Sax technician recommendation in Vancouver?

[deal addict]

Hi,
I ask this question in another SOTW forum and someone refer me to Johnny Ferreira who is a saxophonist based in Vancouver, Canada, this is how I find out this forum.

Is there anyone from Vancouver and can recommend a sax technician? I found 3 shops (Massullo Music, Matterhorn Music and Prussin Music). Anyone has experience with them? Or is there any other that you can recommend?

Here is the story. I bought a saxophone on eBay, and it is a closet horn which seems to be sitting there without being played for a long time. It can be played up and down, but I thought it may need some adjustment, so I bring it to a shop. I am told that because of it being sit there for a long time, it needs to oiled, and the saxophone is also not set up, so, the key height needs to be adjusted, and some of the pads are dry (although it looks ok to me) and needs to be replaced. And I am a bit shocked when I hear the quote for $400. I think it is a bit too expensive as those things sounds like very easy and routine for a technician, almost like a oil change for a car. This is one reason I want to get a second opinion from another technician. And if it is really that expensive, can I do something myself? Like to re-oil, it seems I just need to take the key out and add some oil, and I only need to oil those that are a tight, sounds like it is something I can do it myself. What oil should I use? I think what I can’t do is to fix a leak and adjust key height.

Thanks in advanced.

[john]

Hi, I can recommend Massullo Music because they have been doing all my saxophone work for many years. They are actually located in Burnaby. Take your horn to Sandro and he’ll let you know how much work or what little work it needs. You can buy oil and do that part yourself but that’s not the time consuming part, setting it up can take some time depending on what condition it”s in. Also replacing old dry pads may be needed but that is not too expensive, unless they all need replacing!

good luck
Johnny

[deal addict]

Thanks for the reply. Besides Massullo, is there any other you can recommend? I have no doubt that they are good, but they charged a bit too much for me.

[john]

Well, they are good and they charge fair. You have to pay money for professional work. What’s the point of paying someone less but not having the job done properly? You may have to pay someone again later on.
I know others but they won’t be any cheaper and I wouldn’t recommend someone who’s not a pro… I’ve used Sandro for the last 15 years or so.
Anyway, if you’re tight with money now, consider getting the most important part of the job done right now.
Is the action on the sax that bad? Maybe get the worst pads replaced.

[Author]

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