Welcome to saxquest, The feature your talking about is called a snap in pad. This was a distinctive feature of Buescher saxophones from the 1920s to the 1960s. The 'connector' you describe is not imbedded in the pad, though it may seem that way since it's been stuck in a pad for eighty years. The domed metal part is the snap in resonator, and it can be removed with a screwdriver and reused with the new padset. As for removal of the nubs attached to the keys. I recommend not removing them. Bueschers with original snaps maintain better value than those that have had them removed. Some have had the snaps and nubs removed and report no differences in playing, but I'm kind of an originality freak. $400 is not a lot for an overhaul I think, provided it's done competently and depending on what the overhaul entails. Pad replacement is a time consuming excersize. If you plan or doing the repair yourself, keep in mind that your first effort will likely be rather poor, it can be frustrating, and you can even have major problems that will cost you much more (like if you bend a rod or lose a screw during dissasembly). I would strongly suggest against using a classic horn as your first repair victim unless you can write it off as junk. You can drill out pads, but it might be better to order genuine Buescher snap-in pads from Ferree's Tools or from musicmedic.com: www.musicmedic.com/catalog/products/pad-s60.html Be sure to have your technician do the appropriate measurements and order, if he's willing.

also if you decide to do it , make sure you don't damage the snaps, very hard to find replacements for broken ones.