Mt Vernon Repair Shop — Local services in Mount Vernon

Mike Livingston overhauled my Selmer Mk VI alto sax in June 2023. The overhaul was done through his “touring repair shop”. I dropped the horn off with him in Greensboro, NC, and picked it up a couple weeks later in Baltimore, MD. It’s been a month since the repair. Bottom line: The work was excellent, the sax plays great, and Mike was a pleasure to work with. I am very satisfied with Mike and his touring repair shop. Scope of work: Complete overhaul … all new pads/resonators, felts and corks. Dent removal, excess play in keywork was corrected, tone holes leveled, adjustment / regulation, key height, corrected bent keys, general clean-up, etc. The objective was to restore the horn to original (or better) Mk VI construction but allowing for some upgrades to cork and felt selection to take advantage of modern materials. Background: The sax is S/N 119,xxx (1964 construction). I purchased the sax used in the mid-1970’s while in high school. Prior to Mike’s overhaul, the sax was in mechanically good condition, although noisier than it should be. It played acceptably, but not super. Sound was not as “clean” as it could have been. Lacquer is original. It had very few dents or mechanical damage and still had a few original pads. It had never been overhauled. A handful of repair techs (some good, one not) have done minor repairs, primarily for leak repair. I have played it consistently since the 1970’s but am not a professional musician, so it was not subjected to a daily gigging environment. Result: The sax now plays great and at its full potential. As expected the low end speaks much easier and clearer. But I am surprised at how much cleaner the upper mid-range sounds. Key action feels great. Unwanted key noises have been eliminated including at the side Bb and side C ball joints and the low C# linkage. Adjustment of the octave key mechanism feels great and its performance is the best it’s ever been. A few minor dents were nicely removed including a dent under a post at the octave key. Intonation is slightly improved (was not bad before). Cosmetically, it was cleaned up and looks notably better. Quality of work: All the work was top notch. I’ve been eyeballing the repairs for a month now and everything looks great. I was amazed at how well the dent under the octave key post (which has been there since I purchased the horn in 1974) was removed. And I was very pleased at how the unwanted mechanical noises were eliminated. Interaction w/ Mike: Mike was responsive to communication. He was patient and spent ample time in discussions of work, and freely shared information about repair techniques. We spent lots of time discussing preferences of materials and techniques. It was clear that he wanted to do the repair so that it met my expectations. Timing: Repairs were completed and sax was ready when promised. The “touring repair shop”: The mobile aspect of the repair service did not create any issues. His supplies were apparently comprehensive and he had the equipment he needed. For example, I showed him how the octave key thumb rest cover (black plastic) was cracked. I was doubtful he would be able to address this minor item but he quickly said no problem and pulled a new thumb rest cover out of...

I recently had my vintage Selmer tenor saxophone overhauled by repair technician Mike Livingston, and I could not be happier with the results and the entire experience of working with him. When I decided to have my cherished saxophone overhauled, I literally spent months learning about saxophone overhauls, watching videos on the subject, and speaking with local saxophonists and instrument repair technicians from around the country. When I spoke with Mike and learned specifically what an overhaul from him entailed (a thorough, comprehensive, and detailed process), I was convinced that he was the one for the job, and I was absolutely right. He did a magnificent job and I have what feels like a new horn. It is remarkably responsive. It has lost the stuffiness in 2nd octave D and Eb that it once had, and the key action is superb, quiet, precise, and tailored to my desire for a “lighter feel”. Intonation is spot on from octave to octave. Every detail was attended to including careful adjusting of the neck cork diameter to perfectly accommodate my mouthpiece. Mike is a professional musician, currently touring across the country with the musical production of Frozen. He takes his tech tools and equipment with him, and because he is touring the country, we were able to choose a location near to my home town for me to pick up the horn. I shipped the horn to the stage door of the show (very secure) at its location in California, and picked it up in Arizona three weeks later which allowed my wife and I to plan a three day bicycling holiday in Tempe, a very nice bonus. Mike’s work is exceptionally fine. He knows how it feels to play a perfectly set up horn and he takes pride in providing just that to the musicians he serves. My Selmer is a joy to play once again thanks to his wonderful...

Had the pleasure of meeting Mike and the good fortune of having him work on my Selmer MKVI alto saxophone while he was on tour with Disney on Broadway’s Frozen. How convenient to have access to a professional player and repair technician of Mikes caliber, only a short drive away, saving the expense and worries associated with shipping your valuable and or treasured instrument. Initial meet for an evaluation of the instrument was at the beginning of the shows run in town. The sax did not require an extensive overhaul (Mikes touring workshop can also provide that level of service), however Mike aptly recognized and recommended what work would be of benefit to the instrument. Left the horn with Mike and set up a date to return before the shows run ended. Communication throughout the process was excellent, as were the results of Mikes work on the horn. My treasured VI looks and plays awesome! Check out Mikes upcoming schedule and should it find him in a location near you, do not hesitate to take advantage of Mikes expertise and craftsmanship. You won’t be...