 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Reese Oller
Date: 2021-12-06 20:20
Hello again,
I have recently been wondering about instrument repair. Is there anyone here with advice on such a job, and if it can support me?
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Author: BethGraham
Date: 2021-12-06 20:28
Hi, Reese!
See if you can make some appointments with local instrument repair people to ask them questions about their career. See what they do, find out what training they had to get to do their job -- that sort of thing. It can feel uncomfortable to set up these "interviews" with people, but you'll get great information.
From what I've seen, instrument repair can be a viable career choice. Good luck!
Beth
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2021-12-06 20:41
It's a viable career (there are people making a reasonable living at it), but like being a musician you have to have passion. I know of a few repairers who got their start "interning" on Saturdays with the local repairer, being the gofer and getting minimum wage for a couple years. A nice way to start when you're in your late teens. I don't know if that still goes on - but it can't hurt to ask!
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Author: Reese Oller
Date: 2021-12-06 20:48
Funnily enough, I am 15 now! I will try to contact my local people per your advice and get back to you guys with the results!
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2021-12-06 20:52
It can't hurt to ask! We have a few wizards on this BBoard, too, and I can put you in touch with a few others.
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Author: ruben
Date: 2021-12-06 21:31
Reese: I think it's a very viable career. There's a real need for repair techs and the top level ones are snowed under: you often have to wait a long time before your turn comes up to get your repair work done. Two reservations: most -but not all- were basically interested in playing music and now have no time to play a note. 2nd reservation: unless you are actually building instruments, it can become pretty routine. A luthier, for example, repairs violins but also builds them. This is seldom the case for woodwind repair people.
ps: there is an excellent school for wind instrument repairing in France.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: Reese Oller
Date: 2021-12-06 21:33
There is no way for me to go to France right now, but that would be interesting.
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Author: m1964
Date: 2021-12-06 21:38
Reese Oller wrote:
"I have recently been wondering about instrument repair. Is there anyone here with advice on such a job, and if it can support me?"
It may come down to who you/your parents/family friends know. Getting a contract with a local school board to repair school instruments may get you a steady income.
However, becoming an excellent tech, professional players would take their instruments to, requires good instrument playing skills in addition to repair skills.
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Author: Reese Oller
Date: 2021-12-06 21:48
I believe that I have ok playing skills of most instruments, but I have never even touched a saxophone and I am scared of them. But the rest of the ones in my band, I would feel okay playing like a chromatic scale on them. But, I am a clarinet/ bass clarinet/ bassoon guy mainly. The whole reason I'm asking this is because i was extremely unsatisfied with the repairs done to my bassoon.
*Correction: My school's bassoon*
Reese Oller
Clarinet student (performance major at Millikin University)
I can play bass clarinet, Eb clarinet, BBb contra, alto saxophone, bassoon at a decent level, and flute in a pinch.
Post Edited (2021-12-06 21:48)
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Author: Reese Oller
Date: 2021-12-06 21:50
Also, how similar is a euphonium to a baritone? I have never played a euphonium.
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Author: ruben
Date: 2021-12-06 21:56
The best clarinet repair person at Selmer for years and years-the one the top professionals ran to see and whom only they had access to, couldn't play a note. I do agree that is is generally better to have playing skills however. You don't have to repair all woodwinds. Here in Paris, there are half a dozen people that just repair flutes; one that just repairs clarinets and another that just repairs bassoons. They are highly specialized, but this requires living in a big city. In a small town, you would have to repair everything including the kazoo.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: Reese Oller
Date: 2021-12-06 23:34
Ah. Well, my town certainly qualifies as a smaller one... It looks like I will have to be an everyman!
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Author: Ken Lagace
Date: 2021-12-06 23:46
If you want a job to support you, become a truck driver, an electrician, a computer programmer etc. Those jobs will support you.
Do you don't like fixing things around the house, re-read the last sentence.
At your age, it is important to try many different things to find what you enjoy the most, the very first thing you want to when you wake up in the morning.
If you cannot get past the top of this paragraph, you would be a poor repairman and wouldn't be well supported by your work.
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Author: Matt74
Date: 2021-12-07 01:24
You play double reeds so your skills would be very much in demand. Saxophones aren't as complicated as they look. Playing saxophone is a piece of cake compared to clarinet. I think all the brass instruments are pretty much the same.
Here are the regular BIR schools, some offer options to combine it with a regular degree:
https://napbirt.org/page/RepairSchools
Old but helpful: http://www.probirt.com/nm/repair-schools/repair-schools.asp
Other options, mostly saxophone, because that's what's available:
CIOMIT: https://ciomit.com/online-instrument-repair-school/
Music Medic: https://www.musicmedic.com/products/education/sax-proshop-repair-courses.html
Music and Arts: You need to get hired first, but they have a repair facility in MD where you can learn as you work, if you want to move to MD. https://www.musicarts.com/cms/employment/
I attended BIR (band instrument repair) school at Red Wing (Northeast Tech in MN). I got a 4.0 for the first semester. Then I had to have back surgery and the whole thing fell apart. I wasn't able to go back and finish.
I assume you are in HS. If so, you could probably look for opportunities to get some relevant experience while you are in high school or college. Just working in a music store doing anything would be helpful. Any sort of woodworking/mechanics/handyman/repair work would be helpful. For example, if you got hired as a salesperson at Music and Arts you could later get a job with their repair department. If you get a job at your local music store they will know who you are, and maybe you can get a job in their repair department when they have an opening. If I had been younger I would not have minded taking one of the longer BIR programs.
Based on what I hear from BIR techs, you have to do one of two things:
1. You have the resources to go into business for yourself right away (buy lots of tools and supplies, set up a shop, find customers, and make it until it's profitable).
2. You know someone who wants to hire you, who will either train you, or hire you when you are done with your course.
Many students at Red Wing seemed to do one or the other. A number had jobs waiting. Most of the students had bachelor's degrees in Music Education.
I found that the shops are generally very small, often just one or two people, and they aren't hiring. There are bigger shops, but there aren't that many of them. If you are willing to commute long distances or move you might find a job. Some people start working directly for themselves, but I think it's probably much better to work for someone else to begin with. If nothing else you have advice, a shop, supplies, and lots of horns to work on.
Help, these will help you to see what it's about:
Music Medic: https://www.musicmedic.com/articles.html
Sgt. Dale Barton: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7CAB4DD2F8452ADB
Matt Stohrer (very wordy, but good advice): https://www.youtube.com/user/abadcliche
Brass and Woodwind Shop: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBrassandWoodwindShop
Europe has some schools, including subsidized instrument making programs.
There are also lutherie and bow making programs. The ability to fix guitars and strings is a big plus. Even if you just tell a store you can put new strings on would help.
I may sound very negative. I want to encourage you to do it if you can, because I believe it's important. It's just that there's a big difference between a theoretical industry "need" and the actual availability of jobs. For example, how many bassoonists are there in your state/province - in the country? That could work to your advantage because I imagine that you could contact most of the repairmen personally and find out what the prospects are.
- Matthew Simington
Post Edited (2021-12-07 02:31)
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Author: Ed
Date: 2021-12-07 06:29
Some mention high end. Certainly there is some who are able to do that. There are also many repair folks who work for a shop mainly doing repairs for schools, and of rental instruments. Those people can be VERY busy, due to the usual drops and mishaps that young players have. It is maybe not the most artistic work, but can take a great amount of skill. I have known some great people who do the repairs for pros, but the school repairs give good steady work to fill the gaps.
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Author: Reese Oller
Date: 2021-12-07 18:58
There are quite few bassoonists- four I have met, and they all know each other. As a matter of fact, I can restring guitars/ violins. At least if a violin is similar to a viola (Which I believe it is). I don't know how many times I have heard that my skills are valuable!
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2021-12-07 19:09
I guess it depends on many things but it can be a good option, if you're dedicated to learning about it and it's something you really want to do. If you always like mechanical things and see how things work it's a good start.
There are a lot of options, like school, apprentice, etc. but it's too variable to say anything concrete. I started doing it when a reputable repairer, with official certificate from some of the most famous instrument makers, really botched my soprano clarinet, and failed to repair my bass.
It was very slow, mostly being self taught, with a lot of help from a couple of people. I liked it enough that I would be doing it as a hobby if it didn't work. Luckily it did. It sort of happened naturally, along with realizing that I can't work just as a musician unless I really compromise what I play. This means the types of gigs I don't want to do and/or playing music I don't want to play. This way I can play only what I want, though it is a job too.
Since you're just in high school (about the same as when I started) I would get a few junk instruments and some basic tools (screwdrivers, feeler), disassemble, reassemble, figure out how the mechanisms work, etc. and see if you like it.
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Author: Reese Oller
Date: 2021-12-07 20:21
Yeah, I can't get any junk instruments. I am not allowed to get any musical instruments, no matter how cheap. I have a decent condition Yamaha plastic clarinet that I would NOT mess with, because it is my only clarinet! My friends have a few junk instruments, but my band director directly told people not to give me their instruments if they wanted them alive. So, I have nothing to practice on. And I am a bit frustrated. I can always read articles...
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Author: JTJC
Date: 2021-12-07 21:15
While you’re waiting for an opportunity to progress with learning from others to repair clarinets etc you could have a look at the Haynes Clarinet Manual. I’ve found it very helpful. It covers how to do routine cleaning, maintenance and some more advanced techniques, as well as the materials and the tools you need. Hopefully it’s available in the US. It’s not too expensive (around £20) so with Christmas coming you might persuade someone to give it to you.
There’s also this The Complete Woodwind Repair Manual by Reg Thorpe. I don’t know this book but it sounds quite comprehensive, not just clarinets and even covers making parts. It’s looks to be more expensive than the Haynes (Kindle £19, Sprial bound £52).
From those books you might get a much better idea of the range of things that are actually involved in repair and see whether you’re really have the interest in it.
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Author: Ken Lagace
Date: 2021-12-07 21:19
Are there junk shops where you live? Spend a very little to get junk instruments. It is an easy way to pay cheaply for a learning education.
Also, a inexpensive ad in a local news paper is another option.
I have a load of old instruments that are junk if you want some. Email me and we can sort out some details.
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Author: ruben
Date: 2021-12-08 00:05
There are also yard sales, Salvation Army shops, etc. (I suppose! I seldom go to the US).
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: Reese Oller
Date: 2021-12-08 00:24
I have disassembled the top joint of my clarinet trying to find and fix a leak before, but nothing too extensive, and if I break it, I'm dead.
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-12-08 18:47
Hi Reese,
Is there any chance that you could do some voluntary work with a local repair tech (if you have one)? It seems as though you are in a catch22 situation because you have no money to start yourself up, and all the things that you want to do require a degree of startup.
If you offered volunteer time in return for training, you might get some movement on this.
The big plus that you have is that you are 15, so you have some time on your side. Also, if you did volunteer instrument replair for three years and then decided to apply to computer college or similar, then that repair work would still look great on your CV.
Good luck and keep asking questions.
Jen
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2021-12-08 23:39
Feel free to give me a call. I'm a full-time professional woodwind repair technician. I have trained several people.
410.747-4957
Steve Ocone
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2021-12-09 20:56
By the way, I wasn't offering to train you. I'll be retiring this spring.
Steve Ocone
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Author: Reese Oller
Date: 2022-09-23 23:12
That was a great idea, Jen! I do have a repair tech near me, however, I have a PACKED schedule for all the ensembles I play in-- I have really branched out into marching band, jazz, orchestra, concert band! Computer college is still in the cards, but I'm already training under a few people for instrument performance.
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Author: LFabian
Date: 2022-09-24 06:29
I bought an instrument that looked and sounded funny. I brought to my regular techs. With their knowledge and expertise on clarinets, just by looking at it, they told me to send it back.they could spot lemons and potential problems. OF course, the bigger the problem, the longer it takes. With the knowledge what they can around quickly means they have a cash flow. During Covid, only one tech was on duty.
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2022-09-24 15:08
Hi Reece,
It's great to hear from you again. I hope things are going well. All that performance work sounds great.
Jen
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2022-09-24 19:39
I started dabbling with woodwind repair when I was 11 as the school's bassoon was in a serious state of disrepair and they weren't fussed about getting it serviced, so I'd buy the pads, sheet cork and whatnot to replace the perished gasket to get it working.
Then I got an alto sax when I was 12 and as I've always liked tinkering with mechanical stuff (old wind-up gramophones, clocks, etc.) I decided to see if I could at least take it all apart and put it back together again as well as working out the order of which keys go on first which was all a matter of trial and error.
Then when I was 14 I went to Texas and bought a B&H 2-20 clarinet from a market stall for $7.75, bought a set of pads, a tube of liquid shellac and some sheet cork at a music shop in Tyler and got it working for the time I was there.
That clarinet then became the basis of learning repair techniques on when I started working part time at a local music shop and was a perfect candidate for developing other techniques such as replacing tenon corks, bushing toneholes, fitting new tenon rings, crack repair, keywork repair, replacing screws, fitting cork pads and other things which are always useful to get the basic grasp of and then adapt, evolve and perfect them over time.
I also worked as an oboe finisher for Howarth for over a decade and as well as finishing new instruments, I'd also service and overhaul older oboes and clarinets for them. I set up on my own and transitioning from one job to another was very smooth as was building up a customer base and also having customers from my previous job come back to me after a hiatus when I started working for Howarth, plus doing finishing work for another oboe maker more recently.
If you have the aptitude for instrument repair, then follow your ambition. It is a viable career path as there are always musicians needing specialist repair work doing. See if you can work with a local woodwind specialist and they'll help you develop your skills. If you earn a good reputation, you won't be short of work when you're in demand.
Sometimes work can be busy and other times it can be quiet depending on the general financial state affecting everyone. Recessions and especially the recent pandemic impacted heavily on repair work as musicians were hit hard when gigs dried up, so people tended to concentrate on saving money wherever possible to survive and unfortunately, instrument servicing and overhauls were put aside as everyone had more pressing issues to deal with such as feeding themselves and their families, so instrument repairers will feel the adverse knock-on effects when they filter down from the top.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Reese Oller
Date: 2022-09-26 04:54
It's ironic-- I just re-entered this thread when I was faced with two actual opportunies to put my knowledge to work. First on friday, my friend got a very old and cheap clarinet (needle spring and hole clogging problems, which i fixed (I HOPE!)), and then I had to fix someone's bass clarinet register key. Dang, those things are finicky! I don't even know how they broke it! I just got all the linkages lined up and used a pencil to push the needle spring back into place.
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2022-09-26 20:04
Hi Reece,
That's absolutely brilliant that you solved those two problems. This is how all the great careers start - in my experience, at least. Once word gets round that you can do this stuff, people will be forming a queue. :-)
Jen
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Author: Reese Oller
Date: 2022-09-26 20:34
Great! Also, I don't wish to be a stickler, but I just wanted to say that my name is spelled with an 's'. It's probably a lot more common with a 'c', but I guess my parents wanted to be different. I get this a lot, though, so it doesn't really bother me! As for the repairing of things, my peers seem to be really good at not breaking stuff! Good for them, but is it good for me??? I'm going to try to contact my local instrument repair dude, see if he can give me some hands-on work. I really enjoy seeing how this stuff works!
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2022-09-26 21:26
Hi Reese,
Sorry about the spelling error. My eyesight has gone wonky and I'm working through a haze. I'm now typo-central.
That's a great idea to contact your local repair shop. I'm sure they will be really glad to have you.
I know it's way too far away, but I wondered if seeing this advert would be encouraging:
https://www.wwr.co.uk/vacancy
The guy who runs the shop has also published this repair manual, which might be of interest, if it available there through inter-library loan.
https://www.wwr.co.uk/book-woodwind-instruments-a-practical-gu.html
Jen
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Author: Reese Oller
Date: 2022-09-26 21:41
Nice! I know what you mean, I currently am having an ocular migraine. I have to double check for ny errors!
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2022-09-26 22:45
And there's also the Welsh spelling Rhys with no vowels.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Reese Oller
Date: 2022-09-26 22:51
Yeah. I'm grateful I have vowels in my name. At least my ancestors in Ireland embraced vowels!
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Author: JTJC
Date: 2022-09-27 01:06
Re the book Jen has given a link to. It may be expensive but it is by Daniel Bangham, one of the UKs foremost woodwind makers, designers and technicians.
The title suggests it might be for those with some experience, so if you were thinking of buying it, it might be worth speaking to someone with access to a copy first. I'm sure the shop, Woodwind & Reed, could help there.
Very curious about it myself.
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2022-09-27 11:39
That's a good thought. If it would be helpful, I could ask them if we could see a few more pages to have an idea of what it is like. I'm sure they would be happy to let us see. I go to the shop a lot, because it is not far away and we have a lot of clarinet and brass instrument stuff going on in our house.
Daniel Bangham also runs this amazing workshop here where people can come to have lessons in building and repairing woodwind instruments. This is the website, in case you would like to see:
https://www.cambridgemakers.org/i-would-like-to/i-would-like-to-repair-and-maintain-my-instrument/clarinet-repair-care/
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Author: MajorFifthMusic
Date: 2022-10-08 21:28
Reese,
(and all others curious!) Highly recommend CIOMIT https://ciomit.com/repair-institute/ they send you an instrument to work on, you can do it from home at your own pace, and if you like it, you can go to Colorado and study with them in person! It's an amazing first step and will help you decide if you'd like to proceed further.
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2022-12-30 18:41
Hi,
I just got a copy of Daniel Bangham's book for Christmas, so I could now tell you a bit more about it if it would be of interest.
It's this one here:
https://www.wwr.co.uk/book-woodwind-instruments-a-practical-gu.html
There are only a few short exerpts on the shop website, but I could always ask if it would be okay to post a few more for people who are thinking of buying it.
It's a much larger book than I expected, with lots of photos and diagrams and many extremely detailed explanations inside. It must have taken years to write.
Having read some bits on how to repad a clarinet, I'm more grateful than ever that I can hand it my instrument over to an expert when the work needs done.
Jennifer
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Author: Pokenerd
Date: 2023-01-09 08:26
There is a repair technician near where I live who wants to retire and is looking for someone to take his place; if anyone happens to read this and lives in Hawaii let me know
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The Clarinet Pages
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