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It’s amazing to see the type of damage that arrives at the shop here. Have a look at the pictures of the trumpet below. I’m sure I couldn’t have done such a good job of it if I tried, but the kids seem to know how!         An instrument that is creased as much as this will normally have scars when the folds are removed. Particularly sharp bends in the metal will remain much more clearly than the more rounded bends… and that is if the metal remains intact when it is straightened. There is always the danger it will snap. Check out the creases in the photos below.          The process of straightening out the creases in this case need some careful unfolding and tapping. And finally some rolling out will help to realign the entire surface and smooth things over a little.        Some marks are still visible from the unfolding process, but Noel has created a fantastic end result.     Reworking the metals on instruments for a smooth result is a specialty of Noel’s. If you have any dents or unintended bends in your instrument that you would like to have removed, chat with Noel about what can be done and what the result will be for your instrument.

When people don’t like the sound of Otto Link Mouthpieces. Refacing works wonders!!! The sound and response of a mouthpiece depends on many factors. Some of those factors are under your control. Those factors could be the condition of the reed you use and the muscular control you employ to create the sound you’re looking for. The other factors you have no choice about lie within the mouthpiece. Have a look at the picture below. From the light shining on the table of the mouthpiece you can see that the surface area is incredibly warped. It may not look like much, and if you wet your reed well, it will definitely play, but you won’t be happy with the sound and response of the piece. There is no way that a properly faced mouthpiece could become as warped as this unless there was a problem at the time of manufacture. A mouthpiece that has been badly faced, on a piece of rubber that is stable will produce a table that is somewhat convex. The way the mouthpiece pictured has warped suggests that the rubber was not stabilized properly before the final touches in facing were completed. If you really want to experience the sound of a mouthpiece at its best, the facing has to be completely flat. Notice how the facing of the mouthpiece changes as the table is transformed.         A really fine grade finishes the table. Wow! It looks amazing. Some extra work toward the tip will further improve the mouthpiece and give it the facing and tip opening measurements that the player is looking for. Some of the most popular mouthpieces come from specialist makers who take care to finish their mouthpieces in this way. A finely finished mouthpiece will give a finer sound with much greater response… and it will be much more forgiving of faulty reeds, doubling the number of usable reeds you have. Take a look at your current mouthpiece. Is it giving you its best? Has it warped aver time as it has aged? Come into the shop and have a chat with Noel about whether your mouthpiece could be providing more for your sound!