Instrument Maintenance and Repair

Owned by David Mills
Last updated: May 30, 2022

  1. Instrument Repair

    1. Annual cleaning and repair “party” at home

    2. In-house repair

    3. Professional repair 

a.  Brass Cleaning Day:  Each May for the last 20 years all university owned brass instruments are cleaned and reconditioned in a massive process through the efforts of 30+/- volunteers, the directors and staff. 32 trombones 25 baritones, 32 mellophones, 22 Sousaphones are disassembled, bathed, slides and valves removed and lubricated, reassembled, and shined. An on-site repairman performs whatever small repairs and instruments with other repair needs are marked and set aside for transport to the repair shop. Cases are cleaned and vacuumed. Trucks are thoroughly cleaned out. Instruments are re-loaded and returned to storage ready to be issued in the Fall. The event has been held at the directors house utilizing garage, driveway, and backyard, water and hoses, vacuums, and supportive equipment and tools. The day is physically demanding and requires diligent efficient work from many volunteers with organizational management by directors. Food is provided throughout the day to keep workers happy, well-fed, and enthusiastic. (Estimated savings is somewhere around $25000 in annual repair/maintenance costs and many more thousands in prolonging the life of the instruments) 


Dick Hansen is our brass repairman

Brass Cleaning Guide

Brass Cleaning Movie (long)

UCMB Brass Cleaning Movie (short)




b. In-house Repair

Only the simplest repairs can be made in-house. The UCMB does not have a qualified repairman on staff or locally so most repairs must be shipped to bona-fide instrument repairmen. However, the UCMB does have repair kits the can aid directors or experienced students in making some simple repairs. 

Brass Instruments:  Stuck mouthpieces, slightly dented mouthpiece shank, some stuck slides. can be addressed. Lubricants are available. 

Woodwind Instruments: simple pad replacement, re-hook spring, some cork replacements, 

c. Professional Repair: 

Students who play Trumpet, Flute, Clarinet or Saxophone play their own instrument in the UCMB and are responsible for the maintenance and repair of their own instrument. 

Our university woodwind instrument are sent to: Gerry's Music

We take our Brass University Instruments to Dick Hansen.