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Dents and the Baritone

pete

Brassica Oleracea
Staff member
Administrator
As mentioned in another post, I bought Ed's old Beaugnier-made Vito bari. Unfortunately, the top of the crook (i.e. this part and no, that's not my horn) got dented in shipping: the top is flat (not pushed in, just flat) and the part where the crook meets the body is a bit "bowed". This has caused the tonehole vents that are on and around the crook to be outta whack: all the altissimo keys and the two octave vents -- the horn has both vents on the horn, not on the neck (which is a design I prefer, BTB).

While I am going to take it in for repairs, I wish to be prepared for the sticker shock. Any guesses on how much it'd be to unsolder the crook, get the dents out, creatively bend some keys and make sure there aren't any leaks?

I apologize in advance, but I do not have a digital camera and I really don't want to try to get the bari onto my scanner :).
 
Which Steve Nelson was back from Thailand (getting teeth work done). He does this kind of work all the time. Should cost you too much methinks. Hopefully you know a tech who will take good care of you.

BTW, I've had a lot of this kind of work done, if you don't want it to look like new (redo finish, etc.) you can save a lot of money.
 
We're hopeful that DHL will come through on this as well. If not, I told Pete that we can work something out.

First time I have shipped a horn and it got damaged.
 
It's definitely not a looker, so I shouldn't worry about it "looking like new" :D.

I'm planning on calling up the Robbinses at The Band Instrument Repair Shop: I spoke with them, at length, a few years back and that's where I tried that 30M. Considering I'm not trying to get an overhaul or anything, they should be a good choice -- if they don't have too many school horns that they have to fix. If that's the case, I'm probably going to have to go to Milano's Music: I don't know of anyplace else out in Mesa/East Valley Phoenix that does woodwind repair.

I mentioned to Ed that this horn does have a very sweet tone. Unfortunately, to get said tone I had to tape closed the altissimo vents and octave vents (hey, I wanted to try it out).

Ed, it happens. The big, beefy, burly guy that brought the thing off the truck said it was a bit heavier than what he was used to. It's quite probable that it just got dropped on the end at some point in shipping.

I didn't have a chance to call today: I was at a remote office all day.
 
I didn't spend a lot of time with the horn but I thought it had a nice "French" tone going on. Well mannered with an interesting mid-range. I didn't play it against a tuner beyond a tuning note. My main bari has been a King Tempo low B flat and it has some interesting intonation that I've gotten used to and compensating for most of the time. Since I didn't have a piece that called for Low A it didn't get played in anger. Of course, now I've got a piece with a low A and the Yani is in the shop. I should have it back this weekend though.
 
... Which is typically what happens, Ed :).

Yah, when this thing gets repaired, I think I'll have a good deal of fun with it. I'll post some reviewage, then.
 
Gandalfe said:
I hope you can keep the patina--it's startlingly beautiful. And then the music that will follow will make people wonder, really, how does he do it with that old thang. :cool:
"Beautiful" definitely doesn't describe it, but it's not the ugliest horn I've ever owned.

It's going to the shop tonight!
 
Is your horn back yet Pete? How did it turn out?
 
It's supposed to be ready on April Fool's Day. I'm looking forward to writing a full review of the horn.

FWIW, the repair estimate was $200. I think the highest they'll go is $250.

(I had to continue to convince them, "No, this isn't the Yanagisawa. It's a Beaugnier." "A Bone-what?" "Bone-yay. Like you're a dog that's happy because you've got a treat.")
 
As mentioned, I've gone there before and I've talked up their business online. Ron's got this website's URL and he might visit sometime.

He's pretty inexpensive and that's good because I don't have much cash -- and there really isn't a "name" repair guy anywhere else near here. Which is odd: Phoenix is a BIG city.
 
Helen said:
Is your horn back yet Pete? How did it turn out?
The new updated date is April 10. As I'm not a gigging musician, I did say, "As long as it takes" when I first brought it in. Maybe I shouldn't have ....
 
pete said:
Helen said:
Is your horn back yet Pete? How did it turn out?
The new updated date is April 10. As I'm not a gigging musician, I did say, "As long as it takes" when I first brought it in. Maybe I shouldn't have ....

that's a death sentence .. believe me .. i know. Customers tell me .. take as long as you want and work on it in your spare time .. I have no spare time, so it takes quite some time, until i put it in a normal work rotation. :geezer2:
 
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