When should serious work be done?

What is the difference between an overhaul and a repad?  

Those terms mean different things to different people.  Me personally, If do an overhaul, I replace all pads, corks, do minor key fitting, repair minor dents, change a few springs as necessary, clean and re-oil with fresh synthetic oil.  I do not relacquer.  I will strip to bare brass, major dent work, to custom key modifications, totally re-spring, and/or send out for re-plating, but those things will occur an extra cost along with cleaning plated instruments, which will be determined at the time by the customer and myself.

 I feel this describes that a saxophone can possess one or more of four potential values.

1: Actual value = what the instrument is worth in current condition.

2: Perceived value = what someone most often the seller, perceives the value to be. This is often influenced by ignorance and or greed.

3: Potential value = the value of the instrument if and once brought into perfect playing condition.

4: Sentimental value = the added value if the instrument is deemed valuable due to sentimental reasons - eg: it once belonged to the owner’s grandparent (for example).

For the purposes of the remainder of this, when I refer to a repad, I am not talking about re-springing, 

re-lacquering, or re-plating. Key fitting IS part of a repad in my mind.

My job as a saxophone repair specialist is regarding #3, bringing “into perfect playing condition”. 

More times than not, while people feel that if a pad is not ripped, it is still good. That is a misnomer. 

A pad as is made up of a backing material (usually cardboard), felt, and leather. In an old pad, the felt gets hard, and the leather gets dry. Many pads have even been installed from the factory with an insufficient amount of glue (or shellac). When leaks start occurring from old age, the proper way to deal with this is to change the pad, with proper amounts of adhesive so it can be floated to the tone hole.  NOT bend the cup into sealing again. That makes more work for the person who does to the repad down the road.

Also, there are many regulations on the saxophone, many involving glued on, especially specific custom thickness of cork. Again, over time, the cork or glue dries out and this starts to flake off. All the pads may be good, but to replace all the potential problem spots of old cork is a huge job, one that is done as a repad anyhow. This job can be specifically done, but if it’s at that point, the rest of a repad isn’t far behind.

The next question I always get asked is, “is it worth getting a repad done”. 

There are many new cheap saxophones out there where a repad costs more than the same horn brand new or similar can be bought. If the amount you spend on a repad is more than what the selling prices of the horn is, in those cases, no, it is not worth it. 

Sentimental value does come back into play as it may be worth it to you to spend the money to preserve grandpa’s horn so your little daughter Suzie can use it.  Or if it’s an instrument you’ve used forever and you like it, get it done.

There is also the easier answer of having a professional model instrument where the cost of a repad is a fraction of the cost of the instrument. Having it done when needed, will help extend the life of your enjoyment of the instrument. 

Additional services from The Saxophone Whisperer: I locate, consign, and occasionally buy saxophones and other woodwind instruments and accessories.