JAM: October/November 2002 Issue: 10 Questions with Lynn & Jeff Johnson

10 QUESTIONS
with the Band Instrument Repair Team of
LYNN & JEFF JOHNSON

JAM: Jeff, how did you get involved in band instrument repair?

Lynn and Jeff Johnson
at work in the shop.

JJ: Well, as a music major at Concordia College in Morehead, Minnesota, I was about to do my student teaching. But all my friends who'd already done that told me how miserable it had made them! And they had more patience than I did! So, I thought: "maybe this isn't for me." (laughs) I'd heard about the Red Wing (MN) Area Vocational Technical Institute where they taught band instrument repair. I've always loved working with my hands, so I went down there, checked it out and knew right away that was for me.

JAM: Describe the range of repairs you and Lynn do.

JJ: Anything from fixing a water key cork to a complete overhaul of a tuba.

JAM: What are some of the most challenging repairs you've faced over the years?

JJ: Oh, probably those horns that have been completely crushed. I love the feeling of doing the very best I can to make them look really good again.

JAM: Let's back up to that word "crushed." How does a band instrument get "crushed"?

JJ: ah-ha... Well, there are several different ways... let's see...

LJ: There's the "Sousaphone in the Tree" story... (laughs)

JJ: Oh yes! There was a Sousaphone that was stolen from a school band room...

LJ: ...and bounced down the stairs...

JJ: ...and bounced and rolled all up and down the stairs... and, uh...

LJ: ...dragged behind a car...

JJ: (pause) It was?!

LJ: Yep!

JJ: ...The band director told us about what had happened later. I think the vandals even had "rolling contests" with it down a hill. Anyway, it was finally found, way up, hanging in a tree! So, they called us and we overhauled it. I guess it was someone who didn't like Sousaphones!

JAM: One of the most dreaded things for most brass players is cleaning out the inside of the horn. But you have a special "chemical dip" that accomplishes the same thing. How does that work?

LJ: You mean a chem flush? OK, normally what happens is that a horn will come in with all the slides stuck and so gunked up you can barely get the horn apart. Then we definitely know it's a candidate for a chem flush. (laughs) Sometimes Jeff even has to unsolder the slides to get them to come apart. We put all the slides, valves, caps and everything separately in a basket and put it in the chem flush, which is a mixture of sulfamic acid and water. The main body of the horn is on a separate hanger and goes in next to the basket. Some of them only need 30 seconds in the chem flush, others take five minutes! It varies based on how bad they were in the first place. Then after you take it out of the chem flush, you put everything in a bucket of soapy water, rinse it all off and snake out all the slides and valves. That's when some really garpy stuff can come out... and spatter on your face. (laughs) And then you try really hard not to think about what it is!

JAM: Jeff, what's the oldest instrument you've ever worked on?

JJ: Right now I'm restoring a Conn cornet from 1906. It's a fun job because, in the first place, it was really well built. Also, you feel the history of the horn, and think about all the people who played it.

JAM: In terms of quality, compare today's band instruments with those of the past.

JJ: Some in the past were made with real craftsmanship, others were not. I think the same thing is true today. I mean, right now you've got China turning out horns that are...

LJ: Unplayable (laughs).

JJ: They don't even know how to make good valves yet! But then you've also got some very fine horns now that are made by Schilke and Bach. So, I do think today's horns play better than the ones from 100 years ago. They are better engineered and have the edge that comes from today's technology.

JAM: Let's talk about how your whole family has been involved in the repair business. Lynn, what got you interested?

LJ: When Jeff first went into instrument repair and told me what he was going to be doing, I had no idea what it was and had never heard of it. I mean, I'd never played an instrument myself, so it never dawned on me that people might need to get them fixed! (laughs) When he started working for School Music Service in Raytown, he also started talking about having his own shop someday. So, we always had that in the back of our minds as what we wanted to do. Well, one day out of the blue, the house across the street was up for sale for $5600! We snapped it right up, and that's how our first shop was born. Then as each of our boys -- Jeremy, Christopher and Joshua -- got old enough, we decided we would teach them the business, even if they had other interests, which they pretty much do. We knew it would be a skill they would have no matter what they ended up doing. Something they could always fall back on later.

JAM: What's your role now, Lynn?

LJ: Today I can do anything from pretty hard dent work and chem flushes to just keeping things organized and running. Whatever Jeff needs me to do, if he and I feel that I'm capable, I can do it. At first I didn't know if I would like working with him (laughs), but after all these years, I really do! It's a lot of fun when we work together.

JAM: Last question. Just hypothetically now, let's say a local trumpet player who, also hypothetically, was the editor of an area jazz magazine accidentally backed over his gig bag with his car and flattened his horn... again, hypothetically. Would you be able to repair that instrument?

JJ: Hypothetically, yes. (laughs) Except if the valves were badly damaged, then it would depend on how much hypothetical money he would want to spend!

LJ: Jeff has performed some real miracles on a lot of horns. I mean, they come in looking like there is nothing anyone could do for them. Then they end up leaving the shop working perfectly again. It's really cool to see that happen!

* * *