pfox
04-28-2004, 04:11 AM
I recently bought a Martin Committee Bari on an auction site, and like any online auction, it was a crapshoot. I knew the neck was crushed (it seems to be a tradition with baris), and has been well used, but didn’t look hopeless. I always read the sax repair and modifications thread, and have come to respect the answers and advice given by Saxdaddy, Mike Reed. When a person is skilled at his work, and truly cares, it shows. I am no expert on sax repair, never even tried it, but I am good at what I do, and can recognize a fellow craftsman. I had my new old sax sent directly to Mike, without ever having met him, and contacted him with what I wanted done. Basically, I needed a rebuild, without stripping, relacquering, etc. The horn is spotted, dotted, and only slightly rotted, but really needed a repad, swedging, recork, adjustments, etc. Mike talked to me by phone, and email, and even found me a good price on a new case, which I needed just to ship it to him.
Once he got the horn, he called me with a preliminary estimate, told me about how long it would take, and I gave the go-ahead. Throughout the entire process, Mike kept me up to date with emails, phone calls, and even took digital pictures of the work in process and sent them to me. I couldn’t ask for better communication and service. He finished the work when he said he would, brought it in for the price he quoted, and packed and shipped this thing to me so securely I wouldn’t hesitate to send my kids on vacation in this box. It arrived in perfect shape, all the corks and wedges he put in to prevent pads moving were still in place, and most importantly, it plays like a dream. Someone on SOTW once said most players have probably never experienced a properly set up horn. Now I know I never did before.
I can’t believe it’s a bari, and I don’t have to get a running start to blow the low notes, and the upper register has a clarity I never expected to hear on a bari. This sax rocks. The keywork is lighter than my tenor, and that crushed neck? You’d be hard pressed to see that a crack has been repaired, and all the dents taken out. Absolutely beautiful job.
For all you players who write with sad tales of prima donna techs who take in horns, won’t return phone calls or emails, can’t or won’t give you an estimate of how much or how long, or move out of state with your horn and no notice, stop taking that crap. There are skilled, reliable techs in the saxophone world, and Mike Reed is right among the top. He’s in Effingham, IL, 800 miles from me, but just a phone call or email away. FedEx goes everywhere. Mike’s work is definitely worth the trip.
Once he got the horn, he called me with a preliminary estimate, told me about how long it would take, and I gave the go-ahead. Throughout the entire process, Mike kept me up to date with emails, phone calls, and even took digital pictures of the work in process and sent them to me. I couldn’t ask for better communication and service. He finished the work when he said he would, brought it in for the price he quoted, and packed and shipped this thing to me so securely I wouldn’t hesitate to send my kids on vacation in this box. It arrived in perfect shape, all the corks and wedges he put in to prevent pads moving were still in place, and most importantly, it plays like a dream. Someone on SOTW once said most players have probably never experienced a properly set up horn. Now I know I never did before.
I can’t believe it’s a bari, and I don’t have to get a running start to blow the low notes, and the upper register has a clarity I never expected to hear on a bari. This sax rocks. The keywork is lighter than my tenor, and that crushed neck? You’d be hard pressed to see that a crack has been repaired, and all the dents taken out. Absolutely beautiful job.
For all you players who write with sad tales of prima donna techs who take in horns, won’t return phone calls or emails, can’t or won’t give you an estimate of how much or how long, or move out of state with your horn and no notice, stop taking that crap. There are skilled, reliable techs in the saxophone world, and Mike Reed is right among the top. He’s in Effingham, IL, 800 miles from me, but just a phone call or email away. FedEx goes everywhere. Mike’s work is definitely worth the trip.