Backlog of Repairs Done!

I spent the afternoon and early evening catching up on all the repair work that has to be done around here. There are still a few things left, but most of it is done.

I put a new tenon cork (neck cork) on a saxophone and also brazed the octave key. The octave key was broken in half and this was one of those "no-name" saxophones made in China. It really needs a new key, but so far the braze is successful and the key is working and seems to be strong enough to hold. Thank goodness it is not in a weight-bearing position. Just a note on Chinese instruments: Some are okay and some are not. Make sure you purchase a brand that replacement parts are available for. If the person you are buying from doesn't know if replacement parts exist, then they probably don't!

I also setup a banjo for Matt. It is his "knock-around" banjo and just needed the head tightened and the string action lowered. And Matt - if you're reading this - it needs a new neck (Matt is left-handed).

Nathan's fiddle had an accident this week. It was sitting on his bed and his younger brother sat on it. He was very lucky that more damage wasn't done. The fiddle wasn't cracked at all on the outside, but the end block cracked on the inside and I had to take off the back of the fiddle to replace the block. While I was in there, I did a little work on bass bar and thinned the top. The back is drying right now (the glue, that is), so I won't be able to complete the repair work until tomorrow. I'll have to drill a hole in the new endblock, and then set it all back up again.

Three fiddles needed a basic setup and very small adjustments, like fine tuners or a bridge. One needed the fingerboard glued back on. All of that is done now.

There are two fiddles, two guitars, and a banjo that still need repair work. I think I'm going to get some dinner now!