Overhaul... where do i look?

donalson · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 2:18 pm Post subject:

i'm looking to have my horn overhauled in a few month... where do i look?

i'd like it to be near new condition but can't afford to pay what a new horn would cost to have it done... so who does good work relativly inexpensivly

thanks
mark
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mark aka donalson
Play it with a passion

trumpetmike · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 2:23 pm Post subject:

Wrong country!
If anyone in the UK (or abroad if you want to ship it over) wants trumpets overhauled. Or, for that matter, anything else done to them - you need to get to know Will Spencer, http://www.willspencer.org - an incredible repairman. Very reasonable and stunning results.
I have had repairs done by many guys, he is the best yet!
Good enough for me.
Good enough for him (he is a very fine trumpet player).
Good enough for Crispian Steele-Perkins (instruments older than the USA!).

_PhilPicc · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 2:26 pm Post subject:

The Brass Bow does excellent work.

http://www.thebrassbow.com/
_________________
Philip Satterthwaite

We cannot expect you to be with us all the time, but perhaps you could be good enough to keep in touch now and again."
- Sir Thomas Beecham to a musician during a rehearsal

livertwist · Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2003 2:37 pm Post subject:

I just sent a horn off to Oberloh's in Seattle. From the reports on here and the pics on their site, they seem very reputable. They are charging me $650 including de-denting (very little necessary), re-lacquer and valve replating. I think it's a good deal. Your price might vary, depending on what needs to be done.

Oliver

2LIP · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 7:59 am Post subject:

You are located in Florida, so I would start with Roy Lawler and see if he is still doing this type of work. If not, I live in the Midwest and we have some very respectable guys around here and not in any order as they are all respectable.

Melk Music - Charlie Melk in Milwuakee, WI. http://www.melkmusic.com/
Dr. Valve - Steve Winans in LaGrange, IL formerly with Schilke, http://www.doctorvalve.com/index.html
Ron Pinc/Scott Laskey - Lombard, IL and also Ron was formerly with Schilke,
http://www.laskey.com/

That is just to name a few that have not been mentioned. Make some calls and good luck with your horn.

The LIP

Halflip · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 8:15 am Post subject:

I agree with 2LIP regarding Charlie Melk. He has restored several horns for me, and he does superb work. Also, I think his prices are a little more reasonable than some of the well-known overhaul experts out there.

slip0106 · Veteran Member Joined: 03 Nov 2002 Posts: 174

What kind of horn is it, & how good, or bad, of shpe is it in?

drunkiq · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 8:37 am Post subject:

check out my restoration on my website - I have before and after pictures... harry does good work and has great prices...

http://www.geocities.com/drunkiq/

_________________
-Marc
A Schilke Loyalist
drunkiq@hotmail.com

My Schilke X3Lb in Satin Gold

[ This Message was edited by: drunkiq on 2003-09-18 11:37 ]

donalson · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 8:42 am Post subject:

courtois prestige http://www.trumpetherald.com/forum/viewtopic.php?topic=12350&forum=7 info and pics of the horn more recently at the bottom of the post... the horn mostly needs some minor bell work, smothing out of some dings on the bell and some minor dents around the bell crook, its a sterling bell and needs polished up also, and posibly strightend out it "leans" to the tuning slide a tad bit haha.

the entire body of the horn needs polished up, it has some sort of blue finish... i'm told it's a "controled tarnsih" over the silver, the previos owner was polishing it out slowly... then again if somone knew how they went about doing the blue finish i'd love to have the body of the horn redone in the blue tarnish... it's kinda neat looking (especaly w/ the silver bell) the 2nd and 3rd valve slids have the typical minor dents in the crook, the 3rd valve slide needs lapped so the slide will acculy slide again (my local repair guy did a free-be repair job to get the horn usable when i got it but didn't have time to lap the slide)... and lastly, the valve casing contact points have some ware though the silver so those would need some very minor replating.

because of the finish of the horn the only replaing would be those small areas... the bell is sterling so thats just a lot of polish work and the rest of the horn is raw brass

... i was wanting to have the bell copper insulated, but now i think i'll just leave the horn as is more or less

thanks for the imput guys
mark
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mark aka donalson
Play it with a passion

donalson · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 8:56 am Post subject:

drunkiq wow that horn is hot in the gold brushed finish... how much did anderson charge you for that? now if only geocities didn't freak out and go over the limit

... i want to see the before pics now haha

mark
_________________
mark aka donalson
Play it with a passion

drunkiq · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 9:42 am Post subject:

actually is is a satin finsh.. put in a beadblasting chamber then silver plated, then gold plated... Anderson plating usually does not do the slides, caps, button, valve stems or inner bell... I paid anderson plating extra for 100% of the horn to be blasted...

becase gold prices change all the time and so does anderson platings prices, you need to call harry carter at pettifors for a quote, it only takes a coulple of minutes of your time - they are not very responsive to the email adddress on my site- i think it is someones extra home email address, used for emergencies (like when I sent him before pictures) to look at - the rigidity of the bell was a concern at the time...

back when i had it done i think restoraioin in silver was like $350-$400?? for labor and $50 for silver plating the horn... sorry can't remember... gold plating at the time was an additional $50 or $100.. can't remembers sorry... remember also asking about silver plate plus gold accents (slides inner bell, caps, etc)... remember it was a good deal too...

plus i know there was a price increae about 2 months for gold plating at andersons..

my problem was my acidic hands - I wear out silver in about 3 months... hate the shine gold finish.... bead blasing was an alternative that Anderson plating offered...

the request for beadblasting 100% of the horn is what killed me - ended up being right at $781!!!

yep anderson charged me like an extra $300 for the blasting services due to the "extra care" it requires... I know that it is a mess to deal with and that they cannot bufff out mistakes when it is over, and it takes extra work, if they mess up they have to start over (don't ask - long story - I took andersons 3 tries to get an even matcihing gold finish)

But man, that still seemed like a lot of extra $ for the finish, and this was anderson plating charging this not pettifors - my undersandig is that Pettifors only make money off the prep work, otherwise I think silver plating an entire horn would have been more than $50 if they where trying to profit off of anderson plating...

I don't remember how less it was if I would have left the bell, slides, butons, caps, etc shiney, but do remember it was alot extra to blast every little piece (screws and all).... I also requeted that the first 1.5 inches of each slide be gold plated - so when i pull out the slide, you do not see raw brass....

All these prices are gueesed from my not so clear memory on the above - Just give them a buzz for a quote....

-marc

oh yeah - try again in an hour or so to see the before pics -

I get a lot of hits so go directly to the link if not all the pics show up then you know I ran out of band width again:

http://www.geocities.com/drunkiq/before.htm

[ This Message was edited by: drunkiq on 2003-09-18 12:44 ]

Bill · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 9:49 am Post subject:

Hi Mark!

George Kraft of Southeastern Music here in Huntsville does some great work. He has worked on my daughter's French Horn several times and has always delivered better than promised. George is also a top notch trumpet player and knows what it takes to help fellow trumpeters. He's only 6 hours away if you wanted to deliver/pick up your horn in person.
_________________
Bill Mirrielees
Wilmington NC

Wilmington Big Band
Artistry In Jazz Big Band
Snake Malone and the Black Cat Bone Blues Band

donalson · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 10:03 am Post subject:

thanks for the info on the horn man... they did some amazing work considering i spent a lot less on the horn then i would have on a new horn i can justfy spending a bit of money on it down the road haha... guess i'll have to give them a call... bet they know how they managed to pull off that blue tanrish stuff also... hafta give them a call

hmm Huntsville... hmm... thanks for the heads up... i'll be up that way in a few months to visit UNA... i've got fam (er the wife does) in huntsville... i'll stop by and talk to him... prob have some work done over next summer or something haha... i still gota find a decent looking marchin horn... wonder how i'd like a benge x3 for that kind of work haha

mark
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mark aka donalson
Play it with a passion

buzzer · Veteran Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 112

I just sent my early 1960's Olds Mendez to Oberloh in Seattle also. Price for refinishing, dent work (fairly minor) and valve job (which it needs) same area as posted in earlier posting. I have seen before and after pix of their trumpet work they did for a person in my town and was very impressed. I understand most of the Seattle area schools send their instruments to Oberloh also. Another possibility to consider for work on any instrument.
Al

MikeZ · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 10:21 am Post subject:

I'll second the earlier post that recommended Steve Winans a.ka. Dr. Valve. Steve overhauled my '67 Al Hirt Special earlier this year. The horn wasn't in REAL rough condition, but had a few small dings, the leadpipe needed to be straightened and the bell needed some work. The valves were in the worse shape. He did an incredible job all told.

http://www.doctorvalve.com
_________________
-Mike
1967 Holton Al Hirt Special
Monette STC B1-5
Tama Starclassic Maples
http://www.mazworld.com

drunkiq · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2003 10:53 am Post subject:

oh yeah - one more thing - remember when i said it took anderson three tries?... Pettifors is in the same city as anderson silver plate (99% of overhaul places use their plating services) - Harry was the one that refused the horn and DROVE it back to anderson's to get the finish and color even.... twice!

I actually found Pettifors by accident....

I called up a well known music shop (chain music store) and asked them about an overhaul - they said they mailed it off and typically prices where about $800-$850 for silver plate.... I asked about conversion and finish work.. alot of quesitons - too much for him - he gave up and gave me the number of the place then send their horns to be overhauled at....

that place was in round rock texas.. I asked the same questions.... they where not sure on finish options and said, we only do prep work - let me give you the number of the place we send the horns for plating work - oh yeah- plating in silver just droped to $750...

I called them told them about the horn and the conversion and asked about the finish options... guess what - they only do prep work - to many qestions on all the finish options.. she said - let me give you the number to the place we send our horns to be plated... oh yeah - down to about $650 for restore in silver plate...

I called the number - Pettifors inc... guess what - they only do prep work but send their plating work to anderson plating.... OK, the price just droped to about $400-$450?? (I think) for restoarion in silver plating...

So far so good... asked some questions about a conversion... hang on, let me get Harry.... He was pretty cool... gave instant quotes... was not sure on the satin for 100% of the horn - first request for !00% - put me on hold and called andersons.. then gave me a quote.... asked about the conversion (tuanalbe bell) - he asked - do you want my parts or Schilke's parts? - I requested Schilkes for future compatibility and that he only use Schilke parts the horn... no problem.... hang on.... called Schilke... parts are xxxx at my cost - I will do the labor on the conversion for XXX - about the same price Ron Pinc charged for the conversion... was almost half the cost if I where to use his parts.... but i had to have it authentic.... after he gave me the address i relized he was in the same city as anderson plating (I also emailed anderson plating directly for an overhaul price- total rip off - wanted like $800 for silver and over a grand for gold plate!)

I sent harry 3 moutpieces to be done in the satin finish (one was rough... - did it on purpose to see his work) - mouthpices came back perfect, liked the satin finish and decided to send him in the horn and try to save some cash...

gamble paid off....

who ever you end up using - ask to see previous work... - espically if you are trying to get a brushed finish - nothing worse than a bad brushed finish....

seeing the pics from dr. valve i would say yes to that too... also Ron Pinc, has the reputation and is a no brianer to use.... dr. valve and Ron are both x-Schilke employees, go figure....

-marc

[ This Message was edited by: drunkiq on 2003-09-18 13:57 ]

donalson · Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2003 10:48 pm Post subject:

bill... did you live in panama city up untill a relative short while back?

mark
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mark aka donalson
Play it with a passion

Bill · Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2003 2:41 am Post subject:

Hi Mark,

Yep, that's the same me. Panama City Beach started out great but I soon found out that it's a much better place to visit for a vacation than it is to live and work there and raise a family.

Huntsville (Madison actually is where we live) is so much more like Chicago, where we came from. Schools are much better and there is a lot more to do.

I will forever miss the beach, though. Give me a call if/when you might be up this way. Our musical director from Church graduated from the music program at UNA. She's a trumpet player also.

Bill
_________________
Bill Mirrielees
Wilmington NC

Wilmington Big Band
Artistry In Jazz Big Band
Snake Malone and the Black Cat Bone Blues Band