Gino Nobili—Music Lab—Downsview—636-8722
Name—Business—Place—Phone number
Valuable information printed neatly but with style on the cover of my copy of Intermediate Method Saxophone by J. E. Skornicka. (I must have been into my second blue Rubank method before repairs were required.)
I was probably thirteen or fourteen. Life was a highway. My dad could sail the station wagon up to Gino’s via highways 403, QEW, 427 and 401 in about thirty minutes.
Fast-forward to today…plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.
The Artist’s Atelier
The Music Lab is nestled in a nondescript plaza. There are still some evergreens on this commercial property and the boulevards are wide. The setting is undeniably Canadian. The orange colour scheme feels authentic as you pull open the door.
Immediately to the left, up on the wall, is an appropriately sized replica of a famous French image featuring a child tucked into the bell of a contrabass saxophone. No one would blink an eye today, but this poster was astonishing when it first appeared. It makes clear, in the most charming way, the colossal size of the contrabass.
Further along the wall, used instruments that have been fixed up for resale are perched on pegs. There are neat rows of instrument cases lined up on the floor, each with a piece of paper sticking out; clarinets, trumpets and euphoniums, their functionality restored and ready to be sent back to local schools. You may find yourself drawn to boxes filled with miscellaneous instrumental bric-à-brac or unusual cases of yesteryear; frayed but sturdy, patiently waiting for renewal and redemption at the hands of Gino Nobili, master technician.
Home Is Who You Trust
My encounters with Gino have been sporadic yet essential. There were large gaps when I took my instrument to the good technicians at Twigg Musique in Montréal and The Wind Shoppe in Edmonton. They say you can never go back. But when I returned, Gino’s smile was as welcoming as ever. He’s almost always on site. He lives nearby and puts in plenty of hours. The loyalty program is reassuringly old-school. There are no points to collect and you don’t have to be a big spender to get exemplary service.
Gino is just that type of guy—it’s never profits over people at The Music Lab.
And the work speaks for itself.
A Toronto Institution
The man is meticulous. His exacting standards are applied to every repair. Our fingers, our technique, would be nothing without his fingers, his technique.
It all started in 1968 when Gino began a five-year apprenticeship at Sparling & Maurice, a band instrument repair company. In 1973, having found his sea legs, he opened The Music Lab Limited, and has kept a steady hand on the wheel for fifty-two years.
When profiled in the September/October 1991 issue of Saxophone Journal, Gino stated:
“It takes a long time to learn this type of work properly. Anyone can learn how to basically repair a saxophone in about six months, but to do really professional quality work it takes ten to fifteen years.”
I recently heard this thought echoed by wind repair specialist Shelly Tanabe of Wind Player Services. When discussing the apprenticeship process, she explained that it takes about ten years to obtain a professional level skill-set. First-rank instrument repair technicians train longer than almost any other professional trades-person, medical doctor, lawyer, engineer or, indeed, many performing musicians. Dedicated experts like Gino are rare treasures; specialists who elevate the craft of wind repair to the level of artistry.
Where would we be without them?
Over the years Gino has become an essential part of Toronto’s musical ecosystem, allowing large swaths of music-makers at all levels to realize their own potential. It’s his approach—his values, his expertise, his instincts, that have sustained this extremely successful instrument repair shop.
When it comes to caring for your saxophone he does have some suggestions…
Practical Tips
Does anyone else miss the Saxophone Journal?
During my university years I dedicated considerable stretches of time to this publication. There I was in the music library, feet propped up on the cubicle desk, leafing through old issues. Sometimes I even took notes. That was a good magazine.
In the article cited above which is titled, “Gino Nobili Canadian Wind Instrument Repair Specialist” Gino anwers a series of questions. His responses are a delightful reminder of why I do the things I do. I share all of Gino’s wise suggestions with my own students. He recommends:
- keep the inside of your case clean, vacuuming it out once or twice a month
- use cleaning swabs to remove moisture from the body, neck and mouthpiece
- keep the sax in its case when not being used
- hold the sax by the bell or at the top of the body, never by the neck
- don’t grab it by the keys
- don’t prop it up against a wall
- for short periods you can leave your sax on a good saxophone stand
- never lay the sax down with the pearls facing up; turn it over so that it rests on the key guards
- keep the cork on the neck lubricated
- remove calcium deposits on the mouthpiece with vinegar
All artists have a couple of signature moves; little flourishes that distinguish their work from the competition. Over the years, after a tune-up, I often noticed a soft substance around certain keys. Now I know that Gino was employing his secret ingredient—lanolin—to lubricate pivot screws from excessive wear and tear and in between the low C-sharp, B and B-flat keys to facilitate easy finger movement.
Nobcor Products, Inc.
There are hundreds of saxophone neck straps and harnesses available these days. At Long & McQuade, the house brand Nylon Sax Strap costs $3.25 and the Vandoren Harness System is listed for $230. Neither option is recommended, and many of the mid-priced options have design flaws that impact correct posture and positioning. What’s a player to do?
My lucky students and I are well-served, with what is, in my opinion, the best neck strap on the market, at the most competitive price. There are three features to a great neck strap: a closed hook, a lockable adjustment mechanism and some padding at the neck. A fourth element would be correct sizing. To the best of my knowledge, there are only two products that fulfill all these requirements: the Genesis Supreme Saxophone Neck Strap ($18) and the Genesis Youth Saxophone Neck Strap ($17) for smaller players. I buy them by the box. They are made right here in Toronto by Nobcor Products Inc. This is a company Gino founded to produce high quality functional straps for a variety of instruments. They feature exceptional design and quality materials at an unbeatable price point.
Career Moves
“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you.” Maya Angelou
I can’t take my eyes off Gino Nobili.
I have been observing him almost all my life. And along the way I’ve absorbed some of Gino’s strategies for running a successful music business:
- be excellent at what you do
- never lose sight of your core purpose
- take care of people
- be who you are
- keep the same phone number
Yes, it’s still 636-8722. Only now you must add the 416 area code to get in touch with Toronto’s finest repair technician, Gino Nobili.
I’ve never met Gino but his shop and work sound like a treat!