Repairs & Services
We offer a great Student Rental Program. Learn more.
Woodwind Services
Playing conditions
Oil, adjust, & regulate mechanisms. Straighten bent keys, check alignment, remove air leaks utilizing a Magnehelic Leak Tester, replace individual pads/corks/felts as needed. "General tune up" - This procedure is recommended as an annual service.
Complete Repad & Mechanical Overhaul
- Saxophone Disassemble instrument; remove all pads, key corks/felts, & neck cork; Ultrasonically clean instrument, keys, & neck in a safe biodegradable solution; straighten & swedge keys; check pad cups for flatness; fit pivot screws/posts; perfect toneholes; fit neck & receiver; straighten body (if necessary) and remove any minor dents; reassemble with new synthetic key corks/felts, premium pads, and your choice of resonators; play test and adjust for intonation & response. *We highly recommend RooPads, which can be installed for an additional charge*
- Clarinet Disassemble instrument; remove all pads, key corks/felts, & tenon corks; polish keywork; Ultrasonically clean keywork and body; bore oil wood instruments; straighten & swedge keys; fit pivot screws/posts; install teflon inserts on specific keys; reassemble with new synthetic key corks/felts, tenon corks, & synthetic Valentino & Valentino Masters, or Omni pads; play test and adjust for intonation & response. *Add cork pads to top joint for an additional charge*
- Flute & Piccolo Disassemble instrument; remove all pads, key corks/felts, & crown cork; Ultrasonically clean instrument & keys; polish body, head, & keywork; straighten & swedge keys; fit pivot screws/posts; perfect toneholes; straighten body (if necessary) & remove any minor dents; reassemble with new synthetic key corks/felts, premium pads, & fit/seal new crown cork; play test and adjust for intonation & response. *Valentino Masters synthetic pads are used on Piccolos*
Vintage woodwind reconditioning
We can recondition your vintage woodwind instruments and bring them back to life!
Synthetic Neck Corks
We can replace your traditional natural neck cork with a synthetic material. The general reason we use this material is because it is forgiving enough to allow for use of different mouthpieces that have different shank sizes.
Custom work
Let us know what you have in mind and we'll go from there.
Saxophone Modifications
Custom Key Guards
We can fabricate custom key guards for horns that are missing the original.
Palm Key Risers
Using a dental molding material, palm keys are enhanced to fit your specific hand placement.
High Note Compensator Mechanism
This mechanism brings extremely sharp palm key and high C# notes back in tune.
Enlarge Bb-bis Key
On some vintage saxophones the Bb-bis key is too far away from the B key, making it difficult to use. To correct this, we attach an extended pearl cup to the existing pearl cup to bring it closer. This gives the player more ease of use w/ the Bb-bis key.
Custom Front F (Rocker) Key
We create a custom fitted front F rocker key for the vintage horns without them.
G# lever Articulation
Allows the G# key to open when low C#, B, or Bb are played. (For some vintage horns)
Larger G# Key Lever Touch
Creates a larger G# key touch area to increase playability and comfortability.
Wide Variety of Resonators
Including Aluminum & Solid Brass Noyek 'Hollywood Boosters', Hollywood Maestro, Plastic Dome, Metal Dome, Goldplated Plastic Dome, Special Order Sterling Silver or Brass Flat.
Brasswind Services
Ultrasonic Cleaning
Carl's Pro Band is equipped with a 90 gallon Ultrasonic Cleaner (which is large enough to clean full size tubas/sousaphones). Ultrasonic cleaning is an innovative method of cleaning musical instruments through the use of high frequency sound waves and a biodegradable, environmentally friendly cleaning solution. Transducers mounted in the tank create tiny bubbles which clean and scrub the entire instrument in a safer, more thorough manner than traditional mechanical or chemical cleaning methods. Carl's Pro Band was one of the FIRST shops in Central IL to offer this superior service to their customers!
Ultrasonic Flush & Clean
Includes the following:
- Disassemble horn
- Remove all corks, felts, water-key pads, rotor bumpers, etc…
- Clean instrument in Ultrasonic cleaner, using ultra-safe biodegradable cleaner
- We then use air powered nylon brushes to clean the interior of the instrument and slide tubes
- Pistons, rotors, and slide tubes are polished
- Silver instruments are hand polished as part of our cleaning process
- Precision valve/rotor port alignment verified with video borescope
- Reassemble horn with new corks, felts, synthetic water-key pads, orange silicone rotor bumpers, etc…
Synthetic Valve Alignment
Valve ports are measured and the valves are fit with synthetic washers for the ultimate alignment, response, and quietness. We then verify the alignment with a video borescope to ensure precise alignment.
Silicone Rubber Rotor Bumpers
We fit the bumper plate with orange silicone rubber bumpers, then check the alignment with a borescope, and precisely trim to the correct size. These are different than the translucent white silicone bumpers. They are a bit more firm but still create a quieter and more responsive rotor action than traditional cork or neoprene.
Slide & Valve Repair
We can repair damaged or dented slide tubes and repair troublesome pistons/casings.
Magnetic & traditional dent removal
We use the Magnetic Dent Removal System (MDRS) to remove dents from areas that our traditional tools will not reach without unsoldering joints. It is a great addition to our collection of tools, and especially effective on large brass and saxophone bows.
Dent Removal
We can remove small dings and large dents.
Polishing Raw Brass
We can hand polish (without buffing) raw brass or raw nickel instruments. Any instrument that is not lacquered will eventually become tarnished. This is an unlacquered french horn that sat for about 15 years. After Ultrasonic cleaning and hand polishing, it came right back to life.
Custom Modifications
Civil War era instrument repair
Check out the Civil War era tuba we rebuilt!
Mouthpipe Installation
We install your leadpipe without stressing the braces. We also fit the main tuning slide to ensure there are no gaps between the leadpipe and the inside slide tube. *We recommend Blackburn Leadpipes & Tuning Slides.
Tuba Mouthpipe
This pipe is a replacement for the old one which was full of red rot. We had to bend this straight pipe to match the multiple bends in the existing mouthpipe.
3rd Slide Triggers
We can add a 1st or 3rd slide trigger or saddle/ring to your trumpet or flugelhorn. We added this 3rd slide trigger to a Getzen flugelhorn to facilitate tuning.
Mounting Valve Sections to Bells
We mounted this Greenhoe valve section to a new Conn 88HY bell. We also installed the outside slide tube & ferrule to the bell.
Screw Bell Conversion
We converted this Holton Merker Matic French Horn to a screw bell.
Tuba Lever Conversion
We converted this Alexander tuba from a pin style lever linkage to a ball joint set up. We fabricated new lever arms and retrofitted the stop arms/levers to accept the new miniball sockets. This tends to reduce rotor noise and is more adjustable than the pin style lever linkage.
Thinning out finger buttons
Pearl on finger button is removed and the remaining metal is machined down to a flat, smooth surface.
French Horn Hand Rest
We fit and mount these Alexander hand rests to your specifications. These hand rests relieve some of the stress on the hand due to holding the French horn.
Custom Trombone Rotor Trigger
We fabricated this custom #2 rotor trigger for an old Yamaha Bass Trombone.