Aaron Barnard

I just love fixing things. Taking them apart and putting them back together the way they were always intended to be.
 

I’ve restored original Adolphe Sax saxophones, Selmers of all vintages, Conns, Graftons, Kings and Martins. You name it, no doubt I’ve worked on it. Including special projects like grafting the entire keywork of a modern Selmer onto a vintage Conn Chu. Saving a Mark VI that was literally flattened by a car and adding an alternate F to a Mulligan Conn baritone. See the results for yourself in my projects section. I’d love to help you with your instrument. From a simple tune-up to the most complicated restoration ever.

It all started when I was a kid. My brother and I dismantled my mom’s vacuum cleaner in the basement. Neither she nor my dad were pleased, but it’s when my fixation began. I got the chance to merge it with my other passion ­– playing the saxophone – when my buddies crammed the bell full of fast food wrappers. The garbage was jammed so far down into the bell and into the bow that I had to disassemble all the lower keys to get it out. Imagine the shock of the band director to see me with the high school bari spread all over the floor 20 minutes before the concert. To his surprise, it was back together in time and everything came off without a glitch. He suggested I might want to consider “doing something” with this ability.

I enrolled in the Red Wing Technical College where I learned a great deal about musical instruments. Then a long tenure with Randy Jones of Tenor Madness took it to another level. As the “King of Obsessive Compulsive,” no one was more kindred spirit than he was. The nuance of every little detail and its corresponding effect on performance and sound was the main focus.

It’s been years of saxophone restoration for me, with over a decade of it on my own. I continue to work as an independent contractor with some of the best-known in the industry. I’d love to discuss your project with you. Rest assured that your baby will be treated with respect and I will treat it like my own.

Nolan Schroeder

He gets the nuance of how every adjustment has an impact, not only on the quality of the sound but also in the ease of playing the instrument.
 

Nolan is an extraordinary saxophone technician. He’s learned from two of the best in the industry, Aaron Barnard, and before that with Randy Jones at Tenor Madness. He’s used to working on some of the world’s finest vintage saxophones owned by professional players and serious collectors. He gets the nuance of how every adjustment has an impact, not only on the quality of the sound but also in the ease of playing the instrument. Not to mention the importance of preserving pristine cosmetics.

Nolan is a strong player and brings a pragmatic perspective to his final adjustments. If he isn’t in the shop working his magic, Nolan’s off gigging somewhere or in some remote spot fishing.