YAS-21 Restoration

[jbtsax]

My 16 year old grandson worked as an apprentice with me in my saxophone repair shop this summer. His main assignment was to overhaul a "junk" YAS-21 I picked up on Ebay for about $60. It had body damage, missing keys, bent keys, no neck, etc. It was a long process but by the time he finished he had learned basic dent work, body straightening, post straightening, key straightening, key fitting, rod making, key fabricating, silver soldering, soft soldering, tonehole raising, tonehole leveling, spring installation, pad installation, regulation, setting key heights, neck fitting, and neck cork installation. Since he plays clarinet and percussion in his high school bands, I did the last 5% which requires being able to play the instrument and make the fine adjustments to key heights, touchpiece positions, etc.

If I had it to do all over again, I would have picked an easier instrument for him to start on, but he must have my "determination" gene because through all the frustration he stuck with it to the end. The pic below shows how it turned out. It is a really nice playing alto. It has a "brushed finish" and a coating of Renaissance Wax.

 

[Greg Strange]

Excellent! Sounds like your grandson had a productive summer break and learnt some new skills along the way...looks like a cracking little alto.

Greg S.

 

[zelda]

It looks very nice. Congratulations to him. I didn't solder my first joint, a copper plumbing tee, until I was 52 so he's got a leg up on me. And he's very fortunate to have a grandfather to teach him what I consider to be highly skilled work.
Jim

 

[kevgermany]

Looks good. I guess he'll have to learn to play it now.

 

[Jeanette]

Looks great you must be very proud of him

Jx

 

[Zootsax]

Great skill to learn, and I'm sure he had a great teacher as well!

 

[kernewegor]

That is some achievement for you both!

You are obviously a good teacher and he a good student, with the (inherited?) ability to learn, stick at it and get it right... which will stand him in good stead in whatever career he intends to follow.

Problem solving, art, technology, craft and intellectual activity are all of a kidney... the irritating and brainless remark one often hears: "He/she is good with his/her hands" ought to be recognised grounds for reducing a charge of murder to one of manslaughter.

Leonardo was good with his hands, too.

 

[Ads]

Shame you`re in the USA - he could finish mine off - I`ve done the bell and Bow .....

the thing with doing a more difficult one like the YAS21 is that you end up with a superb horn at a cheap price ..... I know where you`re coming from though, that Laquer is seriously tough to remove !

 

[gladsaxisme]

Great job both of you now we need a sound test to really show it off,and em em em whats the chance of you giving a fall break apprenticeship to a child at heart sax meddler....john

 

[Zootsax]

Let me just say that as a performer and educator who does not repair saxophones, it is still immensely useful to understand the mechanics of the saxophone in detail. My wonderful NY repairman (who shall remain nameless) always does the work right in front of me and, and I always learn more about how the instrument is put together and how to assess issues on the instrument. Understanding repairs is not just for repair techs! However, I'd never trust myself to do anything more invasive than turning a loose screw...

 

[kevgermany]

And some of the loose screws shouldn't be turned

 

[Sue]

Wow, looks fabulous. Well done your grandson and good for you having a great little apprentice.

 

[Ivan]

...you having a great little apprentice.

Heightism?

 

[Sue]

Heightism?

I feel I can be heightist as I'm always the shortest in any group of people including most teenagers. I am 5 foot and possible 1/2 inch on a good day! When our big band sax section stands up, I always look (on photos) like I'm still sitting as the others are all tall. My hubbie is 6ft 2 and my best friend is 6 ft.

 

[Targa]

That is some achievement for you both!

You are obviously a good teacher and he a good student, with the (inherited?) ability to learn, stick at it and get it right... which will stand him in good stead in whatever career he intends to follow.

Problem solving, art, technology, craft and intellectual activity are all of a kidney... the irritating and brainless remark one often hears: "He/she is good with his/her hands" ought to be recognised grounds for reducing a charge of murder to one of manslaughter.

Leonardo was good with his hands, too.

That Caravaggio was 'good with his hands'.

 

[old git]

That Caravaggio was 'good with his hands'.

Especially around the neck or equally damaging places.

 

[Danny@HSM]

That's awesome, congratulations. Great job!