MUSAICS REPAIRS SERVICE

Repairs to most classroom and concert tuned and non tuned percussion.
This includes retuning and repacement of bars for xylophones, marimbas, metallophones, vibraphones and glockenspiels. Replacement of rubber components on these instruments (often with higher quality material than the original). Repairs, adjustments and fitting of tuning mechanisms to timpani. Replacing skins or heads on hand drums and banjo style instruments.

I am able to carry out many repairs on site, and can pickup and deliver repairs that need more attention in my workshop.
I am also happy to assist anyone wishing to carry out their own repairs. I have a fairly comprehensive do-it-yourself booklet available by email on request.

I also provide a range of spare parts for various instruments, as shown below. This includes various rubber components for various instruments and specific replacement parts.

The following instruments are examples of repairs and restorations carried by Musaics.



This Saito vibraphone was purchased as a frame only, as the bars were missing. The complete set of bars have been handmade here at Musaics using the highest quality alloy material available for this purpose, and anodised to resemble the colour of the original bars.




This Korogi bass xylophone represents a common repair. This instrument was unplayable due to perished rubbers and broken pins, but was otherwise in sound condition. It is now, despite some character building evidense of extensive use, as good as new.




This Windsor Banjo Mandolin was restored. Repairs included replacing the velum head. Older instruments like this one often do not have a rim size that conforms to standard heads available today, so, like the one shown, a raw skin needs to be fitted to the instrument.

A word of warning. There are a number of these sort of instruments around that are being bought by people who want to have them restored so they can be played again. Instruments that are stored away in slightly damp attics or garages often resurface with a number of issues. To replace the velum on a non standard instrument will cost a bit, and banjo mandolins have 8 strings, so that's a bit of tension on an old neck. I have strung up old banjo mandys after some refurbishment only to see the neck slowly bend to the point where its very difficult to play. If you are wanting an instrument to play, you may be well advised to just buy a new cheapy rather than that nice nice old looking instrument with all that old time charm on eBay.




These rubber pegs are used on various Premier Vibraphones. The one pictured with black tape around it resembles the state of many of these pegs on vibraphones around Australia. The new one shown simply slips on the metal fitting. I have currently run out of stock of these, and am hoping for more very soon.




This socket is used on Premier Vibraphones to attach the upright arm from the damper pedal to the damper bar. It is a plastic socket that is part of the ball joint. If your vibraphone has this type of device attached to the damper bar, and it has gone the way of many of these older plastic parts, then it is a simple job to replace them. Each joint has two plastic cup sections and one plasic ball that screws on the metal damper bar link rod. These parts are pictured in the accessories page of this site. Cost is $5.00 for each part of this joint, making it $15.00 for each joint. There are 2 joints used on each Vibraphone. Please note I have run out of stock of the cups, but do have some of the balls left.




The photo on the left shows an old and perished peg rubber on a Saito Xylophone. The photo on the right shows a new rubber replacement. I now have genuine Saito replacement parts for all those ailing xylophones and vibraphones out there. As long as the bars and frame on these instruments are still OK, replacing these sort of rubber components restores the instrument to playing as new.






This project represents my first attempt at replacing an old defunct vibraphone motor with a new commonly available 12 volt motor. The 2 photos show the speed controll, and the motor, pulley and pulley belt. My aim here is to use parts easily and cheaply avalable, so repairs and replacement is no problem, as well as having the option to use 240 volt power, by way of the plug pack, or using a battery (it runs fine on 6 volt) and not being restricted to the proximity of an electrical supply. This unit was installed on a Premier vibe. Future 12 volt instalations will hopefully incorporate significant improvements, depending on how I go sourcing some items.