Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2020-05-11 22:57
If you can't afford a mag machine, use these plugs. Actually, I can afford anything, but really see no need in it. I'd rather spend the money deep sea fishing for tuna out here at the Pacific Ocean!
http://www.jlsmithco.com/plug-bung-sets/master-testing-plug-assortment these are plugs I use.
The meg machine - http://www.jlsmithco.com/leak-locating/the-mag-machine
They also sell the mag machine (above) for about $700 after shipping, taxes, all of that.
I studied repair with one of the very best, Hans Moennig. Downtown Philadelphia.
In the old days, and I do the same now, is take all of the keys off of the horn. Then use the above rubber plugs and place them in all of the open holes on the horn. Once you get that air tight seal, about 1 minute, or use the mag machine, and hit zero, you can now mess with replacing each key pad one at a time. I don't use the mag machine. I've seen them of course.
Some repair people, are sloppy, I can say Levi at RDG woodwinds in Los Angeles could be a lot better. A 1 to 2 reading on the mag machine is OK for him, this equals to about a 1 second seal at best. It's not for me. Needs to be at least 30 seconds or more. I like Levi a lot. A VERY nice man. A very busy guy as well. So perhaps he just doesn't have time to repair new Buffet horns, fix them correctly, without getting paid extra by Buffet or RDG. Nancy is also very sweet, the owner. You will surely score a Buffet at the very best prices in the country. I surely can't blame Levi as none of us want to work for free, fixing defective horns.
When you buy a Buffet you are lucky if you achieve a 1 second seal. You really can't play these horns in new condition. They require repair. Yamaha uses very fine quality leather pads. The horns don't leak. They tune really well too! You can surely play a concert the same day you buy the horn. Yamaha's are exciting horns! Amazing workmanship. If Yamaha can do this so should Buffet!
I feel with the invention of synthetic pads there's no reason a repair person can't get a perfect seal. Back in the old days I made plugs out of wine bottle cork. The JL Smith rubber plugs are so much better.
Hitting zero on the mag machine shouldn't be a problem. With these great leather and synthetic pads repair is so much better. So repair people should never accept anything other than ZERO!! And players should only accept zero on these machines as well. When horns are sealed it's so much easier to adjust horns, find issues with horns, tune them, and be able to pick out the finest horns on the shelf at the stores.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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