 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Selmer'53
Date: 2007-12-07 13:37
Besides the 4 schools in the U.S. (none of which are on the eastern seaboard) and apprenticeship...how does one become a band instrument repair technician? I've been to the NAPBIRT website and have been contacting members one by one for their own input, but I thought I'd throw it out there for all of you fine people.
This is something I want to do very badly, and I would take on a paid apprenticeship in a shop if that were a possibility, but I'd appreciate some chat about what it all entails.
Thanks!
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Author: LeeB
Date: 2007-12-07 14:22
<<<This is something I want to do very badly>>>
In that case, no training is required.
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2007-12-07 15:42
The hard way is to buy the few books on repair, buy all the tools and broken instruments and practice.
The easier way would be to go to a store you like the repair of and ask to apprentice there for free. They might turn you away but they might know a place that won't.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2007-12-07 16:39
Besides the schools in the USA you can try one ofthe schools that isn't in the USA 
There are the options skygardener mentioned but also possible is to learn at one of the instrument factories. I know one local repairer learned in Selmer and another in both Buffet and Selmer. I think a flute repairer learn in Powel. I think Selmer has something like a course but I'm not sure. I think there are waiting lists for both unless they happen to want someone in your area (the local repairer who trained in Buffet told me they were looking to train someone to work here).
Or you can do what I and some others did which is practice yourself what you can and find as much information you can from books and online sources.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2007-12-08 23:39
I taught myself with little more than some technician supply catalogues, a good background in working with a variety of materials, a very analytical mind, and eventually a rather outdated and sometimes misleading manual.
What is the function of this part?
Could it carry out that function better?
What are the various options for making this happen?
In each case, what is the most appropriate option?
Do I have the skills, equipment and materials to carry it out?
If not, get them.
What could go wrong during this operation?
Do I have the skills, equipment and materials to correct the situation?
If not, work on correcting the situation, especial for future 'events'.
Carry out the operation.
That's basically it.
It is possible that the more you are formally trained, the more that improvising and initiative, and understanding exactly why you do what you do, will be trained out. It depends on the quality of the teaching, and this quality teaching, to preserve these vital ingredients, takes time, with few shortcuts. Good instrument repair can seldom be reduced to following a simple recipe.
Anybody going it alone these days has far more resources to draw on, beginning with the currently most respected manual:
THE COMPLETE WOODWIND REPAIR MANUAL - by Reg Thorp, available from http://www.napbirt.org/
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2007-12-09 03:25
screw driver
lighter
needle plyers
common sense
+
watching my local technician from time to time. i'm good friends with him.
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2007-12-09 03:36
As far as myself, I took the 'hard way' I mentioned above. In my situation when I started, it was best. I personally think that learning in a good repair shop can be better than a school because you get to see what your job actually will be like. This is just my thought as I have done neither.
I also mostly work on clarinets and when I started I could play test all the work I did. I know from playing experience what produces what result, and for that reason I would likely do a horrid job on a flute or bassoon since I have no experience even playing them.
In a school or a store, you'd probably get to learn the hows and whys of everything, so even if you can't play it you can fix it.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2007-12-09 06:18
One of the schools, followed by apprenticeship, is by far the quickest way to become good at it.
It is my understanding that a paid apprenticeship usually comes AFTER you're half decent at it, and even then the shop might be losing money on the deal for a short while. Unpaid, you might find. Paid, with no experience, less likely... especially at a good shop.
The schools and/or an apprenticeship will likely teach you a bucketload of techniques and shortcuts that you might not discover yourself, or that might take you years to come across, and ensure that you don't end up with too many bad/dangerous/reckless habits.
A good friend of mine graduated Red Wing earlier this year and is already doing nice overhauls on pro instruments, and did a great bunch of adjustments on my Bb and A last month, fixing/improving things that were overlooked by a handful of techs over the years.
If this is really important to you, is there a particular reason you *don't* want to go to a repair school?
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Selmer'53
Date: 2007-12-09 14:31
Oh...I hope I didn't mislead with my initial query.
I want VERY MUCH to go to a school. It just so happens that I am in New York, and none of the schools are in the northeast.
I am recently married and have a child on the way, so it is rather impractical to do a huge move at the moment. I understand Red Wing's course is 9months...the shortest of all schools...so I'd be most interested in that.
My wife, bless her heart, is absolutely behind me whatever I decide to do, but I think the best thing for now is to find a way to get the best training possible somewhere around here, then consider Red Wing once the baby has arrived.
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Author: Dan1937
Date: 2007-12-09 15:04
There is a fine repairman in the Washington DC area, who specializes in woodwind repair only, does a superior job (he does my saxophones and clarinet), and takes on apprentices from time to time. If that location is not out of the quesiton, please e-mail me privately for his contact info.
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Author: Brenda ★2017
Date: 2007-12-09 21:56
You would consider studying at Red Wing once the baby has arrived? This must be your first baby then. My suggestion is to learn all you can now, and expect to wait a long time for a second chance, unless your mother-in-law moves in to help with the night-time sessions with the youngster so that you can sleep.
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Author: Selmer'53
Date: 2007-12-09 22:22
Brenda-
This is indeed my first child. (I'm giddy with anticipation!)
What I meant was that an actual temporary move...with baby & bride in tow...would be more practical after the birth at some point, as we want to have the baby here in New York with our own doctor and our family around us.
Does anyone have any contacts with decent repair techs in NY?
( By the way, thanks Dan 1937 for the offer, but DC is still a stretch considering my situation. Very kind of you.)
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Author: DougR
Date: 2007-12-10 02:23
You might wander over to the Sax forums linked to on the BBoard master page. They have a forum dedicated to repair issues, and you might even post your query there. (You'll see some familiar names from this forum as well.)
Alternatively, if you're anywhere near NYC, this might interest you. I had some repair work and appraisals done by Matt Stohrer at Sam Ash on 48th St. (I found his work to be excellent, by the way.) He was in the process of hiring an assistant at the time. He had very rigorous hiring criteria and made decisions on prospective techs partly based on the exact methods with which they approached specific repair issues. I found the discussion really interesting. If I were you, I'd take a horn that needs a little work and drop by the shop sometime and chat him up a little. (He also posts on the sax forum from time to time.)
Here's the main forum link, and the repair thread is a sub-thread under the heading "Tech Discussions" or something like that.
Good luck!
http://www.saxontheweb.net/vbulletin/
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Author: Selmer'53
Date: 2007-12-10 02:48
Thanks, Doug!
What you've said convinces me even more that I need a dedicated, structured education. I love listening to guys & gals talking shop, but most of it goes right over my head.
I'll check the forum link, and by the way, it's good to write to a fellow New Yorker.
Cheers!
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2007-12-10 03:00
I know of some situations in NY where people that work in the store have learned repair, also. I don't know if they were paying for the lessons or not, but they were being taught step by step from someone with experience.
Maybe you have tried this, but I think it would be good to do some footwork and go to every repair shop you know of and ask to learn from them. It might happen that you would have to pay them for lessons. It also might happen that everyone says "no", but it is worth a try.
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