PORTRAIT. The one and only in the Aude: Jef Delsuc, a “clinician” at the bedside of saxophones

If the luthier profession, an expert in the restoration of string instruments, is relatively known, that of saxophone repairers is much less. In Saint-Denis, in the Black Mountain, Jef Delsuc is the one and only in the department of Aude to maintain these wind instruments, belonging to the Wood family, invented in 1846 by the Belgian Adolphe Sax. Nothing, however, predisposed him to kiss this career, except to have tried himself, very young, to play it: “I remember that in the canteen of my school, I was put a saxo In my hands and I immediately had a revelation, “he says.

In Saint-Denis since 2018

Following a more classic course with a master's degree in land development and development), Jef Delsuc worked for a time in the management of water in the department of Tarn. But the music was stronger and, thanks to the support of a colleague exercising this maintenance profession, repair and restoration of saxophones, this adopted audois was formed for two years. Located at Aragon at first, it was in 2018 that he migrated to Saint-Denis, in a home and more functional premises. His professionalism, recognized far beyond the local customers, allowed him to gain national recognition. “I was able to expand my action department thanks to word of mouth and social networks,” he said.

From Toulouse, Rennes, Paris

Another string to his bow, Jef Delsuc specialized in vintage saxophones, to which he dedicates an immoderate admiration: “These saxos before 1980 all tell a story, and if I repair all kinds of these musical instruments, that There remains my favorites, “he continues. Its customers are cosmopolitan, whether made up of amateurs or professionals. These need regular interviews of their instrument, revisions, even repairs. From Toulouse, Rennes, Paris, these are sent by post or directly brought by their owners to the workshop.

From repair review

Once in the clinic and depending on the work to be done, the saxophone can stay there from a few days to several weeks for large sites. Several types of work are provided by Jef Delsuc: classic revision with introduction of light inside the instrument in order to verify the bouches of the holes by the buffers, to the replacement of the defective components. “After the complete disassembly and the withdrawal of all the wear parts, the retamponing consists in changing pads, biles and markers. I also operate the tension and balancing the springs, corrects mechanical games and makes bobology for Debt the small shocks that the Saxos could have undergone “.
A real goldsmith's work most often completed by cleaning and degreasing. Following the withdrawal of the old varnish, the patina is a treatment consisting in causing more homogeneous and aesthetic oxidation. “This makes it possible to obtain a more or less dark aged bronze appearance finish. This is now more up to date than very flashy saxos. In addition, the old varnish can have consequences on acoustics. Musicians are very sensitive to it “.