🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <3rkahu$aga@unix1.cc.uop.edu>,  <dfletcher@vms1.cc.uop.edu> wrote:
>I have always had good luck with Dick Ackright at Best Instrument Repair
>on 14th St in Downtown Oakland.  He restored a 1900 Couesnon cornet
>to playable condition for me ( the bell was completely inverted).  If
>you send me another e-mail after a bit, I'll try in the interim to
>locate his new phone number.  You could also try Bronstein's on
>Grand Ave. in SSF
>
>Dave Fletcher
>dfletcher@vms1.uop.edu

I have had mixed results with Best.  They did a superb job restoring an
1860's saxhorn for me, and their dentwork has typically been relatively
inexpensive and of good quality.  I haven't always been please with their
piston valve work, however.  BTW, I have had them work on about eight different
instruments over the years, three of which were complete overhauls (two
baritones and a tuba) that took instruments with lots of problems and restored 
them to good playability.   Two of those were rotary valve instruments,
but Dick did not recommend valve jobs (although they only had about a fourth
of the compression that my never-overhauled and always babied Alexander
baritone has).  

Best also has a relatively new brass repairman, who I have never tested.  
About a year ago, the brass repairman quit, and it took Dick a few months 
to find a replacement.  A friend had a horn that was in the shop six months 
without repairs getting started, so he finally picked it up and took it to 
the Horn Shop (in Fresno).  For piston valve work, I really like The Horn Shop.  
They send the valves to a place in Elkhart to get them plated and turned, and 
they do a superb job.  I have had them do one overhaul, and was not as pleased 
with the dentwork as I was with Best, but the valves are like new, and the 
playability is excellent.

I'd also like to know of a decent repair shop for overhauling rotary valves in the 
bay area.

Dave Erickson

In article <3rl3gi$ls5@eis.rational.com>, David Erickson 
(davide@rational.com) wrote...
>

>About a year ago, the brass repairman quit, and it took Dick [Ackright 
>at Best Music in Oakland] a few months to find a replacement.  A friend 
>had a horn that was in the shop >six months without repairs getting 
>started, so he finally picked it up >and took it to the Horn Shop (in 
>Fresno).

I was under the impression that Dick did a least some of the brass work 
himself, no?  When I've had stuff done (no complaints, by the way), he's 
always talked as if he's done it personally.

There's also Woodwinds and Brass in San Francisco.
-- 
Bryan Higgins, Berkeley California
(bryan@well.com, bryan@netcom.com)