About Me
Hi. I'm Sean Reeser, working saxophone player and saxophone repairer.
When I was right around the end of fourth grade, my parents basically told me that I was going to either play sports or join the school band. I was not athletic at the time, so I chose the band, and I picked sax because my uncle was a professional sax player. I practiced, but I wasn't all that serious about it until one summer in high school when I started jamming with some relatives and friends of the family in a basement, playing blues and classic rock songs and learning for the first time to play by ear and, later, improvise. I don't remember one exact moment when it clicked, but playing those nights made me want to practice and play in a way I never had before... so I did. Over time, I came to understand that music is who I am and the saxophone is my voice.
I first began repairing saxophones in 2014, in large part because I was unhappy with the quality of work local techs in my area had done to the vintage baritone and soprano I had recently purchased and I didn't know where else to go. In the process I discovered I actually enjoyed fixing saxophones, so I started buying and repairing old saxes, starting with 1920s American instruments and slowly learning new skills, getting more tools, and picking up more interesting horns with more complex features. As time went on and word got around, I started having friends and colleagues ask to hire me to repair their saxophone or even help them shop for a vintage horn, so in 2022 I decided to advance my then-hobbyist repair work into a business. In 2024, I relocated to Logan Square in Chicago, and my business moved with me.
No background of me would be complete if I didn't thank my father. He taught me the basics in his basement workshop and raised me to take pride in my work and to value the weight that comes with putting my name on a job, and my business would not exist without the attitude he taught me to keep.
When I'm not busy practicing, performing, working on saxophones, or listening to music, I also enjoy spending my time hiking and backpacking, hand tool woodworking, and reading and watching historical dramas and science fiction.
Sustainability
My background is also deeply rooted in environmental science and sustainability - in fact, my degree is in environmental biology and I have previously worked as a park ranger.
I do everything I can to operate with sustainable practices. I always try to minimize waste in every part of my process, from the work to packaging to cleaning. When I purchase tools and materials, durability and sustainable sourcing are always major factors in the decision. I use harsh chemicals only sparingly and favor mild and biodegradable options whenever possible.
If your saxophone is shipped to you, you will even see this in the packaging: every bit of packing material will be either reused or sustainably sourced, and sometimes even the box will be reused.
Saxophones for Sale
When you purchase a saxophone from me, you will be getting a quality horn that plays at least as good as new.
Most horns I repair and resell will be professional-level saxophones, but I am known to pick up stencils and more intermediate models from time to time.
Repair Services
I only play one type of instrument, and I only work on one type instrument: saxophones. A sax doesn't leave my shop until I would feel comfortable performing on it myself.
From humble 1920s horns to state-of-the-art modern instruments, from long-defunct and largely forgotten makers to the biggest names in the business, I'm happy to take a look at what you have.