instrument repair policy

It's crucial to the individual development of a student and to the success of our ensembles that students always have an instrument in proper working order. Musical instruments are intricate and delicate machines. Good care and regular maintenance will ensure that instruments last for years. Here are some common-sense steps every student should take to prevent instrument damage and keep it in top playing condition.

1. Students should always maintain their instruments by applying grease, oil, etc. as directed for their type of instrument. All slides on brass instruments should be able to move freely. Corks on woodwinds should be greased regularly to prevent damage to the cork when assembling the instrument.

2. Woodwind players should always have several playable reeds in rotation. Reeds are expendable items and have a relatively short life. Anytime a reed is cracked, chipped, or other wise damaged it should be discarded and replaced immediately.

3. Instruments should always be returned to their cases when not in use, and nothing other than the "bare essentials" should live inside the case. Books and other materials can place unwanted pressure ion an instrument and will bend keys causing playing issues.

4. Cases should never be used as seats, footrests, etc

5. As soon as a student notices a problem with their instrument they should immediately report it to the director.

Even the best kept instruments will likely need to visit the shop occasionally for a tune-up, pad replacement, bent key, or other repair that a director cannot carry out. We work with Music & Arts to carry out all repairs on school-owned instruments, and have an agreement in place where we can send in student-owned instruments for evaluation as well. In order to keep all students playing as much as possible on an instrument that is functioning properly we have developed the following policy in regards to instrument repairs:

1. If a student reports a problem with their instrument a director will try to identify the problem and, if possible, make a minor repair.

2. Since we are not repair technicians by trade we often have to have the instrument evaluated by a professional. That i s where our partnership with Music & Arts comes in.

3. If an instrument cannot be fixed by a director then it is sent to Music & Arts for a no-cost / no-obligation evaluation. Based on this an estimate is generated and e-mailed to to the parent. Upon review of the estimate the parent can either:

A) Contact the shop to authorize the repair by providing credit card information, or

B) Ask for the instrument to be returned un-repaired with no expense to them.

4. We have adopted this policy as we believe it is the best course of action to determine the source of the problem and how much it might cost to repair. A parent will always have the right to decline the repair and seek an alternate source of repair, or second opinion.

5. While their instrument is out for repair the student will be issued either a school-owned or Music & Arts owned loaner instrument.

Please be sure to communicate regularly with your student about any potential problems with their instrument. If you prefer we not send the instrument out for evaluation then please let us know, however we do request that the instrument be evaluated and repaired in a timely manner elsewhere so that the student can continue to play, learn and contribute.