Thank you Mr. Z for your kind comments. Vibraphones are one of the most complicated percussion instruments. Everyone in internet world thinks that they can make and repair them. The unfortunate reality is that most people don't have the skills, irrespective of a lack of instrument making knowledge and access to the technical equipment required. I have been studying vibraphones and fixing previous bad repairs as well as the mistakes made during manufacture for years, which is how I reach my conclusions. So my advice is to have vibraphones set up properly by a professional instrument maker from the outset, they will advise on what maintenance you require. The top professionals over here have brand new instruments shipped directly to my workshop for modifications prior to them even going into service - it's a sad truth that these instruments are sold as premium products but the standard of design and manufacture is generally garbage and they are riddled with assembly errors!
Hi Bill Thank you for your comment. I have two options for replacement note peg rubbers on the 751/701 vibraphones. The first option is a DIY injection kit: www.orchestralpercussion.co.uk/2015/08/11/1264-premier-vibe-note-pegs/ The second option is to buy the individual rubbers which I have pre-formed. I have just finished making a batch of the rubbers, so have around 200 in stock as well as the kit. There are differences between the solutions. The rubber caps that I make, are like for like copies (but using different materials), so they are easy to fit. The DIY kit forms the same external shape, but the final thing is solid "rubber" so the steel note peg, the rivet and the tubular note rail are all bonded within the rubber shape. These solid peg rubbers are therefore stronger and prevent rattles, but you will have to develop your own technique on how you do it. In addition to investing your time you also have to buy the kit, but once you have the moulds, the "refills" are a lot cheaper. When I am repair instruments my labour is a major cost element, so I use my preformed caps for speed and not the injection moulding technique which would cost too much for the customer because of the amount of my time that would be involved. However if it were my own vibe, I would mould solid pegs at my leisure (so that would probably never happen!) The mould can produce 20 pegs (that was me forming them with all my practice), but I always advise doing as many as you can to use up all the materials because they have a shelf life. You can replace some good caps and keep the originals for emergency spares, when there are another hand full going buy a re-fill and start again. If you are doing a whole instrument, just buy the caps. Forming 88 pegs will send you insane, even if you borrow an additional twenty moulds. If you have lots of instruments and they regularly need fixing your probably best to buy a kit and gradually convert one of the instruments and swap the parts around. If your the sort of person who spills sugar on the table whilst adding it to your coffee, just buy the pre-formed caps. Finally, will be away from tomorrow evening until the beginning August, if you want to go ahead, email me through my website with what you want, delivery and invoicing address and I will get them out before I leave. Regards Paul Jefferies
All Musser vibes are essentially the same, there are different bar widths, but other than that, I struggle to see much difference between a 48, 55, 46, etc Of course there are variations in the frame, but not much. Therefore the answer to your question is yes, but I am not sure what you mean, or rather to what extent you mean by disassemble. Paul
You are amazing! I don't play vibraphone it is my favorite instrument! I do play drums not well but it's fun! I've always wanted to get set of vibes after all these things that can go wrong it's kind of scary to buy used one and even to maintain well a new one! Again you have fascinated me with your knowledge I live in America if I were going to buy something like this I would come to you right away we all have our dreams GD bless and best wishes always mr. Z!
Hi Paul. This is Bill from Musaics in Melbourne Australia. You mentioned on your video you have peg rubbers for the 751 vibe. Are you able to sell them to me, or point me in the direction for buying them in the UK? I have sold out here and Premier are useless for parts.
Hi Marc, I have written an article on my website highlighting the differences between Premier vibraphones linked below. However the two main later models are 751 or 701, where the 751 has graduated bars and the 701 does not. www.orchestralpercussion.co.uk/2018/12/13/what-model-is-my-premier-vibraphone/ The reason why I made this video was because I am seeing second hand percussion instruments sold as fully refurbished which are not. You should be able to find a set in good condition for 1500 Euro, for example I have a set coming up for sale which will cost a bit more, but look almost brand new. My workshop now has heating, but is is big and high, so I still have to wrap up!
Do you have a video how to assemble and disassemble a mussel "one nighter" vibraphone? Thanks Enjoy your videos.
Thank you Mr. Z for your kind comments.
Vibraphones are one of the most complicated percussion instruments. Everyone in internet world thinks that they can make and repair them. The unfortunate reality is that most people don't have the skills, irrespective of a lack of instrument making knowledge and access to the technical equipment required. I have been studying vibraphones and fixing previous bad repairs as well as the mistakes made during manufacture for years, which is how I reach my conclusions. So my advice is to have vibraphones set up properly by a professional instrument maker from the outset, they will advise on what maintenance you require. The top professionals over here have brand new instruments shipped directly to my workshop for modifications prior to them even going into service - it's a sad truth that these instruments are sold as premium products but the standard of design and manufacture is generally garbage and they are riddled with assembly errors!
Hi Bill
Thank you for your comment. I have two options for replacement note peg rubbers on the 751/701 vibraphones. The first option is a DIY injection kit:
www.orchestralpercussion.co.uk/2015/08/11/1264-premier-vibe-note-pegs/
The second option is to buy the individual rubbers which I have pre-formed. I have just finished making a batch of the rubbers, so have around 200 in stock as well as the kit.
There are differences between the solutions. The rubber caps that I make, are like for like copies (but using different materials), so they are easy to fit. The DIY kit forms the same external shape, but the final thing is solid "rubber" so the steel note peg, the rivet and the tubular note rail are all bonded within the rubber shape. These solid peg rubbers are therefore stronger and prevent rattles, but you will have to develop your own technique on how you do it. In addition to investing your time you also have to buy the kit, but once you have the moulds, the "refills" are a lot cheaper.
When I am repair instruments my labour is a major cost element, so I use my preformed caps for speed and not the injection moulding technique which would cost too much for the customer because of the amount of my time that would be involved. However if it were my own vibe, I would mould solid pegs at my leisure (so that would probably never happen!) The mould can produce 20 pegs (that was me forming them with all my practice), but I always advise doing as many as you can to use up all the materials because they have a shelf life. You can replace some good caps and keep the originals for emergency spares, when there are another hand full going buy a re-fill and start again.
If you are doing a whole instrument, just buy the caps. Forming 88 pegs will send you insane, even if you borrow an additional twenty moulds. If you have lots of instruments and they regularly need fixing your probably best to buy a kit and gradually convert one of the instruments and swap the parts around. If your the sort of person who spills sugar on the table whilst adding it to your coffee, just buy the pre-formed caps.
Finally, will be away from tomorrow evening until the beginning August, if you want to go ahead, email me through my website with what you want, delivery and invoicing address and I will get them out before I leave.
Regards
Paul Jefferies
All Musser vibes are essentially the same, there are different bar widths, but other than that, I struggle to see much difference between a 48, 55, 46, etc Of course there are variations in the frame, but not much.
Therefore the answer to your question is yes, but I am not sure what you mean, or rather to what extent you mean by disassemble.
Paul
You are amazing! I don't play vibraphone it is my favorite instrument! I do play drums not well but it's fun! I've always wanted to get set of vibes after all these things that can go wrong it's kind of scary to buy used one and even to maintain well a new one! Again you have fascinated me with your knowledge I live in America if I were going to buy something like this I would come to you right away we all have our dreams GD bless and best wishes always mr. Z!
Hi Paul. This is Bill from Musaics in Melbourne Australia. You mentioned on your video you have peg rubbers for the 751 vibe. Are you able to sell them to me, or point me in the direction for buying them in the UK? I have sold out here and Premier are useless for parts.
Hi Marc,
I have written an article on my website highlighting the differences between Premier vibraphones linked below. However the two main later models are 751 or 701, where the 751 has graduated bars and the 701 does not.
www.orchestralpercussion.co.uk/2018/12/13/what-model-is-my-premier-vibraphone/
The reason why I made this video was because I am seeing second hand percussion instruments sold as fully refurbished
which are not. You should be able to find a set in good condition for 1500 Euro, for example I have a set coming up for sale which will cost a bit more, but look almost brand new.
My workshop now has heating, but is is big and high, so I still have to wrap up!