I just love baritones. This one was certainly no exception. What a privilege it was to help preserve something with this historical value.
The top bow was a mess, which was compounded by the fact that Adolphe Sax horns are made from such thin gauge brass. Reforming the shapes is very tricky business. The bell flare left a bit to be desired but the final product was as true as the day it left Sax’s shop in Paris. The bell also carried incredible engraving. The challenge was to regain the beautiful curves of the form without losing the sharpness of the typography.
The poor body tube took its fair share of knocks as well. The brace was deformed and the overall oxidation had to be eliminated without compromising the super light metal. The F# tone hole had seen better days. I literally had to remove it from the body tube. After cleaning up all the decayed old lead solder and straightening the body tube, I could put it back where it belonged.
The end result is a thing of beauty and a joy to play. After all, what could feel better than a baritone that weighs less than a tenor.
See more Adolphe Sax restorations.
