Ron Parello is our Woodwind Repair Specialist and is also the Manager for the entire Repair Dept. at The Music Den. He has a Bachelor's of Music Education/Performance from HARTT College of Music and a Masters in Performance from East Carolina University.

Ron has been a Music Educator for 30 years including private instruction at The Music Den and other shops, as well as 25 years as a sax instructor at William Patterson University. Ron has been repairing instruments at The Music Den for over 10 years.

Important Things to know about Woodwind Instrument Repair

Common repairs needed to be done to Woodwinds are:

Recorking- The corks used to join mouthpieces, necks, and other components of wind instruments will eventually wear down or even come apart. Fortunately, this is one of the simplest and most common repairs to have done. It's a good idea to have your corks checked once a year.

Replacing Springs- The springs that keep tension on the keys can become loose and sometimes even break off. Proper tension on springs allows the instrument to react to the technique of the player.

Repadding- You have probably heard wind players complain about "leaks" in their instrument. You know a pad has a leak whenever you hear a high pitched squeal when you try to play a particular note. (Note: Sometimes this may also be an indication of poor technique by the student. Consult a teacher to be sure.) Leaks are caused by poor alignment of the keys or by old pads that don't completely seal anymore and need to be replaced. Pads can also become sticky with age. You know a pad is in good shape if you hear a subtle 'pop' when you close the key. Pad replacement is a difficult job, only to be done by a skilled repairman. Fortunately, in most cases not all of the pads on an instrument need to be replaced.

Regulation- This is where taking your instrument to a skilled repairman is critical. Regulation is the task of adjusting the keys and pads of the woodwind instrument so that they are aligned correctly and are at the right height over the tone holes. This can vary widely from instrument to instrument and you would be surprised at how precise it must be.

Dents and Dings- In most cases, dents and dings can be removed from instruments. This is an important repair because numerous dents may affect the tone quality of the instrument.

Overhaul- An overhaul is just as massive as it sounds. The instrument is completely taken apart and put back together again with new springs, corks, and pads, has dents removed, is freshly lubricated, and is completely regulated. It is the closest you can get to restoring your instrument to new condition and is the most expensive and longest repair.

Peter Tummilo is our Brass Instrument Repair Specialist at The Music Den. Peter has a Bachelors and Masters in Music Education from Montclair State University. He has also been a music educator for 31 years as Director of Bands at Jefferson Township High School.

Peter has been repairing Trumpets, Trombones, French Horns, Tubas, and Euphoniums at The Music Den for nearly 10 years.

Important Things to know about Brass Instrument Repair

Common repairs needed to be done to Brass Instruments are:

Stuck Valves- Valves that are not oiled frequently enough can become sticky. If your valve becomes completely stuck, be sure to bring it in for repair, because removing it yourself may result in damaging your instrument further. It is also important that you only remove the valves of your instrument if you know exactly what to do. Valves have to be placed in a specific order and position to function correctly.

Loose or Tight Tuning Slides- If a tuning slide is not lubricated or becomes bent, it could become unmovable or may pop off.

Fixing Broken Spit Valves- A spit valve is a clever way to clear fluid that has built up in the instrument, and seeing someone play an instrument with a broken one is not a pretty sight.

Resoldering Finger Guides- Finger guides on trumpets and horns do tend to come off. Fortunately resoldering them back on is a quick repair to have done.

Restringing Horns- French horns and other horns have strings that work their valves. These are not damaged often, but it would be a good idea to have them replaced every year.

Replacing Felts, Corks, Springs, and Valve Guides- Felts, Corks, Springs, and Valve Guides on brass instruments can be replaced as they wear out

Dents & Dings- Many dents and dings can be repaired in brass instruments. In some severe cases it is possible to replace damaged parts with new ones.

Relaquering- Some musicians have their intruments completely refinshed so that it looks new. However, this is not recommended since relaquering can alter the tone of the instrument. (Please note: The Music Den does not have the capability to relaquer instruments.)

Taking care of all violin, viola, cello, and bass repairs at The Music Den is none other than Jerry Scognamiglio. Most of our customers will know Jerry since he and his brother Tom are also the owners of The Music Den. Jerry has over 30 years of experience in the music industry including 12 years as an Instrumental and Chorus Instructor at Stanhope Elementary, Kinnelon High, and Becton Regional Schools. He also has 10 years experience in repairs and sales at Victor's House of Music and worked at the original Guitar Center in California back in the '70s.

Jerry has been repairing instruments at The Music Den since he and his brother opened its doors in 1984. He has repaired just about every instrument you could think of, from strings to guitars to woodwinds to accordians.

Important Things to know about String Repair

Common repairs needed to be done to stringed instruments are:

Initial Setup- It is common for people to buy new instruments directly from companies (not The Music Den) that have not been setup at all. To play as well as possible, the instrument needs to be setup correctly by a qualified technician.

Repositioning Sound Posts- Stringed instruments have a small dowel called a sound post suspended between the top and bottom plates. Proper placement of this post is vital for the instrument to play with the proper tone. This post often falls over if the instrument gets jarred in some way and is difficult to place back correctly.

Carving Bridges- After a very long period of use, the bridge (the wooden arch the strings rest on) will split and break. Unfortunately, one cannot just buy a new wooden bridge and put it on. Because each top arches differently, the legs of the new bridge must be carved and sanded to match the top of the instrument.

Carving Pegs- When they are being replaced, the tuning pegs on the headstock must also be carved and sanded to fit. If the pegs do not fit perfectly with your violin, it will be difficult to keep it in tune.

Rehairing Bows- The hair used on bows is very fragile and is short lived. To prolong the life of the hair on your bow, be sure to keep it rosined and do not ever touch it with your fingers. The oils in the human skin cause the hair to deteriorate faster and break easier. A little breakage is normal, just pull the broken hairs off the bow. It will be pretty obvious when enough of them have broken to require replacement of the hair.

Restringing- The most frequent repair. String life varies depending on how much you play them. If your strings start to sound dull, begin to unravel, or look dirty it's probably time for a change. All aspiring musicians should learn how to change strings on their own, but until you do, the Repair Dept is here to help.

Healing Cracks and Fractures, Regluing Finger Boards- All sorts of accidents can happen to your instrument and you would be surprised how many of them are fixable. More than you would think. Be sure to let the Repair Dept have a look at your damaged instrument before giving up on it.

Taking care of all guitar repairs at The Music Den is none other than Jerry Scognamiglio. Most of our customers will know Jerry since he and his brother Tom are also the owners of The Music Den. Jerry has over 30 years of experience in the music industry including 12 years as an Instrumental and Chorus Instructor at Stanhope Elementary, Kinnelon High, and Becton Regional Schools. He also has 10 years experience in repairs and sales at Victor's House of Music and worked at the original Guitar Center in California back in the '70s.

Jerry has been repairing instruments at The Music Den since he and his brother opened its doors in 1984. He has repaired just about every instrument you could think of, from strings to guitars to woodwinds to accordians.

Important Things to know about Guitar Repair

Common repairs needed to be done to guitars are:

Restringing- The most frequent repair. String life varies depending on how much you play them. If your strings start to sound dull, begin to unravel, or look dirty it's probably time for a change. All aspiring musicians should learn how to change strings on their own, but until you do, the Repair Dept is here to help.

Nut Replacement- The nut is the small piece of plastic or bone that the strings rest on near the top of the neck. Nut replacement is not an easy task since each nut has to be carved to the perfect width, radius, and height for each guitar. If the nut is cut too large, it will be too difficult to play. Cut it too short and it may sound like your playing a sitar instead of a guitar.

Action and Intonation Adjustment- Action is how close the strings are to the fingerboard and intonation refers to the accuracy of the pitch as you play different notes on the fretboard. Action that is too high is difficult to play and poor intonation can make a guitar sound dreadful. Problems with action and intonation can be caused by all sorts of things: warped necks, bad frets, bad nuts, mis-adjusted bridges, and bad strings.

Truss Rod Adjustment- This is a common repair for guitars whose necks have become warped. The tross rod is a metal rod extending through the neck of the guitar that controls the amount of bow allowed in the neck. An over adjusted truss rod can break and result in a ruined instrument, so adjusting one should only be attempted by a skilled technician.

Electronic Repair- The electronics of guitars are prone to hum, pop, and cutout with age. Our repair dept will assess the cause of the problem, resolder and rewire where needed, and replace any faulty parts.

Customizing- Customizing is one of the greatest things about electric guitars. Nearly everypart of an electric guitar can be upgraded or altered to your liking. At The Music Den, we can special order all kinds of new pickups, tuners, pickguards, bridges, and necks for your guitar and our repair dept can install them for you.