Crushed Saxophone- Can It Be Saved?- band instrument repair- Wes Lee Music- Ferree’s Tools

[@jaredbitz]

As a clarinetist, I find it very amusing that your repair videos on clarinets always seem so fine and delicate, and this one involves man-handling a sax around a post and whacking things with bowling pins. It seems fitting for the personalities of each instrument :)

[@cmshap]

Saxophonist here... I love this comparison, couldn't be more apt. I've been watching these videos and find them fascinating. BTW always wished I also got into clarinet. I'm no longer playing (onto piano now) but always loved clarinet.

[@brianm744]

You can tell the difference between a master craftsman and a hamfisted do-it-fast-and-dirty type of one. He approaches his repair slow and steady so that he doesn't overreach and overextend. He does so much by feel than anything else. He also has an enormous amount of specialized tools that he's accumulated over his career, as a mastercraftsman should. Great video and amazing work. Oh, and his wife? She has such infinite patience while doing the mobile filming. She's the integral partner of his craftsmanship too. Notice he usually says things like "how we get things done...". He knows he couldn't do what he does so well without her. A FAMILY business.

[@kristimiller-lee2338]

Oh such kind words, thank you. I have been helping and learning and may never be a great repair tech but I am an awesome assistant. 30 years of marriage and 29 years of him doing this craft.

[@johngreer4436]

I've played sax for 30 years but am useless at repair work, so this video was like watching someone do magic. Major kudos to you for bringing these horns back to life.

[@bluejay9638]

Well nobody expects a musician to be a engineer, although some do learn the skill (Particularly school music teachers)

[@shyannasmith8207]

You play sax can you show a video on your KZbin so we can see how you play I'm bad at it like I'm not good at all and I started like 2 months ago

[@vdavis4785]

@@bluejay9638 Rubber bands, teflon tape, and paper clips can do a lot!!

[@ForrestGump1212]

@@shyannasmith8207 hihihihi beautiful lady :)

[@MargaretWalkerCellist]

Hi, Wes! My husband was a band instrument repairman (RIP 2016) and I appreciate your craft and seeing your shop which looks quite familiar to me. I just found your channel. I play all the instruments in the orchestra, but am a strings specialist (vn,va,ce,ba), a professional for over 60 years now. Plus, I played on staff at several colleges as a staff accompanist. I love all aspects of the music industry. Thank you for your channel. (BTW: I have my Dad's King saxes from the 1920s and his Albert system single-body clarinet, all still in working order, except for the tenor sax.))

[@wilsonrawlin8547]

Hey Margaret. Glad that Wes's channel and shop bring back good memories for you. All respect to dedicated musicians such as yourself.

[@martyg374]

Amazing. What a craftsman. As a high school band director, I've seen my share of damage. I've also seen the original Aldolphe Sax horns (Belgium) and just scratch my head.

[@ellyallthingsfiber4275]

I played sax from 5th grade through highschool. As a battered child, the Sax kept me alive. My only regret:. Jerry Louis was preforming at Starlight out door event. His sax player took sick. Out of 20 some schools canvased for a full in sax player, I was chosen. As a battered child I didn't have the confidence to do it. I was just gifted a Parisian saxophone. Just sent it off for repadding and repairs. Let me know where you are Incase the repair comes back unsuccessful. Many Blessings Elly

[@kevinstonerock3158]

I never would have thought seeing a video about repairing band instruments would expose me to body shop principles. I also didn’t expect to see a shopsmith spending time in the background. The first video I saw the leg area and thought I misidentified it. You’re truly an experienced artist. Calling you a repairman wouldn’t do you justice. An artist knows what he’s looking at and knows how to finesse the problem out without causing more damage. Awesome work!

[@billjenkins2174]

I'm sure the person who dropped this sax thanks you!! I watched your two videos on refurbishing a clarinet and you did a fantastic job there as well. You understand how important it is to get the mechanisms to work properly and seated. When I was playing back in the day, I did not know of a place to take my clarinet to get it fixed. I just kept playing with an out of alignment instrument. You do fantastic work!

[@johnasti7429]

I like watching your video's.. I'm not a repairman but a public school teacher of 23 years and a player of 45 years. I enjoy you're videos and expertise...

[@mikef.1000]

Love your philosophy of modifying a tool to do a job. Tools are servants, and they are not more important than the job!

[@livingwithosteoarthritis.]

A bowling pin that is amazing

[@vladimirlopez7840]

When my sax needs work I will take it to Wes. I live in Florida and I respect the gentleman so much after watching a bunch of his videos I will drive up to personally hand him my horn.

[@IlyaShubin]

Браво Мастер! Я очень рад что нашёл Вас в ютубе! Большой привет из России!

[@dbmail545]

I love to see so much effort put forth while trying to stay in a school's budget.

[@astarothgr]

my sax has just a tiny tiny bump and I was about to cry when I caused that. *I will never complain again* !!!

[@TimHollingworth]

Not only can Wess fix them mechanically, seems like he can play them too. Would love to hear him play a tune on the sax for us. Great job sir!

[@MrTBoneMalone]

Well, the bell mandrel must be pretty good if you want to reorder it. I was really surprised to see you had cut it up, but I totally get it. Sounds like it's a good tool.

[@harryaries26official]

Terima kasih......thank you for repair the saxophone. I will to wait the other video repair of saxophone later. You are the best.🛠🪛✂️ 🎷👍

[@brianmacintire3064]

I mean.. I like to fix things, I do it for a living, but these specialist repairs are so fun to watch!

[@kevinbrettsax]

This was really cool to see how you brought the horn back to life! It was like watching a sax chiropractor when you had it on the wood mandrel at the beginning.

[@wilsonrawlin8547]

Chiropractor is a great reference. He's that an an Instrument Surgeon. ;D

[@bontrom8]

I discovered the rebound method and am so glad to hear that it is used by pro techs :)

[@bluespur69]

I like to restore antiques but the stuff you despair just blows my mind. At 74 I thought I'd all. You are a true craftsman and I admire that.

[@JC-oz6xn]

The world needs a whole bunch more people like you. The only person that could manipulate a saxophone better than you was John Coltrane!

[@pgroove163]

I'm watching this on the subway on my way to work in NYC.. I really found this interesting and informative

[@stevekilligrew788]

Wow‼️ The intelligent & controlled application of craft, knowledge, skill, power, an impressive array of specialist tools plus an excellent, empathic assistant and a bowling pin! Outstanding. Please keep up the excellent work!👍

[@andrea22213]

Excellent. Various innovative techniques. Great to see your apprentice in action too!

[@davidburckhardt7672]

As a sax player myself, I’m absolutely fascinated by your genius and know-how. Congratulations.

[@johnwalker6752]

Man's got skill and a really relaxing voice

[@orangmakan]

Your feeling for metal is incredible.

[@hackerguitar]

Wonderful work. Glad you’re keeping these instruments working!

[@PhilG999]

When I got my Armstrong 3000 Alto years ago It had the front of the bell folded down similar to the damage done on this horn. It also had a couple of keyguards missing (and some other issues). Found it at a pawn shop and took my good friend Peg (Concert level flautist and sax player) with me to check it out and when she played it, SHE wanted to buy it! The thing has a wonderful warm "round" tone to it (if that's the right term) ... I started on the bell and spent a few hours working it (I do auto body work, among a LOT of other things). I sat there with the horn on my knee tapping it out with a soft faced lead hammer I cast in HS. Got it "fairly" close and then on to the keyguards. Those I made out of sheet brass, silver soldered. Some time later I had the horn reworked. Pads and key bumpers, some cork and springs The guy that did it was the "Repair Guy" for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and Peg knew him. He told me he was impressed with my keyguards (which I kept). They weren't pretty BUT they were as accurately functional as I could get them (I'm a Mechanical Engineer by Profession). ;) Subscribed. BTW I could sight read in 7th grade! Unfortunately I broke a front tooth and didn't play for years. Can't sight read now but I still like to get the horn out and honk every now and then. Mostly Jazz, mic'd with some effects to help cover up my mistakes. ;)

[@jeanhawken4482]

An artist tradesman. So many skills required to fix these beautiful instruments.

[@paulschmolke188]

Dropping a saxophone is no small thing. Great detail work on every bit of it.

[@philipallard8026]

Artist at work. The plan for the sax is in your hands.

[@rubysanabria8927]

Hi thanks for showing us the craft you have and enjoy 😉 very good 👍 video . Much respect...

[@Carlosaguilar-pe8fx]

Good bless your hands!!!

[@hailuabebe2249]

Great talent I enjoy watching your show all way to addis ababa.

[@wademckinnon2429]

Good Lord. I think that sax was used for something other than music. Amazing skill.

[@TheOnespeedbiker]

Since 90% or more of the repairs you do is using just your hands, I imagine your finger strength must be impressive. Truly an artisan at work.

[@LVLouisCyphre]

I would call you a master musical instrument smith. This type of repair work is an art plus a science.

[@JasDarc]

I would not have thought a sax could take so much stress, even in expert hands but back in the 60s I was bass player in a band called The Establishment, supporting Cliff Bennett and The Rebel Rousers, probably the first British soul band ever. Having just returned from playing the Hamburg clubs, they were stunning musicians and tight as any band I'd ever seen. When we came off stage, the sax players were having a sword fight with their instruments (they, the band, were pretty well oiled but that didn't affect their playing at all). Then came their curtain call and we were all scrabbling round on the floor picking up keys that had flown off during the "fight". The two saxists then put these back on and strapped them in place with loads of elastic bands, went on stage and killed it. Great memories.

[@tomphillips8565]

Very interesting how you repair a horn and end up with a new looking instrument. You have a great skill. Thanks for sharing this with us.

[@richardbroadstairs5862]

That is the best video I have ever seen,a craftsman making the tools he needs ,to carry out a complicated repair on a delicate instrument. Please make more videos like this, hand tools you can control for a professional finish.

[@roncombs8711]

This gentleman is a master craftsman!!😎

[@こにゃん-h4h]

なるべく手の感覚で作業を丁寧にされているのに感動を覚えます。もはや修理不可能と思われたYAS-62も無事に治りましたね。

[@joebledsoe257]

A well versed auto body repair guy does the same things. They unfold and straighten out the dents in a reverse pattern to straighten the vehicle as much as possible before replacing any parts or filling any dents.

[@tackanderson4270]

I'm very surprised you don't have an apprentice studying under you. It appears to me that this is very much like other instruments requiring a great depth of skill and knowledge just like fine wooded instrument repairs. Easy to tell there's many years of hands on. If I was 40 years younger, I would be pounding on your door!

[@wilsonrawlin8547]

I would like to hear some of the stories of how these instruments ended up being damaged like this. Was it an accidental drop, ended up in a fight, etc.? As always your feel to restore the metalwork is incredible and a lifetime of experience and insane skills in your hands. You are an instrument surgeon of the highest level. Kate's intuition and help has to be recognized and very critical as well. Great work by the best in the business. Insane hand and arm strength to work that metal like you do by hand.

[@Starcruiser81]

I have a Martin Alto sax which my great-grand-father played in high school, easily over 100 years old now. It is nickel plated with gold plating inside the bell, the sound holes were not extruded like modern horns, but instead has thick flanges soldered on. It was always a real bear to play and could use an overhaul if I ever had the money lol, can't imagine what it's worth now. I had that thing apart a few times trying to clean the green tarnish from the nickel. I found it in his closet on a weekend the summer before middle school where I then played it in band class until high-school, a NEW high school in Las Vegas, with a NEW Baritone sax! I was hooked and marched with it until moving states later that year, to Tennessee. Luckily, they had an old Bari sax, in very rough shape, the neck literally popped off at the top of the body once, not where it should come apart, it had a few trips to the local Music Doctors, for new pads and such, and by the time I graduated, it played flawlessly, thanks to a skilled man like yourself. Stumbling across your channel tonight and watching this video tonight brough back many memories of the good old days, as I just turned 42 today. I've been following in my father's shoes for the past 20 years playing bass guitar. On occasion I like to get the old Alto sax out of the closet and try to play it again, however, the Continental Tenor my grandfather picked up at a pawn shop plays much better, and it's the best of both worlds, a perfect mix of tone and range between Alto and Bari, of course. :)

[@davidpope1735]

You are the master of a dying art. Thank you 😊

[@tonysmith5713]

Wes you make a hard and difficult or to some impossible job look so easy , its a delight to see you perform . it just goes to show how valuable experience is ,as you can never have enough learning more and more every day ,( the challenge)👍👍👍.

[@shredct3118]

Your skills are truly impressive. It’s so fascinating to watch you work. Thank you for taking the time to share this with us.

[@msapostle]

Your craftsmanship is amazing.Thank the stars you guys still exist.

[@JiveDadson]

The tip to remove the G# mechanism before regulating the lower stack was worth the price of admission. Glad I didn't bail out early.

[@anewmanvs]

Most shops would have called it a day after got rid of the big dents. But not in Wes Lee.

[@garetkonigsfeld2]

From the dents and creases I've seen you remove . I say yes. Thanks for sharing 👍.

[@lawebbermusic6991]

Remarkable knowledge, instinct and craftsmanship. So good if you to share them.

[@lancer525]

I don't even play any instruments! I am totally musically challenged. I don't sing in the shower even, but this is the most fascinating thing I have watched in quite a while. Impressively talented. Thanks!

[@GlennLaycock]

This one almost looks new - I am amazing the damage you spotted. It has to be practically new, so definitely worth fixing.

[@Anglgrinder-j3y]

Very cool, Amazing!!! Thanks for sharing your techniques...

[@dantreadwell7421]

Sounded beautiful. And as a former Clarinet player, I totally second the hold on with both hands.

[@javierquesada798]

What a shame not being able to live near you, he is very sinerous and kind and he is a great mechanic, I try to do it as I have been a saxophonist for 30 years, I can put spring shoes etc.

[@richardclemens6038]

Wes you are the man, been watching you for yr now, you amaze me , you're sincere about your craftsmanship. I've never seen you fail, my hats off to you

[@brickshotted]

It's always enjoyable to watch people with skills show their craftsmanship. Awesome😁

[@christopherforster6555]

You are certainly gifted a instrument surgeon lovely work thanks .

[@bighornbill1]

It is so satisfying to see such skill!

[@bobb.4807]

Great job Wes . As a sax tech I thoroughly enjoyed this video. Thanks !

[@wesleemusicrepair9820]

Thanks for following along!

[@derycktaylor3677]

Wes, this is a most informative sax repair video. I don't have the option of sending my saxes to a technician, because of where I live. So I have to help myself. Thanks a lot.

[@landengunn2099]

Love the walk through feel of this episode

[@helmet3747]

Chapeau l'artiste 👍

[@rodmills4071]

Never knew that instrument repair was such a gym workout. Nice work. 🤔😀😎

[@lauramildon-clews7850]

I repair and set up guitars.You my friend are a true craftsman very well done,kind regards Laurajane,from New Zealand

[@fbl3231]

Very very beautiful see your jobs.... You are an artist, one top player.... 💥💥💥🔝

[@claybair4904]

I really love to work Repouss'e made a cowboy hat out of 20 gauge copper sheet , only annealing no cutting . I really like your work !!!

[@suedunbar4287]

I bet your great work had this sax playing better than ever! I’m a retired elementary band director, and I’ve seen some doozies too. Thank you for this great video.

[@darrylthehorntoadpiper]

Outstanding job on fixing the sax👍👍👍👍

[@MattCouzensMusic]

I've been rebuilding saxes for a couple years. Still haven't tried much dent work. This was very helpful. Thanks!

[@yolioms]

Thanks Wes Lee! I always learn a lot from you!!!

[@xucomartin]

Greetings from Madrid, Spain, I play the guitar, but it is always a pleasure to see you work. Thank you for making my day by seeing you. alongside John Wayne

[@thepugvilleexpress7556]

Wow! Nice job!

[@mikeellefson6579]

a real craftsman at work

[@Master.blaster1212]

What a skill! Amazing work!

[@williamogilvie6909]

I really like your instrument repair videos. I hope someone as good as you repaired the Bδ tuba I played in high school. After our last concert I slipped and dropped it on the bell. A tip from an old Silversmith: diluted Sulphuric acid, warmed on a hot plate, is better than muriatic acid for pickling metals. My preferred Silver soldering flux is a borax-ethanol slurry. I coat the metal with it, heat with the torch until the borax fuses, then repeat 3 or more times. That leaves a smooth film of borax all over the metal, so the Silver solder flows smoothly. just a suggestion, I couldn't equal your skills if I had started 50 years ago.

[@brianwheway1933]

we live in a disposable world, where so many things just get thrown away because we cant be bothered to take a bit of time and repairs stuff, a man over the road from me threw out a very expensive washing/drying machine,(£900) my friend at the top of the street took it off his hands ( for free ) and repaid it it for £7.00 all it needed was two electric motor brushes, the guy in the mean time went out and spent another £900. keep up the good work m8. skills like yours are starting to die out, you need to take on an apprentice and pass on your skills.

[@MartinSBrown-tp9ji]

You are fantastic on that brass instrument. Nice work.

[@justinmaher318]

Sweet work. I love watching you work.

[@dougberrett8094]

The whole episode was very interesting. I liked the time your helper whacked the bar for you. Somewhat subjective on how hard the blow was. Long ago, I needed to quantify a blow used to crush a fiber optic cable, just enough to lessen the coherence of a laser transmitted through it. I can explain how this was done, if you are interested.

[@kristimiller-lee2338]

As the assistant who is also a surgical technologist, I often wield a medical hammer in surgery for nose surgery or orthopedic surgery. The force for each is far apart so I had to clarify with him which way to lean. Light in the nose close to the brain or heavy in a femur. It worked for us.

[@SianaGearz]

Colour me curious!

[@KathrynLiz1]

Brilliant video... Saxophones are so complicated.... and the precision needed for god function is interesting. The only thing I can play is the fool (oh and drums a bit), s it's the mechanics that interest me as an engineer.... fascinating.

[@general5104]

Excellent video. Thank You, Wes Lee

[@JamesJones-mp6ie]

Fab video. I really appreciate your explanations in details man as a trombone player who has been very seized up. Breath of fresh air to come across you channel.

[@danielh163]

I have a alto sax from my jr high days. I need fixed. You seem to really love what you do i hope to have it repaired with someone like you. Thank for what you do.

[@mdblrf]

bravo et merci WES.....

[@chickencheese9913]

This is so amazing to watch. Just recently unfortunately dropped my custom ex in a stupid accident and it’s really cool to see how it’s repaired

[@alancope9962]

You are an artist Sir, hat of too you

[@n6mz]

27:25 one of my dearest departed friends, WW2 combat pilot and then career airline pilot, used to remind me to "Keep both hands on it." I'm sure that he meant the yoke in the cockpit ;-) , I don't think he ever played woodwinds. You really brought back some fond memories of him. THANK YOU for the great content.

[@TheWhitetailrancher]

wonderful! So fun to watch you work!

[@lotsabirds]

Beautiful work! I got a kick out of the repurposed bowling pin too ! AMF or Brunswick??? Thanks, Wes! These are great videos!

[@brucebenson5908]

Dr. Wes Lee, band instrument surgeon.

[@Jaujau933]

No substitute for experience, awesome job Wes 👏👏👏👍🏻

[@박재원-c3e]

좋은기술로 최고의 수리영상 보여주셔서 감동!