To straighten or not to straighten (and how)?

[Profusia]

Well, dropped my tenor tonight. I'd been looking for my strap the other night in a panic and must have left the case unzipped. Picked it up tonight and it fell open and the tenor fell out. Small drop and onto carpet but enough to put quite a bend/crease into the bell, hopefully only cosmetic. I'm off to JazzSchool UK at the Shoe Factory on Saturday so it could have been quite a disaster but thankfully it seems to play as well as it did (with me on the end of it at any rate). Devastating though and lesson learned etc.

Ok the question, what to do (other than suicide)... straighten or not straighten, and if so how?

 

[Colin the Bear]

If it plays and is stable I'd leave well alone.

 

[thesaxman71]

probably only cosmetic, not worth worrying about. my tenor has the same bend in the bell and lots of other little knocks and bumps but plays great.

 

[jbtsax]

Dents like that are generally cosmetic, but anytime the sax gets a knock it is a good idea to have the regulation checked just in case. Dents in the bell rim or sides of the bell are usually inexpensive to fix because they are very accessible. A good reason to get cosmetic problems repaired is that they give those you meet the impression that you are careless and don't take good care of your instrument. (It also keeps techs like me in business.) 🙂

 

[griff136]

I agree with JBTsax

Some pictures of said dent/crease would be nice.

Removing dents/creases also keeps guys like me in business

here's some examples

http://www.dg-music.co.uk/?page_id=686

http://www.dg-music.co.uk/?page_id=650

http://www.dg-music.co.uk/?page_id=814

 

[Profusia]

I agree with JBTsax

Some pictures of said dent/crease would be nice.

Removing dents/creases also keeps guys like me in business

here's some examples

http://www.dg-music.co.uk/?page_id=686

http://www.dg-music.co.uk/?page_id=650

http://www.dg-music.co.uk/?page_id=814

Thanks, impressive before and after pics!

 

[Profusia]

Many thanks for the replies guys.

I probably should have added that its a "blackplate" finish. I'm not sure what this means but I suspect it won't be helpful and will mean surface damage around any creases if re-straightened. Any experience of this?

The bell metal itself seems really quite thin/light to me.

Its not that bad, just gutting coming to terms with what I've done really I guess. I did take a couple of very quick pics on my phone before work this morning. Not sure how well they show it but I'll try to get them off the phone and upload them.

 

[Di in France]

Oh Thomas, I'd be gutted too, I knocked my new (to me) Yani against the stand yesterday and was mortified to find a small scratch. It's very difficult to see but.........
I'd get it fixed....well I'd take it to a tech just to make sure it's still in good allignment and see how easy it would be for them to fix it.

 

[Profusia]

I've phoned Charlie at Connolly MIR and he's suggested I pop it round for a look. It will have to be next Friday or Saturday as I've loads on this w/e. As feared he thinks there is some risk of there having been some stretching of the surface finish which may then crack or ripple if straightened back but we'll see. He hasn't seen the pics.

I think you may laugh when you see these as it looks pretty insignificant on photos but trust me, if you see it in reality in 3D its VERY obvious and unsightly.

 

[jbtsax]

That should take 5 minutes tops to "roll" that bell rim back. Your tech is right about the possibility of a slight ripple. That black finish is quite unforgiving. I hope it returns to perfect, but if not---C'est La Vie. ;}

 

[Colin the Bear]

I'd still leave it. You can get all the knocks sorted when you have a collection or when you need a refit. Dings that don't affect playability only affect resale value.

It's just Life scars. A played horn looks played. I've just ordered some more bits and pieces for my old Baritone. You wouldn't believe how many dents dings and knocks it's aquired over the 30 years I've had it. The first one broke my heart. I look at it now and marvel it still plays and sounds great. Now I wouldn't have it any other way.

My car is the same way too. Every ding is a memory and a story.

 

[dubrosa22]

Oh Thomas, I'd be gutted too, I knocked my new (to me) Yani against the stand yesterday and was mortified to find a small scratch. It's very difficult to see but.........

First cut is the deepest.

I dropped my mic right onto my SML Rev. D a few weeks ago. I was in deep shock. A pea-sized knot of scratches and a slight indentation right under the SML logo on the bell. 🙁

Really it's nothing but I was so annoyed with myself especially since it's some of the worst damage it's received in over 60 years of service.

First check after much cursing was the seal on the bellkeys.

V