LAGAN MUSIC SERVICES
PHILOSOPHY
At Lagan Music we are always ready to work with the customer. Whether the horn is new or old, clean or dirty, we’ll work with you to fix it. We will always discuss repairs needed and figure out the best way possible to meet your needs and expectations, while always doing our best to cater to the busy lives of musicians—students and professionals alike.
PROFESSIONAL OVERHAUL
The professional overhaul includes everything needed to make the instrument play and feel like
new. Typical procedures include:
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Complete disassembly to carefully clean body and neck
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Clean keys, rods, and hinge tubes by hand to remove old oil and grime
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Refit keys throughout to make sure all mechanisms are snug and moving freely
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Straighten and realign bent key work and rods, straighten and line up post heads when needed
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Check and address all key cups to make sure they are flat
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Level and resurface tone holes for optimal and consistent pad seal
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Create pad set (with snug fit) and install appropriate resonators (to be chosen during
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consultation)
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Replace all materials such as key corks, felt, Teflon, etc.
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Reassemble with fresh oil and seat all new pads
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Perform all adjustments necessary and set key heights for optimal response
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Thorough play test and break in
NEW HORN SETUP
Unfortunately, even the highest quality saxophones need some attention from an experienced
technician when they’re fresh from the factory. So if you purchased your saxophone and it’s new
in box, it likely needs to be tweaked for optimal playing performance. Issues often include poor pad
sealing, self stick corks and felts sliding off, neck fit is poor and key heights often need to be
addressed. Even further, I’ve seen instances of ripped pads due to poorly dressed, razor sharp
tone holes, and spit leaking out from poorly glued neck corks.
COA
Like changing the oil in your car, the best way to preserve the moving mechanisms of the
saxophone is to have regular “oil changes,” or what’s been coined in the industry as a Clean,
Oil, and Adjust.
This procedure includes complete disassembly to clean out old, abrasive, black oil from key
work, rods and posts, and a complete cleaning of body and neck. Often times the pads also
need a good cleaning and treating to keep the leather soft and supple. Along the way there are
usually worn corks and felts that need to be replaced, and occasionally some pads as well.
Some people take care of their instruments much more diligently than others, but I often
recommend a COA be performed every 18 months or so. Some need more often, some less!
PLAYING CONDITION
The most common type of repair. Fix what’s needed to make the instrument play well.
Parameters of this job usually include customer budget and time frame. Sometimes the concert
is tonight and the bare minimum needs to be performed. Other times there are no constraints
and the goal is to make the instrument play great but an overhaul isn’t needed—that’s where the
“PC” job shines.
FABRICATION
Lagan Music is a full service shop with all of the tools and supplies necessary to build and
fabricate anything you can dream of. Whether modifications to keywork or custom made neck
screws and other accessories—we’ll work with you to build, create, and design anything you
can think of.