far as how the pads seat, because mechanical changes may (likely will, if on a keyarm) change how that pad seats.

The idea situation with a "repad" is an "overhaul," where everything is as right as it can be made such that from the time that the "overhaul" is officially complete -- this could involve a "break-in" period and revisitation -- any further changes are effectively degradation. The best your horn can be should ideally be that moment when the "overhaul" is complete.

If someone in the US calls what they do a repad, they are usually expressing, unconsciously or consciously, that that's not how they approach what they do.

I am not saying this to say "come to me and me only, you must come to me, you're getting verrrry sleeeeepy." There are quite a few people in the US and not in the US that I think do fine work. But someone calling what they do a "repad" is a bad sign in the US.

The choice is yours. I'm not saying it isn't. I'm just underlining this because it comes up so often, and if I say it here maybe this good (and IMO, just correct and truthful) information gets passed around instead of bad information, and I have to go through this with clients less in my own life, and have more time to surf and enjoy non-professional life.
 
A lot of times, when repairpersons make posts on the internet, it's about self-promotion, "only my way is the right way, so you should only come to me," etc..

Don't bring it to me, I'm way too busy - and not that keen to do another soprano (recently finished a much-mullered Martin) when I have stacks of altos and tenors on the waiting list.
Complete repads often involve a great deal of mechanical work (as pointed out above) - so I'd start with a quote of £600 and go up from there.
 
My three excellent total overhauls, Grassi Tenor 2000 Pro by Charlie Connolly (now retired - Matt at Sheward-MIR took over), SA80II Alto and 1958 SDA Alto by Paul Carrington were under £360 each.

That's total strip, clean, new Pisoni pads, springs, corks, felts, fettling (e.g. making new screwed in dome resonator to match a misssing one on the SDA), and regulation.

I've never had any work done to a sop so can't say whether it would be more complex and costly.
 
The problem with weighing up the economics with cheaper horns is that it can get rather complex.
You could look at the price of a new replacement and make a value judgement from that - but you also have to consider the going rate on the secondhand market.
And then there's the issue of the level of work carried out.
I see countless numbers of horns that have been 'repadded', 'serviced', 'completely overhauled' which all need substantial amounts of further work - many of which have been bought from ebay. When you pay the going rate for a thorough job, you should end up with a horn that's mechanically perfect - and one that will stay that way for some considerable time to come. Such work doesn't come cheap.
It's up to you to decide whether the horn is worth the cost versus getting something else that might be in better condition - and your emotional attachment (or not) may play a part in the decision.
 
My three excellent total overhauls, Grassi Tenor 2000 Pro by Charlie Connolly (now retired - Matt at Sheward-MIR took over), SA80II Alto and 1958 SDA Alto by Paul Carrington were under £360 each.

That's total strip, clean, new Pisoni pads, springs, corks, felts, fettling (e.g. making new screwed in dome resonator to match a misssing one on the SDA), and regulation.

I've never had any work done to a sop so can't say whether it would be more complex and costly.

That's an unreal rate if "better than new" condition is the outcome (most new saxophones are not completely tight, some some brands further from it generally than others).
 
Yeah, if it includes mechanical work, whoever's doing it is not getting a very good hourly wage for it, if they're accomplished and the work is competent. By "very good" I mean that's dipping down into fast food worker territory. Not a dig on fast food workers. They should make more money for what they suffer (including beyond at the job).

I'm going opt to avoid saying much more than this.
 
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Charlie Connolly took 2 1/2 days to overhaul the Grassi "like a MkVI" from a box of freshly polished bits. Similarly, Paul Carrington's expertise is exemplary.
I've not experienced the advantage of paying twice the amount for an overhaul but no tech has ever demanded it from me.
 
Charlie Connolly took 2 1/2 days to overhaul the Grassi "like a MkVI" from a box of freshly polished bits. Similarly, Paul Carrington's expertise is exemplary.
I've not experienced the advantage of paying twice the amount for an overhaul but no tech has ever demanded it from me.

Well. That is truly wonderful.
 
That's about $480, by the way.

Yes, this is what I was getting at. Here is the actual math (not directed at you, Randulo):

Premium pads and material run between $60 and $80, with higher costs than that for bari. I think tenor is more toward $80. Admission: I have never bothered to notate every bit of materials cost for any particular pitching and make/model. Premium pads are more expensive, now, than a lot of people think, at least in the US.

So figure for a tenor $80 off that $480, leaving $400.

For me, overhaul time is around 30 hours of labor, strictly on the clock. Sometimes it's more, sometimes it might be less. I doubt it is almost ever less, for me. Your guy(s) may be faster, or he may not wash the body and neck, you name it. No two people likely do the work exactly the same way.

Funny sidebar: there is a very well known tech -- I can say this without being controversial because he's no longer working, no longer in the industry -- and he watched everything I do very closely, and I used to do more weird (but IMO sensible) things than I do today, and back then I didn't do some critical things that I do today. One time a "repad" (this person did not do mechanical work, almost at all, came to me to be redone, and when I unpacked the horn I entered the twilight zone. This was a Mark VI alto. If the owner is reading, s/he may recall this. I could not for the life of me remember whether I had seen this horn before, but it seemed to be by my hand. There were numerous idiosyncratic things I do that were present on this horn that I've never seen anybody else do. But I could not see myself doing this job without doing the mechanical work, or with the pads that were installed. It took me 20-30 minutes to get over the shock. Clearly, this person was paying really close attention to any photos I made public, or had had my work come in. Nobody does the things that I was seeing, let alone in combination. I would bet there are other techs who had the same experience, coming across this person's work. Anyway...goofy sidebar about no two people do things the same way. That person, himself, was unique in probably copying so many other people so closely in peculiar ways. I am not b-----ing or complaining about him. I'm not wrong, and I'm complimented.

Anyway, you should have already done the math, casually. $400/30 hours is US$13.33/hr. Lower the labor time to 20 hours -- very modest for an overhaul -- and you're now at $20/hr. Only someone who is not really making a living at their job can work at that rate. Good luck not ending up homeless if that's your income, even in a rural area, and you are raising a family. If your tech is expert and doing so, you should worship the ground s/he walks on and be very, very kind to that person, because s/he deserves it.
 

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