Boston Sax Shop Repairs

Chris Cheek Tenor Restoration PART 3:

(We have the privilege of working with some incredible musicians here at BSS. These opportunities are made even more special when it’s with someone that you’ve come up listening to and has had a big musical influence. This was the case last month when the amazing Chris Cheek entrusted us with the mechanical restoration of his tenor. Chris has been one of my favorite players since the first time I heard his album “Vine” in college, so I was was super excited to get to work with him. His tenor had a ton of miles on it, and needed some serious “rebuilding”. In addition to considerable key wear, multiple un-savable rods, a loose receiver collar, and multiple holes worn through key cups, it also needed all new pearls and pearl holders. It was a big job that was a lot of fun to do, both for challenges it presented, and in knowing who it was for. Chris was an absolute pleasure to work with. He was very interested and engaged in the process, and had some special requests regarding the setup that were fun to work on together. I was ecstatic when he expressed his satisfaction with the work, and in knowing that I could play a small part in his music making. What a thrill!)

Here in PART 3 you can see the end result, and a little before & after, of what was one of the bigger rebuilds we’ve done this year. Please check out PARTS 1 & 2 if you haven’t already! It was a real pleasure doing this work for Chris, and we’re honored that he entrusted us with this restoration 🙏 Be sure to check in next week for an update on Chris’s bari restoration!

Rare bird on the bench the other day! A silver King Super 20 Bari, this one took a spill off a stand; we straightened it out and put it back on the road 👍

The dreaded “technician dent”. It is exactly what it sounds like… a dent put in by a tech while attempting a repair. Honestly, we’ve all done it, it happens. Sometimes you miss your mark, sometimes you go too far, and sometimes you accidentally ding a horn while you’re working on it. Nobody’s perfect. What’s not ok, is abandoning the job halfway and leaving that damage behind, as can be seen here. This Mark VI alto fell and sustained damage to the posts that secure the low Eb & C keys. Both posts were dented into the bore. Someone tried to push up the posts with a dent ball that was neither the correct size or shape, and also missed the mark, leaving behind several inside-out dents and lines. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) they quit before repairing the original damage, or their own. These can be difficult dents to correct. The scars will always be there, but at least the tube is no longer dented, and the posts are in their correct position and in alignment. 👍

Here’s that 118k I eluded to in the last post 🤤 Unfortunately, this one isn’t for sale, but I just had to share it with you anyways. It goes home next week, playing as beautiful as it looks 😍 It got our full mechanical overhaul with a very traditional setup. Much like cooking, when the ingredients are this good, you just have to get out of the way and let them speak for themselves. So mint! They’re still out there! ✨🎷✨