So, at one point, during my first year of work, I got a phone call to work on someone's Tenor sax. Anything below the low D wasn't coming out, and the sound at that point was very stuffy and muted. While she wasn't able to bring me the saxophone herself, her husband would be able to bring it to me
Next day, her husband shows up, saxophone case in one hand, 18 month old baby in the other. I open the case, and find a beautiful Cannonball tenor inside. Dark blue tinted lacquer, bright brass keywork. The horn was beautiful.
The husband stays and chats as I get to work
I start to diagnose what could be wrong with the instrument by putting my leak light down the bell. I find some very minor regulation issues, but nothing that would lead to problems with the low notes at all. The only way these issues could affect the play-ability is if she was closing the keys lighter than flute players do.
I correct the regulation problems with the adjustment screws and move on. I pull the leak light, and try to put it down the bell of the sax, when it stops. I think maybe it got caught on a tone hole, and try again, but with the same result. It was at that point, I look down the bell, and start to chuckle. This alerts the husband that something is up.
I then reach down into the bell of the sax, and pull out a brand new, dark blue skateboard wheel. Just the rubber wheel, no other hardware. I hold it up like I'm holding an apple just picked from the tree. The husband doubles over laughing, and with tears in his eyes, looks at the toddler and asks "I wonder who put that in there, hmmm?"
Once the wheel is out, I double check the rest of the keys and have very minor things to do to make things pretty much perfect. I play test the horn, and send them home, wheel outside of the sax.
Just goes to show that, no matter unlikely, anything can appear inside of an instrument
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