Tools for Musical Instrument Repair
Music is a beautiful thing. Beauty however, does not always mean simple. Maintaining and repairing an instrument can be a complicated affair. One way to ensure that you attack instrument repair from a position of power is to have the right tools on hand. You can simply purchase a kit for some instruments. While others you might be able to repair with what you already have laying around the house.
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Guitars
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Keeping a guitar in good working order can be a complicated feat. Guitars are affected by everything that surrounds them, including the temperature. If you're the type of guitar player that travels a lot it might be good to just get yourself a gig kit. String cutters are an important tool in any guitar repairman's arsenal. String cutters are used whenever you have to restring your guitar so you can cut the excess. Allen wrenches and Phillips head screwdrivers are also helpful when changing strings.
Piano
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Piano's are one of the instruments that are definitely going to need some sort of repair kit at all times. Anytime you move a piano and anytime the temperature changes you're going to have to retune a piano. In addition to a tuning fork and a tuning hammer, you'll need some mutes. Mutes, loyal to their name, are used to silence other notes while you're tuning particular notes. If you're having to repair or replace the piano's hammer, you're going to need a clamp and a temperament strip.
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Drums
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Drums can be a tricky and delicate beast. Transporting a drum is especially dangerous for the drumhead. This is where you'll need some mylar patches. Mylar patches are good for repairing busted or split heads. You're also going to need some Allen wrenches to keep the head on tight.
Brass and Woodwinds
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Where there are brass and woodwind instruments, there will be a plethora of repair instruments. The most often used pieces are replacement pads and water keys. It's not uncommon to find repair kits that have 250 pieces. Pads will frequently need replacing in woodwind instruments. You can get pads with or without resonators. Pads with resonators are used for saxophones or bigger brass instruments and pads without resonators are used on smaller brass and woodwind instruments.
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References
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