Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: IOWA: Bell Damage Repair - Lee Stofer

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    El Paso, Texas
    Posts
    383

    IOWA: Bell Damage Repair - Lee Stofer

    Hi all,

    As I was traveling to ITEC this past weekend I took all the advice I possibly could and traveled Southwest Airlines because they use the larger Boeing737 planes and had would theoreticaly fit my marus bonna case inside the overhead. Well turns out it would NOT fit and the first flight I had took care of me and stowed it inside the cabin, but the second flight did not and speedily checked my horn underneath the plane. You can guess what happens next. Yep, bell damage. I am currently filing a claim with Southwest, but as many things it takes time. They are trying to not take liability for my damage even though the evidence clearly shows they dropped my case and crunched my bell. Meil Adams and Dave Werden, agreed with me on this when I talked to them earlier this week.

    Mr. Werden recommended I talk to Lee Stofer because he has done great repair for people before and he was at the conference as well. I talked to Lee briefly and he did as much work as he could with the tools he had at the conference, but he did a fantastic job and removed 98% of the total damage. The only thing he left was some creasing since he did not have all of his tools and was afraid he would damage the lacquer of he put anymore pressure on the finish.

    Thanks to Lee Stofer my bell looks like a bell again!
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	2014-05-19 10.15.20.jpg 
Views:	52 
Size:	2.33 MB 
ID:	2199
    Last edited by davewerden; 08-01-2019 at 09:58 AM.
    Adams E1 SS, Gold Brass Body .6mm DE Euph N103 Jcup, J9 shank
    Meinl Weston 2141 Eb Tuba PT 84

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    West Palm Beach, FL
    Posts
    3,853
    So sorry to read this. Yes, Lee Stofer does great work. He did some minor repair for me at ITEC in Greensboro, NC (2002) on my Yamaha 641.

    Good luck on the claim with Southwest. Hope it works out.
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
    YEP-641S (recently sold)
    Doug Elliott - 102 rim; I-cup; I-9 shank


    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
    Symphonic Band of the Palm Beaches
    El Cumbanchero (Raphael Hernandez, arr. Naohiro Iwai)
    Chorale and Shaker Dance
    (John Zdechlik)

  3. #3
    I didn't get a chance to see the repair job (although I saw the original damage), but I'm glad he did a good job for you.

    This may be off the deep end, but...
    I once had a hard-sided Samsonite suitcase cracked by the airlines, and they paid for a new case. IF they still do stuff like that, then it might be worth emailing MB Cases to see if they have any advice about checking for damage. I know you were already considering it. Since our conversation another thought came to mind. When you take a fall on a bike and your head is saved by the helmet you wore, helmet makers say you need to replace the helmet. Once it has taken a hard hit it may be more vulnerable to failure when it tries to protect you next time. I'm not sure if cases work the same way, but the more I thought about it the more I figured that if it were MY case I would want to make sure it is not damaged.
    FWIW.
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  4. #4
    BTW, the other repair Lee did on an Adams sterling bell was from a student of mine who got distracted after rehearsal one day. He did not realize he hadn't zipped the case, and then he tried to swing it up onto his back. The case may have stopped on his back, but the horn just kept right on going until it found the floor. From what I understand, he was not too happy about that incident!

    (Anyone else cringing from that story?)
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  5. Quote Originally Posted by davewerden View Post

    (Anyone else cringing from that story?)
    OUCH! Amazing how preoccupation can change your whole day. It also somehow makes it worse when there is no one to blame but yourself. I think I'll double check my case and gig bag from now on!
    Bob Tampa FL USA
    Euph -- 1984 B&H Round Stamp Sovereign 967 / 1978 Besson NS 767 / Early 90s Sterling MP: 4AL and GW Carbonaria
    Tuba -- 2014 Wisemann 900 CC / 2013 Mack 410 MP: Blokepiece Symphony American Shank and 33.2 #2 Rim

  6. #6
    On a related note, check out this video. I believe what the air crew did was against FAA guidelines, but it really doesn't matter in real time - you can still get stuck.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGr1AwyOkb8
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
    Twitter: davewerden
    Instagram: davewerdeneuphonium

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    El Paso, Texas
    Posts
    383
    That is what they told me as well, after the fact of course... but they said they only did it because they knew no one from the FAA was on board to check.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	2014-05-23 09.51.36.jpg 
Views:	19 
Size:	1.65 MB 
ID:	2202 Here is a quick photo of the repair Lee was able to do at the show. There is still a decent amount of creasing, but it does look like a bell again.
    In response to you mention about the case Mr. Werden, I have continued to think about that as well. I think I will take your advice and contact Marcus Bonna to see what their opinion is. Like I mentioned to you at ITEC I would be afraid to take the cover off myself for fear of not being able to get it back on without tools of some sort.
    Last edited by Jrpetty24; 05-28-2014 at 02:02 PM.
    Adams E1 SS, Gold Brass Body .6mm DE Euph N103 Jcup, J9 shank
    Meinl Weston 2141 Eb Tuba PT 84

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by davewerden View Post
    On a related note, check out this video. I believe what the air crew did was against FAA guidelines, but it really doesn't matter in real time - you can still get stuck.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGr1AwyOkb8
    Guidelines are only followed, when they're enforced. There should be a way to collect for the damage and repairs.

  9. Yep, This story in the news today seems to have struck a chord (pardon the pun) with the airline as they subsequently issued a mea culpa to the musician. It would be interesting to look up the reg.

    They had studied FAA regulations and found a 2012 adjustment in the rules, the FAA Modernization and Reform Act. It allowed them to carry their instruments on board, they said.


    http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/28/us/vio...e-viral-video/
    Last edited by tampaworth; 05-28-2014 at 06:28 PM.
    Bob Tampa FL USA
    Euph -- 1984 B&H Round Stamp Sovereign 967 / 1978 Besson NS 767 / Early 90s Sterling MP: 4AL and GW Carbonaria
    Tuba -- 2014 Wisemann 900 CC / 2013 Mack 410 MP: Blokepiece Symphony American Shank and 33.2 #2 Rim

  10. Found the reg on line for anyone interested!


    ‘‘? 41724. Musical instruments
    ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—
    ‘‘(1) SMALL INSTRUMENTS AS CARRY-ON BAGGAGE.—An air
    carrier providing air transportation shall permit a passenger to carry a violin, guitar, or other musical instrument in the air- craft cabin, without charging the passenger a fee in addition to any standard fee that carrier may require for comparable carry- on baggage, if—
    ‘‘(A) the instrument can be stowed safely in a suitable baggage compartment in the aircraft cabin or under a pas- senger seat, in accordance with the requirements for car- riage of carry-on baggage or cargo established by the Ad- ministrator; and
    ‘‘(B) there is space for such stowage at the time the pas- senger boards the aircraft.
    ‘‘(2) LARGER INSTRUMENTS AS CARRY-ON BAGGAGE.—An air
    carrier providing air transportation shall permit a passenger to carry a musical instrument that is too large to meet the require- ments of paragraph (1) in the aircraft cabin, without chargingthe passenger a fee in addition to the cost of the additional tick- et described in subparagraph (E), if—
    ‘‘(A) the instrument is contained in a case or covered so as to avoid injury to other passengers;
    ‘‘(B) the weight of the instrument, including the case or covering, does not exceed 165 pounds or the applicable weight restrictions for the aircraft;
    ‘‘(C) the instrument can be stowed in accordance with the requirements for carriage of carry-on baggage or cargo established by the Administrator;
    ‘‘(D) neither the instrument nor the case contains any object not otherwise permitted to be carried in an aircraft cabin because of a law or regulation of the United States; and
    ‘‘(E) the passenger wishing to carry the instrument in the aircraft cabin has purchased an additional seat to ac- commodate the instrument.
    ‘‘(3) LARGE INSTRUMENTS AS CHECKED BAGGAGE.—An air
    carrier shall transport as baggage a musical instrument that is the property of a passenger traveling in air transportation that may not be carried in the aircraft cabin if—
    ‘‘(A) the sum of the length, width, and height measured in inches of the outside linear dimensions of the instrument (including the case) does not exceed 150 inches or the appli- cable size restrictions for the aircraft;
    ‘‘(B) the weight of the instrument does not exceed 165 pounds or the applicable weight restrictions for the aircraft; and
    ‘‘(C) the instrument can be stowed in accordance with the requirements for carriage of carry-on baggage or cargo established by the Administrator.
    ‘‘(b) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 2 years after the date of en- actment of this section, the Secretary shall issue final regulations to carry out subsection (a).
    ‘‘(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The requirements of this section shall become effective on the date of issuance of the final regulations under subsection (b).’’.
    (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The analysis for such sub- chapter is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ‘‘41724. Musical instruments.’’.
    Bob Tampa FL USA
    Euph -- 1984 B&H Round Stamp Sovereign 967 / 1978 Besson NS 767 / Early 90s Sterling MP: 4AL and GW Carbonaria
    Tuba -- 2014 Wisemann 900 CC / 2013 Mack 410 MP: Blokepiece Symphony American Shank and 33.2 #2 Rim

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •