Conn C Melody

Customer requested I get this back into playing condition. Almost all of the pads were touching at the back of the tone hole first leaving large leaks at the front of the tone holes. The last padding job was probably done 15 years ago, and the pads are in okay condition for the most part. He didn’t want an overhaul at this point so I began heating pad cups and trying to pull the pads around, but it wasn’t simple hot glue or shellac holding things in place, it was dabs of pad cement just holding the pads in place. I assume this worked at the time, but something about the pads have changed – perhaps they have swelled a little bit, so this job required I remove all of the pads, remove the old adhesive and reinstall them with an even coating of shellac so they will seat well. Customer still decided not to repad to save money, and that’s fine considering these pads still have some life left – though probably not a lot.