Vibraphone Repair

The vibraphone is a complicated instrument with many different parts. So it is no surprise that vibraphones need to be constantly maintained and looked after. Here are some tips on how you can repair vibraphones without calling in the expensive professionals.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tuning fork, piano or tuning device
• Vibraphone replacement pieces

1. Address the nature of the problem. Vibraphones, along with other percussion instruments, can be categorized as having the following types of repairs: tuning, refinishing, specific repair and replacement bars.

2. For tuning, you will need the pitching forks, a piano or something that will create the pitch you need to match with the vibraphone.

3. Refinishing requires a specific anodized or lacquered refinishes. Do not use lacquers for xylophones and marimbas, as this can create problems with your viraphone base, such as rusting, peeling, etc. Also avoid lacquers for bells that are nickel- or chrome-plated, for similar reasons.

4. Basic repairs for a vibraphone may include sanding, re-gluing and lacquering of cracked and splintered bars. For replacing bars, it is highly recommended to use high-resonance aluminum alloy. Other options include Honduras Rosewood, Padouk or high resonance steel.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not make repairs you feel you are not capable of doing.