Assessing a saxophone for an overhaul with Mike Livingston

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[@FoolishFrankie]

Dude this is such an awesome video!! I’m definitely going to schedule a repair lesson with Mike at the beginning of the year. I literally know nothing about how a saxophone works and I’ve been wanting to learn more but there are limited resources. Thanks for sharing this behind the scenes!!

[@JustinPast]

3:47 who doesn’t like the feel of nice tight snappy keywork 💛

[@SaxSpy]

for many years I had never known snappy keywork 😅 it's like experiencing true level

[@andrewstunes]

Great video and intro to Mike and his work. Thanks for sharing this!

[@smoothvelvetsinger]

These saxophone repair videos are amazingly interesting to me. Thank you👍

[@DolphScreamingSax]

Excellent video that gives me some insight in and appreciation for the repair tech's work.

[@gangofgreenhorns2672]

6:44 that's a super common problem he's talking about that's really great to know how to adjust (on modern horns) and fix (on vintage; takes a bit of cork usually). Will save you a lot of time. edit: As for current repairs: I have a King Super 20 bari (third generation 1959) and it needs an overhaul with some cosmetic work. I have it in good working order, but I can only do so much. Just needs a pro to go over everything and adjust it. The octave keys are built similar to a Conn 12M Transitional so it has some inherent intonation problems that I really have to work to correct with my embouchure, but plan on getting an aftermarket neck (from Groger probably). It sounds like there is a lot wrong with it, but as I said it's in good playing order. Everything seals, just needs some love from someone who knows how to really fix stuff. Thinking of sending off just the bell to Anderson's Silver-Plating to get it done; quote was pretty cheap. That wasn't a factory option on baris sadly.

[@derycktaylor3677]

Great video.

[@MrGuto]

Absolutely awesome! Thanks a lot Sax Spy and Mike Livingston for making this info available.

[@mikelivingston_repairs]

You're welcome! Knowing how your saxophone works will make you a better saxophone player. 🙂

[@philipstrangio4887]

Great explanations and info. Thank you!

[@MusicMediccom]

Great video!!

[@evovulpes122]

that's cool. I live in SLC too. Thanks for the vid.

[@vikingwind25]

The best start to finish video on KZbin. The only thing left is dent removal and relacquer...Well beyond the casual self-maintainer like me. This has helped me a lot as I rework my 1923 Buescher Silver Trutone Alto. Thanks!

[@SaxSpy]

glad to hear! That was our goal 😁

[@nehemiahstewart]

I wish there were techs like this in South Carolina.. Northerners get all the good guys.

[@knightryder5292]

Nice I’m about to take in a vintage Lyon and Healy tenor that I stumbled upon. Horn looks great just needs some TLC ❤overhaul!! Thanks great video!

[@donl3248]

People who say “money can’t buy happiness” have never owned and played a really nice, well maintained saxophone.

[@Norman_Peterson]

There are GREAT saxophones at normal prices, and of course the Salmer Mark is totally overrated and over priced. For a reasonable amount you can take a still valid instrument remembering that beauty is created by the skill of the MUSICIAN, not the money he has in his wallet.

[@donl3248]

@@Norman_Peterson Back in 1974 I paid $680.00 for a new 220 series Mark VI. I still own it and it will be passed on when I’m gone. Back in the day, it was an unbeatable saxophone. No disrespect meant to the King Super 20, the Conn 10m, the Buffet SDA and such. None could touch a killer VI. The prices asked for vintage VI’s are what they are. Many new manufacturers are making great saxes. I bought a Mauriat 76 last year and love it. That said, the constant bashing of Mark VI’s is getting old and is disrespectful to the legacy of that horn. Ask yourself this, if it was such an overrated horn, why are many the new horns just updated copies of the Selmer Mark VI?

[@Cantbuyathrill]

Enough money WILL buy you sax happiness. But do your research. There are so many hack sax techs out there, especialli in Manhattan an Miami, that no amount of mo ey will buy you happines. From painful experience, my advice is: NEVER BRING YOUR HORN TO A REPAIR SHOP IF THE WORKBENCH IS OIU OF VIEW OF THE CUSTOMERS. NEVER ALLOW THE TECH TO "bring the saxophone to the back to check it out". Believe me, guys: You want to see what is being done to your horn, (and a true capable confident HONEST tech would never object to this.

[@hugovandermeer1566]

Definitely...🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶🎷

[@hugovandermeer1566]

Selmer not Selmar.

[@bobblues1158]

Great!!

[@Leon_L]

Probably the best ASMR overhaul

[@gosneygosney]

Proper adjusting for best tuning, even register .

[@romuluscreative]

The thing i notice and the thing id look for is the way they hold a sax.. he so quickly moves the sax to certani angles. but like you handle a child.. this mans.. id trust with my sax. which hasnt even arrived for me yet lol. but this mans id trust based of how he holds and speaks

[@5Liebi]

Thanks Man. With a better Mouthpiece the Sound is the Best. :-)

[@mikelivingston_repairs]

its all about the reed 😉

[@gerardchumilla]

Do you think you could do a video on how to dissasemble a saxophone? That would ne awesome!

[@karltonlemons2746]

How do you address the integrity of the brass? Redrot, corrosion, green stuff?

[@goodboyringo9716]

Seems to me owning a sax is a large maintenance responsibility and it's like a must to be able to work on your own sax.

[@ChipTheMusicMan]

Whoa...you're not gonna play us out on that sweet Selmer???

[@jasonandrews8587]

I would love to learn how to repair saxophones

[@tngolfer54]

Where is the best place to get a “Leak Light”? Thanks for any info.

[@blackie8083]

This guy, Mike, reminds me of how Matt Stohrer would work on a horn, attention to detail!...if you don't know him, google him, he's like one of the top repair men in the country!

[@SaxSpy]

Mike is fantastic and very detail oriented!

[@mikelivingston_repairs]

Matt's great!

[@jasonandrews8587]

Hello Thanks for your video. I would like to learn to repair. I play alto and tenor sax

[@nick_cnc]

Wow, didn't realize you were back to making videos. I thought Gary had sued you off the internet!

[@SaxSpy]

hahaha

[@s8r647]

Hello, I have scoured the internet and have been unable to find an answer. I assume it is simple but how do I remove the key button pearls on my horn safely? I need to replace two of them but do not want to damage my instrument. Please help!

[@mikelivingston_repairs]

You can't remove them without destroying the pearls. If you want to replace one you can chip away at the pearl with a dremel tool until it crumbles out, but that sort of work is best left to someone who's done this type of job before.

[@SaxSpy]

Mike's the pro! ^

[@irinapotoropina4322]

Where are you located? I need some pads changed.

[@mikelivingston_repairs]

I'm always on the move! I am touring with Frozen the Musical and I set up my repair bench in every city I'm in. You can check my schedule on www.mikelivingston.net , there's a good chance I'm coming to your city.

[@drorbengur]

How long does it take Mke to complete an overhaul like that?

[@SaxSpy]

he did mine in a week or so but it varies on condition I assume

[@mikelivingston_repairs]

I like to plan on 2 weeks in my hands. The work can be done in 3-4 long days if it is done very efficiently, but these materials like to settle and change in time so its nice to allow that to happen and make final adjustments before I hand the sax back. For example - brass has a memory so if you move a tone hole or bend a key, it will slowly move itself back towards where it was. Also, the felt in pads and cork between keys will compress as a saxophone is played.

[@ninjalightning2631]

Hi do you offer 1 on 1 video Conference quick fix ? Tell you the problem and then pay PayPal ?

[@SaxSpy]

he does on his site

[@ninjalightning2631]

@@SaxSpy ok I will try to log in to that thx

[@mikelivingston_repairs]

Yes, this started when my friends kept calling me in a panic! Sometimes we can fix the problem together, sometimes I can show them a good band-aid fix until they can get it into a shop, and sometimes I can give them the knowledge they need so when they go to a shop they know exactly what to ask for. I really love these kinds of calls because it empowers the player and helps them know their instrument better.

[@TheJazzyjake1234]

So I have this very annoying issue why my octive a is very out of tune and it only happenes on my expensive model sax not any of my others

[@mikelivingston_repairs]

That's frustrating! This could be caused by many things but the first thing I would look at is your neck. Was it ever damaged?

[@TheJazzyjake1234]

@@mikelivingston_repairs no the neck was never damaged before

[@khanehbedush7346]

Repairing musical instruments in a hotel... very interesting. Does he sleep in a workshop?

[@JnHod]

The next video will be “How to fix a saxophone in plane”

[@Norman_Peterson]

Sure is alwais broken. :D The most overrated and over priced sax in the world. The times when he was the best have passed, many many many years ago. today there is much better for MUCH better prices. Try a YANAGISAWA they are Japanese. They have the best sound in the world.

[@mikelivingston_repairs]

I agree that most of the best saxophones being made right now are Japanese. These old Selmers paved the way for modern saxophone design so they will always the the classics, and I believe that is why they are so valuable.

[@gosneygosney]

Is Selmer the only one using springs in pivot screws on the newer horns?