Nj Instrument Repair

Nj Instrument Repair Located in Malcom, Iowa, NJ Instrument repair is providing the highest quality repair services at competitive prices to the Iowa area and beyond.

Up first for padding is the beautiful Buescher 400 tenor. I really like the challenge of padding these tenors. Since the...
05/24/2026

Up first for padding is the beautiful Buescher 400 tenor.

I really like the challenge of padding these tenors. Since they have reusable snap in resonators the process that I use changes a little as I am padding the horn. Tone holes are still leveled, key cups are still flattened, and pads are still dry fit to the point that they could seal on their own. The biggest change some with actually glueing the pads into the cups. Once the pads are dry fit (without a resonator installed) I will pull the pad and install a super thin layer of shellac only around the outside edge right below where the pad seat is. This gives me a slight amount of adjustment without letting the shellac ooze into the area the resonator snaps into. With the glue on the pad I will reinstall it into the cup and level the pad to the tone hole including a pad seat without the resonator. Once I am happy I will install the resonator and check for changes adjusting for them.

This way of installing pads probably results in 50% less shellac and a little more installation time but it is the only way to get a truly stable pad job while retaining the snap in resonators.

Buescher 400 tenors like this have such a pretty sound. I cannot wait to play this one!!

I’ve got quite the project going on! I used to build Tenor Madness Custom tenors like this all the time and it would mak...
05/24/2026

I’ve got quite the project going on! I used to build Tenor Madness Custom tenors like this all the time and it would make Randy super nervous (probably for good reason). So what I am doing is overhauling three horns but instead of doing one and then another and then another I am doing them all at the same time. This makes it so I am able to do similar tasks to all of them all at once and as long as I can keep my hands moving I actually save a lot of time. It is more difficult since I am not as aware of exactly what I need materials wise with these horns but I am sure I will figure it out.

There are three different brands of horn here with three very different concepts of how a horn should be built. What they do have in common though is they were all originally built in the USA! From left to right we have a Conn 10M, a Buescher 400, and a King Super 20.

The Conn is getting pro pads with nickel resonators. The Buescher is getting pro pads and we are reusing its snap in resonators and the King is getting pro pads with domed brass resonators.

All three have already had their first bath, dent work done, tone holes leveled, pads fit and resonators installed. Tomorrow I will dress the tone holes and they will all get one more bath before I start padding them!

The padding process is the only process that I will do totally one at a time. There really isn’t any time savings to be had there.

I know these are going to be super fun horns when they are done. They will all have their own voice which will be a ton of fun to experience. Keep watching for updates and if you haven’t followed the page yet make sure you do!!

This Bari is amazing and still needs a new home. If you know anyone in the market please let them know!!
05/21/2026

This Bari is amazing and still needs a new home. If you know anyone in the market please let them know!!

I still can’t get over how cool it is that I sold this horn to a guy in Australia. It is amazingly easy to ship too. Awn...
05/13/2026

I still can’t get over how cool it is that I sold this horn to a guy in Australia. It is amazingly easy to ship too. Awnser a few questions, pay some money and away it goes! I am really looking forward to hearing what its new owner thinks of it!!

Here is the second post! I am so excited about the next three horns that I am overhauling. On the left we have a low Bb ...
05/13/2026

Here is the second post! I am so excited about the next three horns that I am overhauling. On the left we have a low Bb Mark Vi bari, a Conn 10M, Buescher 400 Top Hat and Cane, and a King Super 20. These three tenors are some of my absolute favorite models of tenors and they are all in super cool serial number ranges. Dent work and a new set of pads are up next then back to their owners so they can enjoy them!!!

Two amazing posts today so check them both out. I just shipped this 56,### Selmer Mark Vi to its new home in AUSTRALIA!!...
05/13/2026

Two amazing posts today so check them both out. I just shipped this 56,### Selmer Mark Vi to its new home in AUSTRALIA!! I gentleman contacted me very interested in the horn and we were able to come up with a deal that works great for both of us. He gets an amazing early Mark Vi and I am able to help out the Iowa Veteran’s Military Band! I will have a very pretty Mark Vi alto and a silver plated Martin Handcraft Soprano for sale very soon— keep watching!!

The King Zephyr sold on consignment with me and the customer agreed to doing a little more work to the horn! The first s...
05/08/2026

The King Zephyr sold on consignment with me and the customer agreed to doing a little more work to the horn! The first step was a bath. It wasn’t filthy but had been played a lot and did a fair amount of sitting. It was ready. I really like this horn, almost to the point of me buying it. I’m excited to see the end result after I am able to work on it for 4-6 hours!

Also how cool is the patina and engraving on this horn?!

Low A Selmer Mark Vi Bari SN-210,### $8000This is one of if not the best playing and sounding bari I have ever played! T...
05/01/2026

Low A Selmer Mark Vi Bari SN-210,### $8000

This is one of if not the best playing and sounding bari I have ever played!

This Selmer Mark Vi Bari SN 210,### is an absolutely amazing horn. I have never played a bari that responds as quickly and rips quite like this horn does. It’s a monster. For the most part it has newer pads throughout the horn a couple of cheaper pads have been installed here and there but overall the padding is in very nice shape. I spent some time doing very minor adjustments to it and this horn is more than gig ready.

This horn is not a re lacquer. At some point someone had this horn chemically stripped and polished with steel wool. Once they got the finish to be consistent they sprayed it with a very light layer of lacquer. If a horns original finish is going to be removed this is the best way to do it. No metal is removed from the horn since there is no buffing process!

At some point the neck was replaced with a series II neck. I measured this neck compared to a mark vi neck that is 5000 serials later and cannot find a significant difference in dimensions. I also put that 215,### neck on this horn and there is only a very minor difference between the two.

This horn will be an absolute beast for someone. Honestly I would love to have this horn for myself but I cannot justify owning a bari with as much as I perform on one.

This horn is currently on consignment with me from the Iowa Veterans Military Band. All proceeds from its sale will go to funding their program!

Selmer Mark Vi Tenor 56,### — SOLD!Up for sale is a fun example of a 56,### Mark Vi tenor. This horn has been re lacquer...
05/01/2026

Selmer Mark Vi Tenor 56,### — SOLD!

Up for sale is a fun example of a 56,### Mark Vi tenor. This horn has been re lacquered but if you play it you won’t care! It has a huge sound and would be an amazing lead tenor horn. Its sound just keeps getting more color the harder you push it. I recently went through the padding on this horn so it is ready to go gig with! This horn is currently here on consignment from the Iowa Veterans Military Band. All profits from this horn will go to funding their program!!

Message me to set up a time to come try it out for yourself!!

I got to do two VERY fun projects in the last few days. I love doing modifications to horns especially when it facilitat...
04/30/2026

I got to do two VERY fun projects in the last few days. I love doing modifications to horns especially when it facilitates comfort and playability.

The first is a TM tenor with flute touch pieces for pearls. When I worked at Tenor Madness we did modifications like this all the time. My friend Josh did most of the keys on his tenor while we worked there but never got to doing his bis key (the smallest touch piece). He contacted me about doing a playing condition and installing his missing bis so it would match. It was a little tricky to get it to fit and feel right but I was able to do that and get it to match appearance wise. I am super happy with how it turned out!

The second is a modification I just did on a Yamaha 62 alto. The owner has large hands and really wanted a custom fit to his hands making it easier for him to play. We sat down for about three hours to fit, sand, and paint the cork (clear fingernail polish). They do a great job of facilitating what he needs and are totally removable if he decides to get another horn. Also if he wants them to not have that natural look a little colored polish would get them there without problem!

Both super fun projects with amazing results!

I am on a roll!! I just finished up the Yamaha 62 alto! It’s a little late so I’m not going to play it tonight. Fill out...
04/29/2026

I am on a roll!! I just finished up the Yamaha 62 alto! It’s a little late so I’m not going to play it tonight. Fill out that poll I posted earlier if you’d like to see a particular instrument next. I will get started on it on Friday!

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Malcom, IA
50157

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+16412001639

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