It always amazes me how some phenomenal musicians never bothered to learn about proper maintenance on their instruments. Who knows maybe that’s why they’re so good at playing because they don’t worry about those things instead. I was an audio engineer for years and a guitarist who’s pretty good at setting up guitars, and doing some fixes. I wouldn’t call myself a luthier but if an axe isn’t playing well I can usually make it better. I can’t tell you the number of amazing players that came into the studio whose guitars were almost unplayable. A lot of them would let me take a few hours to tweak the neck, action, intonation, etc and would always be amazed at how much better it would be. I never charged anyone because for me it was about getting the most in the studio for that artist and having properly working tools is vital. Thanks as always for this video.
Really good players can make a bad horn sound like nothing is wrong with it. There would be subtle inconsistencies example the ease of playability that should indicate to the owner that their equipment needs maintenance.
@@donmilland7606 I am not a repair technician. I do however possess a leaking tenor sax which has become difficult to play in the mid range. Two pro sax players in my country have tested the horn and told me nothing was wrong with it. I concluded that the more proficient players can make any horn sound great on their set up making it easier for some issues to be overlooked. Having an instrument is like owning a car it pays to take the time keep it properly maintained and this includes not only an audible but visual inspection of the pads, springs, cork key working mechanism feel and responsiveness
Had a friend visit me who gets paid to play, so a pro. We were playing together and he asked to try my Selmer. Immediately commented..."That's why you play so hard and loud. Horn needs work." It had to be bad or he would not have said anything other than words of encouragement...very kind guy. Took it to local horn shop. Leaking and tired action. 3 days later and 80 bucks...amazing difference. The deterioration was so gradual, I unconsciously had adjusted my play to compensate. I can now play very quietly. My family is grateful.
My beloved 30M Conn Tenor arrived with no end cap, and consequently a non-functional, partially mangled octave mechanism. Once the metal linkage gets bent out of shape, it could easily break when you try to un-bend it. Vintage parts may not be available. etc, etc. And it's so easy to avoid, just by having, and always using, a proper end cap! Luckily, I was able to repair my linkage, and the horn is playing great.
Great video, Jay. That dude really needs to get his saxophone fixed! (Loved the cutaway where you play "repair man poo-pooing previous person's work.") lol
Thanks Bob, if I had time I would have done some of those fixes for you. Your horn is not in bad shape but all those vintage horns need a lot of tlc. Can’t wait to hear the recording you guys made that afternoon.
Funnily enough, Jay, Bob, just yesterday I shockingly found a loose small piece of cork spacer. I gave the sax (YTS-62) a very close scrutiny while I was searching and did notice a couple of things that you mentioned, not bad, a couple of keys - the rods are worn; some corks and felts looking a bit flattened. Pads were all good. Action seems OK - It's no Yanigasawa But, It has some noticeable right hand 'clatter' when playing into a mic.on a stand. Do you think I would lose that by getting a bell mic.? I'm fed up of going thru the .WAVs to edit out clatter haha. Very happy to see Bob's mkVI and you pointing out the deficiencies - makes my Yam look good :) Very helpful and confidence building video here, thanks guys.
thanks Jay. found the cork gap, the E key mechanism behind the guard. Are those called 'Grub Screws' for adjustment? That E adjuster screw is jammed! Also, I found the clatter is from the left hand keys. One rod, 3 posts. So bell mic.wouldn't help, too close :) I'll have to get it sorted :( - £ Your vids are a great help.
Finding a good saxophone repair man is like finding a good mechanic. You want one that knows what he is doing, is honest , trustworthy and reasonable. That being said, I don't know much about cars besides the regular standard maintenance. I get in and go. Just like my sax. I pick up and play. I know when something is not quite right with both but I don't know how to repair it myself. One thing I do know...my sax needs an end cap. This had to be a joke, Bob did not think the end cap was important lol. This was a good vid. If there is anyone here who repairs saxophones and lives in the metro Detroit , MI area please leave your contact info.
I've done Band instrument repair and I related to everything you have said. Most of our local repairman are not the caliber I like, but when you find someone that does a great job, that is the person you patronize. We have a local that is fantastic, both my tenor and alto came back feeling like they knew what to play before I asked to play the note. The action was fantastic. Maintenance such as cleaning, occasionally oiling the keys will keep the costs down when it is time to see the repairman as well. My last go through, Brian felt as if all he had to do was tweak everything to make me happy. Thank you to all the great repairmen and women that go the extra mile for us!
Jay! This is one of the most digestible videos about repair I’ve ever seen. I spend hours a day explaining the difference between a basic service (clean oil adjust) repairs, repads and overhauls in my store. Thank you for putting this video out there. I have an old horn, definitely need to replace the low Eb key and probably pull it all apart and clean out my horn. I probably should replace a few palm key pads as well. Hi my name is Ben, and it’s been 2 years since my last service.
I just found this video. Great information. It's true there are a lot of really great techs out there, but there are many who are either not as good as they could be or do not yet have the experience to become a great tech, but they will oneday. What is more important than anything is their desire and dedication to learn their craft and continue learning. When someone says they know it all, that is not the type of tech you need touching your instrument. Then there are those who should not be touching your instrument at all. If their only training is from watching youtube or taking their own horn apart and somehow getting it back together, you should run the other way. Don't be afraid to ask who and where a tech was trained, who they worked under, and how long they have been doing this.... If a tech will not tell you this info they are not really a tech. .... Finally regarding that "Who worked on this last" issue.... Every tech, and I mean EVERY tech can find something wrong with every other techs work. This is because we don't all have the same ideas about what should and should not be done to a sax. Not that this is a bad thing, it's just a difference of perspective and experience. A major warning sign is if a tech openly bad mouths his competition that is a tech that is not confident in his work or any others.
Factory default setting? Well put. If tech doesn't have the right pad thickness stocked for that model, he re-adjust's, or should re-adjust for the proper venting. Just because someone went to trade school for repair, it's experience that makes the difference. If you play as well it helps immensely in diagnosing intonation/response probs. Jay, you been there! For those interested, Wal Mart sells a great product for pro's travelin., or for minor leak work, for teachers, directors, etc. It's simply a florescent tube style appearing lite, will fit all bore sizes, not bari. It has about 10 led's in it, and operates w/3 aAA, or 3 AA's? has 2 brightness settings. Cost me about $10, made by GE., has a removable plastic sleeve. Played a cruise gig a while back,...and it saved my back!! PS-If your pads are green, chances are that the tone holes are pitted on the face, (saliva acids)....if so, they should be re-leveled and/or polished. Be very careful if you decide to get an overhaul. Some outfits have rookie or careless buffers. They'll make it look pretty,....but as a 45 yr tech. I saw a lot of good horns get ruined,....buffed down tone holes, wheel gouges, body work that was wavy, etc. Good tip on worn key rebuilding Jay! Some times i actually machined hinges and oversized rods on bad mechs. and worn posts. Great Vid. Regards, Gary
When the repair guy looks at it and asks, "you're able to play this?" , you have a problem. I was fighting the sax, not playing it. It came back feeling completely different, and fun to play.
I inherited an old King Super-20 Tenor Sax when my best friend died. For about a year, after he died, his mother let the horn sit on the screened-in porch. Not good for the horn! Anyway, when I got the horn I had it inspected by a repairman I trust. All the worn pads, corks, felts, etc were replaced. The repairman told me that some of the posts were starting to get loose and needed to be re-attached. Personally, I can't see if the posts are loose (yes, I even tried to jiggle them). One thing I did notice is that, on occasion, when I play a note, the horn is suddenly way out of tune! I guess I need to pry open my wallet and have the horn overhauled!
Thank you for this video!!! I started having sound issues from my saxophone that I have had since 5th grade (~30 years ago) with absolutely no work done to it. This was an eye opening lesson on what my Old Yeller needs.
Key height is important. I had a lesson with Greg Fishman a few years ago. He looked at my MVI Tenor and said that my key height was too open. I took it to my my repair guy. He adjusted the key height and bingo.....new horn. Great video on de-mystifying saxophone repair and the mechanics of the instrument.
I just started playing the sax. My friend lent me his USA Selmer tenor. I then bought the Conn-Selmer Alto Prelude from his recommendation. Your videos helped me to check the instrument for any flaws (there were none, and it did not come with white gloves!). This video adds to the wealth of experience and knowledge you generously impart to your viewers. Thank you!!
I had my Super 20 overhauled early last year. It was a few weeks before the sax was returned, but I had my Zephyr to play. It was worth the cost and I'm glad I had it done. But I don't want to spend that kind of dough on a regular basis. So before I play I clean my mouth. After each time I play I rinse the mouthpiece and reed, run a cloth through the sax, neck and mouthpiece until they are dry to the touch, use a keypad to remove moisture from the pads, and use Key Leaves on the upper and lower keys. The sax stays on my stand, and hasn't seen the inside of the case since the overhaul (which obviously will not work for most people). This ritual takes a good 15 minutes at my leisurely pace. It's good bonding time with my sax that I actually enjoy doing. All of that, and I still suck. Oh well.
Excellent video Jay. I agree when you find a great repairman stick with him and look after him. I have a great technician in the UK called Paul Carrington who also can make keys and pads for any woodwind and even make a new horn better. Even a top of the range one. I think it's a great career for a youngster who likes instruments and has musical skills to take up. There are several colleges that teach these skills. It's also good if you have a teacher who can show you some emergency fixes too, but I agree Jay take it to a good technician A good investment is to get a leak light to check your horn to see if it is leaking. The saxophone is a sensitive instrument. Thanks for all you great videos. Jay. God bless you and yours. Bill. UK
I gotta say as a guitarist I'm envious of sax players when it comes to repair! A big chunk of metal seems so much more stable than two pieces of wood joined in the center with string tension trying to constantly fold it in two. Damn guitars, if a full setup is not preformed every year the instrument is basically unplayable.....seasonal humidity changes alone are cause for seasonal trips to a tech!
Great Video Jay! I recently found a sax technician in my area and ended up bringing my Yamaha YTS 62iii to him because I was having issues with my Lower B,Bb,C,C# notes, and noticed my neck was loose a bit. The saxophone was purchased 2 years ago (brand new)and I had noticed an issue with the neck and getting my lower notes on the horn from the beginning ,so I brought the instrument back to where I purchased the horn and left it with them for a week. When I picked up the horn they told me that everything was fine and that I shouldn't touch the neck because it was brand new and that if it was a little loose it would become tighter as I played due to metal getting oxidized on the tenon part of the neck. So I believed nothing was wrong with the horn and assumed it was me having issues either due to my mouthpiece or reed etc. Well I'll tell you that my new sax tech pointed out to me that my neck was loose and it needed some other minor adjustments as well. He ended up fixing the neck and reseated some pads and it now plays better than it ever did!! I learned from my tech guy that just because it's a new instrument doesn't mean it doesn't need any adjustments.
I recall having one of my Tenors (a 1947 "The Martin") given a complete mechanical overhaul and repad by an excellent technician. It was expensive. However, in the end, I discovered what a brand new Martin probably was like in 1947. Albeit with teflon, synthetic cork, kangaroo pads, and Noyek resonators. A friend played in and said "This is a be-boppers dream. Amazing action. Was it worth the money. Yes. I don't play tenor that much but it's nice knowing that the horn will not be the problem when I do.
I don't have a sax yet (I want a tenor, used to play years ago) but I do play clarinet and the problems you face are about the same. I used to work on my own and the new pads always made the keys feel out of whack. Of course, I'm not a professional on either playing or fixing it, but this is helpful and know what to watch for. I have a Selmer Series 10 (very old clarinet) and it is waaaaaayyyyy overdue for an overhaul.
Awesome tips! I just took my saxes in for a checkup, so the timing is perfect. If you're in the South Bay of California, Frankie is an outstanding technician and he's based out of Music and Arts in Aneheim! Highly recommend him!
Hey, this video is great! As a repair technician I couldn’t agree more with the info presented in this video. Thank you for making all this information accessible to all the players out there that may, or may not, need some work done on their horns! I couldn’t have said it better myself. :)
I have a very old beri that need a complete overhaul. I adopted it from an elementary school so it has been used and abused. It still plays, but the bell is detached, the pads leak, there are some broken guard, etc... oh and don’t even get me started on the smell! Haha 😆 i’ve been watching all of your videos to see if I can work up the courage to do my own overhaul. Thank you for everything you upload!
My repairman has a deal for “pro” saxophonists. He charges a flat $100 a year to bring the horn in once a year for normal maintenance,and he does anything it needs, from replacing several pads to just a leak check and adjustment.
I play a sop, not very well, but taking lessons. I had to switch from alto due to a shoulder injury, it was to heavy and I couldn’t play on the side. I loved the sound and ease of playing my alto. The sop is a challenge, and until I can get the beautiful tone out of it from playing it well, I’m not as motivated to practice, I don’t hear the ‘soul’ that the alto does. I cheat, put my alto on a stand to hold it up, in front of me. Thanks, you have motivated me to practice and check my G-stack for movement ☺️
Appreciate your coverage of many of concerns of the player and role of technician, and how to get a saxophone in the condition that it ought to be. I'm a new player, and bought an old player's instrument with serious octave change issue's, but my investment was low and I'm willing to learn the nuances of this very personal portion of the tuning of this amazing instrument. Then I understand when things are in need of attention, and how I am to address it. Then I can fully be a part of the instruments life as I give it the care it deserves. It will make me a better player in theory, being aware of shortcomings the Sax is experiencing. Great advice for the player from a technical side. Thank you my friend.
I just had my saxophone adjusted and cleaned and they did a good job, so when I was looking for any problems with my sax during this video, I could not find any! But a very good video to show us what to watch out for! Love your videos!!
What I have done is to send my horn to a good shop and ask them to assess the horn and do what needs to be done. My tenor needed a rebalance, my alto only needed minor adjustment. The results for both were horns that were a joy to play. I am no expert, and have had mixed results using local technicians, who usually only deal with high school band instruments. I found a guy in New Jersey I sent my horns to now.
Really enjoyed this Jay .. thank you! I’ve got a whole heavy smoker thing going on in my case any way .. cig papers to dry pads lighter fluid to clean them .. 🤣 one lovely older chap in my class last year.. we called him cheeky John cos he puffed his cheeks out to play.. bless him was struggling with his alto to get notes.. turned out it wasn’t his fault at all the horn needed a total overhaul! Since that he was able to play much easier!! Actually one of my altos has a clicky octave key .. it’s def the mechanism becasuse if I tilt it to one side it doesn’t click! You can see the pin in the action is too high so I’ll try to adjust it ... we have to travel quite a distance to the nearest repair man! 👍👍
I bought my Mark VI new when I was a sophomore in high school back in ‘74. It was repadded for the first time in ‘94 then again in 2017. I waited WAY too long between visits to the shop. Gradualism causes the player to make physical adjustments; closing the keys with more pressure, altering the embouchure on lower notes. It can take the joy out of playing. Find a good tech, get your sax in regularly.
Like Bob mentioned, I experienced the phenomenon of gradual decline in performance that I finally rectified years later than I should have. I even changed my mouthpiece to try to get the sound I wanted on my 40ish year old Mark VII alto. Leaks all over the place, particularly on the left hand keys. All new pads and appropriate adjustments and I went back to my original mouthpiece/reed combo with a sound much closer approaching my desired sound concept than before the "overhaul".
So I've been using as my primary horn on a GTA70-GL for two years. It's a Taiwan Selmer Series II copy. So my palm e, low e flat, and low B were leaking and I took it in for an adjustment.
Thanks, Jay and you too Bob. I am a big fan of both of you. Jay, these are things I've read about but it is so helpful to see them demonstrated in a video. I am fortunate to have an excellent tech about and hour and a half away. Now I will know when to bring my horn in. How did we amateur saxophone players ever get by before RUclips!
There is only one person I trust with my saxes and he has been repairing my horns since I was 15! I am lucky he isn't fully retired but I should bring in some yummy treats when I pick up my alto today. About 20 years ago I tried a fellow sax playing friend out that repairs and it was a bummer because he made the keys have too much resistance. It took about a year for my selmer sa II to get back to normal. My back up pro alto selmer has been useful. Things happen.
Hugely valuable information, Jay. I think it's so important that players need to understand how the Sax works and, perhaps more importantly, understand what can go wrong and what to expect from a tech. Plus, the music nerd in me is really into the mechanical aspects ;-). As a pure coincidence, my cheap Chinese Alto is in with my local repair tech at the moment, getting a good setup - so it's always good to understand what gets done and what to look for. More videos like his please, and thanks so much for sharing your amazing knowledge.
I repair my own. You should see the hardened dripped shellac from "re-padding" some keys with pads too small, and way too much shellac. I will say this, it plays much better after my repairs, than before. We should have an amateur saxophone repair disaster forum!
The last time I sent my alto sax (Selmer Paris Mark VI) to get a complete overhaul, repaded and complete balance was about 5/6 years ago. It was Emilio from Boston that did the job. He also worked on my Tenor Saxophone (Selmer Paris Mark VII). Emilio did an amazing job. When I gave him my two saxes to work on he had just retired from the music store he worked at near Berklee in Boston, he was about 84 years old God bless his soul. So he actually worked on my saxes at his home. Now after five, almost six years later I am looking where can I take my alto sax to because of the fact of feeling, when I blow into it, it needs to be worked on. I worry about this a lot now. It's like you said finding the right technician can be confounding. What would you recommend. Thank you for all the great things you teach and recommend.
I have a 1915 King tenor that has a sticky E key. It was last overhauled on 1990. I'm thinking it's due. I love the idea of doing one hand at a time. I should bring it in and have the right hand keys worked on.
Thank you Jay, I learned a lot from this video. I have a Mark XI in very good-looking condition, its plays well also. I needed someone to look as it for me after it has been in its case for 20 years, I know, such a waste before I meet my musically inclined wife n wanted to play Coltrane's My one and Only Love at our wedding in 2013. That's when I met the Woodwind mgr/ musician Damian Cremisio at Dillion brass in Woodbrudge NJ. Before this I searched for a repair man to evaluate my horn but the best one I could locate moved from NYC to another state, I think it was Wisconsin, I can't remember but he said I would have to leave it with him for about a year. he was that busy. So under Damien's supervision they replaced a pad (marred the surface of the right hand keys) that had dropped out and replaced the gooseneck cork. So I was set to play for my wedding. I still feel that some key heights could use adjustments and I really desire to have it looked over by a professional. I'm detailed and fussy about my horn and I'm concerned about all the springs and pivot point! Would you be able to tell me how to go about finding a great repair professional?. It's like looking for a needle in a hay stack for someone who has not played regularly over the years, still learning music theory and improvisation. PS, I subscribe to your courses . They are very helpful being that I only learned how to read music in grade school and have stored my axe away for far to many years.
I'm currently in beginning band at my school, and your videos help me a lot. Especially the video where you did the frustration turning into growth. I know that i will never be the best alto sax player in the world, but i do know that with your videos (and practice) that it'll at least help me through the difficult stuff. Thanks a for the video and tips, and i should probably get myself an end plug. because i dont have one :/
I just talked to my Tech. She will see me in almost a month. She is certified and has references/reviews. There are a few keys that are slightly unmatched and need slight alignment. I oil my sax at least every 2 months and clean it after playing it and look at it as I do so. Some of the felts/corks are pretty compressed, the pads are old but they still look good. To be honest I'm starting to think the only thing wrong with it is the nut that holds the saxophone probably needs an adjustment.
Having low B problems? Drop a cork or 2 into the bell. Look it up, is a good fix for sound warbling problems. I did it on my bari and it plays low B a LOT easier with less fluctuations. It really work, it’s physics that the 180 turn at the bottom makes the airflow act like an expansion of the tube, so a cork reduces the volume of the tube a little bit at the turn, correcting the air pressure.
Bob , good video. My son plays a Yamaha tenor and he uses a case that isn't in great shape. I want to minimize the damage we sustain when traveling, and wish to replace it with a higher quality case that will give us better protection from careless bus drivers and parent volunteers abusing the instrument loading and unloading it on band trips. The last time it was bashed into a heavy door, and cost me $100 to re-align the bell! He's a high school marching and concert band player, and the only one allowed to handle his sax besides him now, is another tenor sax band -mate. Proper transporting/handling of a sax might make a good video to produce. Thank You!
I have been trying to teach myself saxophone repair for about 8 years now. It still amazes me how much work goes into an overhaul. The process is long and tedious, and if one detail is off the horn doesn't play to its full potential. A big undiagnosed issue I see is neck tenon fit, almost every horn I see has a leaking neck tenon good way to kill the sound!
Reminds me I need to get the top half of my left hand stack swedged. There is play between the front F and B/bis keys. Also, for end plugs, you can sometimes get traditional wooden ones - if you want to get fancy.
Exactly the same. I wanted to be careful though since I recognize you have your affiliate links - guy needs to get paid after all. I bought two of the traditional plugs for my altos and was lucky they fit. The Key Leaves version looks pretty flexible though for any sax.
Great info. Definitely when you find a great instrument repairer, stick with them. I have been going to the same repairer for the last 30+ years. I am lucky that he happens to be in my city. A majority of the tri-state (plus) symphony, local armed forces band members, university/colleges, and pros (around the states) send their instruments to him. AND he's beyond reasonable. Great video!!!*****
Nice to see an actual pro give advise. There are so many so called pros who have little knowledge. Are you anywhere near NJ I have several Mark VI that need TLC. Guy I used is booked too long.
I’m getting squeaks/notes sound weird on a few notes on my tenor in the higher register. I compared the tenor to my soprano and I noticed the felt on the A key has worn and there’s a space. I’ll be taking it to the technician this week. I have a super action 80 series 2.
Had my selmer series III alto rebuilt twice, (once by someone who didn't know that sax intimately and once by someone who did) and the difference was night and day. The second guys (Kessler and sons out of Las Vegas) did a great job. The only thing I don't like about that sax is that it has soft metal compared to my old student horn which has not been rebuilt since I bought it in like 1995 and it works better now than the selmer series III. Tougher metal. So I'm ditching the Selmer for my old horn again. Plays like butter (some Antigua Winds who knows what horn). Talk about money down the drain. Just needs a few new keys glued in a some springs. No biggy. Will do that myself.
As Bob said, it happens so gradually over time, you don't notice it until you start to struggle. It's happened to me a few times over 50 years of playing. This brings to mind. Be aware that if you are trying out a new or used saxophone, it may be out of adjustment and may be difficult to play. Could be a perfectly good horn and a good buy, but needs a little work. Have it checked...
I need to go check my horn out since my pinkie keys wont lift back up all the way after they are pressed. All springs are in place but I'm thinking it's because the springs are weak but I'm not sure.
When you mentioned taking your horn to a new repair tech and the new repair tech bashes the old, I laughed so hard because that's exactly what happened to me.
Tony Spicer at Woodsy's music in Kent Ohio is phenomenal. He literally keeps a book record of how I like my horns adjusted. I may be taking my Tenor to him soon
This has been a very informative video, Jay. Thanks so much. I have an old Selmer MK vI and recently had it serviced for a minor issue I've been experiencing ... When I hold down my left hand keys including the G# key at the same time playing the lower right hand keys it sometimes (not always) makes a strange wa wa sound. The technician even adjusted that little screw that holds down the G# key and the pad is not even moving.
That means your G# key is opening when it should be closed by the right hand keys with the connection arm. There is an adjustment screw there. You can try turning it 1/8 turn at a time to get it back in adjustment.
@@bettersax, I knew that's what you would say ... LOL ... As I explained in my previous comment, the technician adjusted that screw and also replaced some corks on some moving rails in the lower right hand stack ; they are tiny corks, kind hard to explain in a comment ... I'm beginning to think I have a strange beast for a horn but I love my Selmer. I think I'm going to make a short video and post in the Bettersax forum if you don't mind and maybe that'll ring some bells...
I've been playing my tenor today and it's hardly noticeable at the moment. Must be the weather ... less humidity or whatever ... i don't know ... I think my horn is having mood swings ..... LOL
Thank You Jeff for the Videos I have always found then useful and very helpful. I'm actually in the process of trying to be a Saxophone , Flute and clarinet repair tech. I was wondering if you could do a special video on how you fix Saxophones.
I've a 1949 vintage Buescher 400 Top Hat and Cane alto. It wasn't a vintage horn when I purchased it. It was simply the best alto sax in the pawn shop at the time, a long, longtime ago. I've not been able to find a reliable repair person who is familiar with these horns, let alone one with the snap pads and Norton springs, since the 1990s. Any good recommendations that a retiree on a fixed income who mostly plays charity gigs might afford?
I mentioned to you before on a comment on a previous video you uploaded, but the one issue I have had since day 1 of owning my Yamaha YAS-280 alto is sticking pads. When you did the video on one, the pads were sticking out of the case as was my experience. I cleaned and swabbed out the body and use a pad swab regularly after every play and leave it to dry for a few hours on my stand after practise and use key leaves and several months in, keys still were sticking. I had a year free service where I bought it, so had to send it to them to have a look at. I don't have any local repairers so had to send it via courier. It got there fine, and the repairer replaced some of the pads. I got it back, once again, sticking. Eventually I had a few adjustments to lighten the keywork and had all the pads replaced. Several months since the last check and I am still plagued with sticking pads. The repairer told me the new pads didn't stick when she fixed it and it left her, but as soon as I got it back, it had sticking pads right out of the case and hampering my ability to play properly. If I had someone local I'd definitely take it to them in person but don't and currently at a loss on how to prevent sticking pads more than what I have been doing already. My only thought is that during transport to me, something is causing the pads to stick. Maybe a change in temperature or climate? I can't think of any other reason I'd have permanent sticking pads even after getting it checked several times and the pads replaced. Aside from that one issue, I have had no issues with my saxophone as all the notes come out fine and even, but this feels like a major one as the sticking is making it harder to play. I live just over a mile inland from the coast and don't know if that is adding to my issues.
Try to clean/dry all the pads (closed keys) after you play, with a cigarette paper or a hand paper serviette. I do this ever, and it's the unique way i have not problems, specially with G#. Good luck, regards from Argentina. Dispense my english please..
Have you tried using Yamaha powder paper? It's not a substitute for cleaning the pads but it should sort out the sticking. Been using them for years on my Yamaha 280 alto and they work well.
I have used Yamaha powder paper. That ones one of the first things I tried and used them every so often and it temporarily stops the issue for a day or so, but stopped when it wasn't doing any good and the sticking comes back. I tried using a piece of paper to clean the pads and it helps a little but hasn't fixed the issue. The only pad I don't seem to have issues with is the low Eb (when it does stick it goes away after cleaning), all the rest stick, especially the palm keys, high F# and F key pads have the worst sticking which I put a piece of rolled up paper on the key to prop them open to allow the pads to air dry.
@@ian_s7481 No. I brush my teeth and use mouthwash, floss a while before playing and only drink water. The last time I had it back from repairers, as soon as I got it out of the case it felt very cold to touch and all the pads were sticking. I swabbed it out, used Yamaha powder paper and left it for a day on my stand to air dry but the pads were still sticking when I went to play it so the issue can't fully be down to just anything I am doing that is causing it.
Hi Jay, thank you for this video as comprehensive as it can be considering time/length constraint. Maybe some words could be said about neck problems. I experienced that last week. My tenor sax which was playing great (?) started the next day playing over toned almost an octave because the octave key/pin wasn't closing properly although the play was maybe just a micron. If you don't know you can spend hours thinking to what happened to you your sax or you :-) not to get the right tones
Most excellent Jay! A small silver lining on this whole surrealistic Covid bug thing is that some of us get to catch up on the latest info and tech regarding saxophones and improv through the wonders of RUclips. And guess what, turns out that a lot of new tech is old knowledge restated. Which is a good thing! It was fun to hear Bob Reynolds talk about Emilio Lyons too. I remember trying out mouthpieces in the Saxophone Shop back in the ‘80s (talk about dating ones self!) until finally Emilio told me to just take one home because “ You drivin me-a-crazy!” He did, however, introduce me to Stan Getz a few months later :^) About great players playing leaky horns: A friend got to play Brecker’s sax back in the early ‘80s. Friend (great player) could barely get a note out of it!
Haven't been able to go to the shop in a while, and have just been working with what I have. But after watching this I definitely should seek some professional repair, haha. Not a relatively old sax, not dropped or abused, cleaned after every use. Yet, has a ripped cork assisted by some electrical tape, a few clicky sounding keys, a missing screw in the G# key, and a strange issue where my low C# spring keeps falling off. Possibly just low quality to begin with?
It is not overhaul or nothing for many shops. If you keys are starting to rattle and pads ok, probably just need a clean, oil, and adjustment. If you pads need replacement, then the COA plus pad replacement. If you have loose keys, then an complete overhaul.
I just sent my Bari sax in for repairs after four years of never having it fixed. I’m surprised that I could even play on it because the technician said there was a lot wrong with it, like missing parts and a ton of pads not sealing. I guess I just thought it was something I was doing wrong with my embouchure or something was wrong with my reed.
Thats why, at least for larger work, i take my saxes to my tech. Used to be a guy but he moved to new york to work on flutes. He kicks so much ass tho because I asked for his recommendations and now my repair tech is a woman that works wonders. Shes never spoken ill of my first techs work. I'm suuuuuper fortunate. Honestly, at first i would have flown to NY for the first guy, but the person he recommended, took my bari for a quick re-corking the neck. I play it, she sees one thing, asks for my bari sax, tweaks one thing that idk what it was, but the difference was like riding in a focus to riding in a royce. Just, immediately it felt easier to play and i sounded better. Once ya find a 💯 ⭐ repair tech, life is so much easier as a saxophonist (and honestly, any musician. All musicians need a tech. Even vocallists hace a tech, theyre called doctors)
I've got 2 gigs coming up. Multiple bumps and bangs to my case including a waist high drop and it just wasn't sounding quite right. Around G F# F and E. All the pads look good. But I can tell I'm working a lot harder to get those notes to pop out. Picking it up today or tomorrow. Should be an easy fix for the guy I've been going to the last 16-17 years.
Great video, as usual, Jay. Your videos are always informative and thorough. I always look forward to learning something from you that will help my playing, and you never fail to deliver. Thanks again for all the effort to help us play better.
Thanks for another great video Jay! My video suggestion is on microphones for live performance, bell mic's vs stands (stands allow for some use of distance from the mic for dynamics, background vs solo) and for bell mics, wired vs wireless. Bell mics pick up "key clatter" , in my experience. Also, for wireless. What does it take to get a good sound? Is it the mic quality, the wireless band (UHF vs VHF) ? Thanks!
I'm getting my horn looked at soon for maintenance. Just got back into playing a while ago, so at first it was hard to know if it was the horn, or me. Finally getting a better handle on the difference now, lol. But I'm sure there will be surprises when I take it in anyway!
My friend uses an alto where you have to press down super hard on the right hand keys to make any sound and he has been using a broken reed for like a year. And he somehow manages to play it.
It always amazes me how some phenomenal musicians never bothered to learn about proper maintenance on their instruments. Who knows maybe that’s why they’re so good at playing because they don’t worry about those things instead. I was an audio engineer for years and a guitarist who’s pretty good at setting up guitars, and doing some fixes. I wouldn’t call myself a luthier but if an axe isn’t playing well I can usually make it better. I can’t tell you the number of amazing players that came into the studio whose guitars were almost unplayable. A lot of them would let me take a few hours to tweak the neck, action, intonation, etc and would always be amazed at how much better it would be. I never charged anyone because for me it was about getting the most in the studio for that artist and having properly working tools is vital. Thanks as always for this video.
Really good players can make a bad horn sound like nothing is wrong with it. There would be subtle inconsistencies example the ease of playability that should indicate to the owner that their equipment needs maintenance.
where's your studio located? lol
@@donmilland7606 I am not a repair technician. I do however possess a leaking tenor sax which has become difficult to play in the mid range. Two pro sax players in my country have tested the horn and told me nothing was wrong with it. I concluded that the more proficient players can make any horn sound great on their set up making it easier for some issues to be overlooked. Having an instrument is like owning a car it pays to take the time keep it properly maintained and this includes not only an audible but visual inspection of the pads, springs, cork key working mechanism feel and responsiveness
Had a friend visit me who gets paid to play, so a pro. We were playing together and he asked to try my Selmer. Immediately commented..."That's why you play so hard and loud. Horn needs work." It had to be bad or he would not have said anything other than words of encouragement...very kind guy. Took it to local horn shop. Leaking and tired action. 3 days later and 80 bucks...amazing difference. The deterioration was so gradual, I unconsciously had adjusted my play to compensate. I can now play very quietly. My family is grateful.
My beloved 30M Conn Tenor arrived with no end cap, and consequently a non-functional, partially mangled octave mechanism. Once the metal linkage gets bent out of shape, it could easily break when you try to un-bend it. Vintage parts may not be available. etc, etc. And it's so easy to avoid, just by having, and always using, a proper end cap!
Luckily, I was able to repair my linkage, and the horn is playing great.
0:36
This is how Sax players flirt.
Joshua Carchi Can confirm.
@GounterMcSnounter hahahahahah
yall make this dirtyyyyy lmao
Hahahah
😂😂😂 that was good
Great video, Jay. That dude really needs to get his saxophone fixed! (Loved the cutaway where you play "repair man poo-pooing previous person's work.") lol
Thanks Bob, if I had time I would have done some of those fixes for you. Your horn is not in bad shape but all those vintage horns need a lot of tlc. Can’t wait to hear the recording you guys made that afternoon.
Funnily enough, Jay, Bob, just yesterday I shockingly found a loose small piece of cork spacer.
I gave the sax (YTS-62) a very close scrutiny while I was searching and did notice a couple of things that you mentioned, not bad, a couple of keys - the rods are worn; some corks and felts looking a bit flattened.
Pads were all good. Action seems OK - It's no Yanigasawa
But, It has some noticeable right hand 'clatter' when playing into a mic.on a stand. Do you think I would lose that by getting a bell mic.? I'm fed up of going thru the .WAVs to edit out clatter haha.
Very happy to see Bob's mkVI and you pointing out the deficiencies - makes my Yam look good :)
Very helpful and confidence building video here, thanks guys.
Saw you play with Snarky Puppy a couple of months back in Bournemouth UK.... sounded pretty good to me ;)
thanks Jay. found the cork gap, the E key mechanism behind the guard. Are those called 'Grub Screws' for adjustment? That E adjuster screw is jammed! Also, I found the clatter is from the left hand keys. One rod, 3 posts.
So bell mic.wouldn't help, too close :) I'll have to get it sorted :( - £
Your vids are a great help.
Should I play saxophone or trumpet because I really want to play saxophone
Finding a good saxophone repair man is like finding a good mechanic. You want one that knows what he is doing, is honest , trustworthy and reasonable. That being said, I don't know much about cars besides the regular standard maintenance. I get in and go. Just like my sax. I pick up and play. I know when something is not quite right with both but I don't know how to repair it myself. One thing I do know...my sax needs an end cap. This had to be a joke, Bob did not think the end cap was important lol. This was a good vid.
If there is anyone here who repairs saxophones and lives in the metro Detroit , MI area please leave your contact info.
Great video Jay! I deal with these issues everyday in my job as a band director. Generally people don’t think about these things. Thanks!
I've done Band instrument repair and I related to everything you have said. Most of our local repairman are not the caliber I like, but when you find someone that does a great job, that is the person you patronize. We have a local that is fantastic, both my tenor and alto came back feeling like they knew what to play before I asked to play the note. The action was fantastic. Maintenance such as cleaning, occasionally oiling the keys will keep the costs down when it is time to see the repairman as well. My last go through, Brian felt as if all he had to do was tweak everything to make me happy. Thank you to all the great repairmen and women that go the extra mile for us!
Jay! This is one of the most digestible videos about repair I’ve ever seen. I spend hours a day explaining the difference between a basic service (clean oil adjust) repairs, repads and overhauls in my store. Thank you for putting this video out there.
I have an old horn, definitely need to replace the low Eb key and probably pull it all apart and clean out my horn. I probably should replace a few palm key pads as well. Hi my name is Ben, and it’s been 2 years since my last service.
I just found this video. Great information. It's true there are a lot of really great techs out there, but there are many who are either not as good as they could be or do not yet have the experience to become a great tech, but they will oneday. What is more important than anything is their desire and dedication to learn their craft and continue learning. When someone says they know it all, that is not the type of tech you need touching your instrument. Then there are those who should not be touching your instrument at all. If their only training is from watching youtube or taking their own horn apart and somehow getting it back together, you should run the other way. Don't be afraid to ask who and where a tech was trained, who they worked under, and how long they have been doing this.... If a tech will not tell you this info they are not really a tech. ....
Finally regarding that "Who worked on this last" issue.... Every tech, and I mean EVERY tech can find something wrong with every other techs work. This is because we don't all have the same ideas about what should and should not be done to a sax. Not that this is a bad thing, it's just a difference of perspective and experience. A major warning sign is if a tech openly bad mouths his competition that is a tech that is not confident in his work or any others.
Factory default setting? Well put. If tech doesn't have the right pad thickness stocked for that model, he re-adjust's, or should re-adjust for the proper venting. Just because someone went to trade school for repair, it's experience that makes the difference. If you play as well it helps immensely in diagnosing intonation/response probs. Jay, you been there! For those interested, Wal Mart sells a great product for pro's travelin., or for minor leak work, for teachers, directors, etc. It's simply a florescent tube style appearing lite, will fit all bore sizes, not bari. It has about 10 led's in it, and operates w/3 aAA, or 3 AA's? has 2 brightness settings. Cost me about $10, made by GE., has a removable plastic sleeve. Played a cruise gig a while back,...and it saved my back!!
PS-If your pads are green, chances are that the tone holes are pitted on the face, (saliva acids)....if so, they should be re-leveled and/or polished. Be very careful if you decide to get an overhaul. Some outfits have rookie or careless buffers. They'll make it look pretty,....but as a 45 yr tech. I saw a lot of good horns get ruined,....buffed down tone holes, wheel gouges, body work that was wavy, etc. Good tip on worn key rebuilding Jay! Some times i actually machined hinges and oversized rods on bad mechs. and worn posts.
Great Vid.
Regards,
Gary
When the repair guy looks at it and asks, "you're able to play this?" , you have a problem. I was fighting the sax, not playing it.
It came back feeling completely different, and fun to play.
This is the BEST video of yours I’ve seen. I repair saxes as well (30+ years), and everything you said was absolutely spot on. Nicely done. 👍🏻👍🏻👏👏👏👏👏👏
I inherited an old King Super-20 Tenor Sax when my best friend died. For about a year, after he died, his mother let the horn sit on the screened-in porch. Not good for the horn! Anyway, when I got the horn I had it inspected by a repairman I trust. All the worn pads, corks, felts, etc were replaced. The repairman told me that some of the posts were starting to get loose and needed to be re-attached. Personally, I can't see if the posts are loose (yes, I even tried to jiggle them). One thing I did notice is that, on occasion, when I play a note, the horn is suddenly way out of tune! I guess I need to pry open my wallet and have the horn overhauled!
Can't imagine a better saxophon chanel.! I just can say thank you. Brilliant. Greetings from 🇩🇪
Thank you for this video!!! I started having sound issues from my saxophone that I have had since 5th grade (~30 years ago) with absolutely no work done to it. This was an eye opening lesson on what my Old Yeller needs.
Key height is important. I had a lesson with Greg Fishman a few years ago. He looked at my MVI Tenor and said that my key height was too open. I took it to my my repair guy. He adjusted the key height and bingo.....new horn. Great video on de-mystifying saxophone repair and the mechanics of the instrument.
I just started playing the sax. My friend lent me his USA Selmer tenor. I then bought the Conn-Selmer Alto Prelude from his recommendation. Your videos helped me to check the instrument for any flaws (there were none, and it did not come with white gloves!). This video adds to the wealth of experience and knowledge you generously impart to your viewers. Thank you!!
Just spent a fortune getting my 58 MK VI overhauled, but now I play like an angel :)
I had my Super 20 overhauled early last year. It was a few weeks before the sax was returned, but I had my Zephyr to play. It was worth the cost and I'm glad I had it done. But I don't want to spend that kind of dough on a regular basis. So before I play I clean my mouth. After each time I play I rinse the mouthpiece and reed, run a cloth through the sax, neck and mouthpiece until they are dry to the touch, use a keypad to remove moisture from the pads, and use Key Leaves on the upper and lower keys. The sax stays on my stand, and hasn't seen the inside of the case since the overhaul (which obviously will not work for most people). This ritual takes a good 15 minutes at my leisurely pace. It's good bonding time with my sax that I actually enjoy doing. All of that, and I still suck. Oh well.
Your horn will thank you for that treatment. and your repair tech will forget what you look like.
Excellent video Jay. I agree when you find a great repairman stick with him and look after him. I have a great technician in the UK called Paul Carrington who also can make keys and pads for any woodwind and even make a new horn better. Even a top of the range one. I think it's a great career for a youngster who likes instruments and has musical skills to take up. There are several colleges that teach these skills. It's also good if you have a teacher who can show you some emergency fixes too, but I agree Jay take it to a good technician A good investment is to get a leak light to check your horn to see if it is leaking. The saxophone is a sensitive instrument. Thanks for all you great videos. Jay. God bless you and yours. Bill. UK
I gotta say as a guitarist I'm envious of sax players when it comes to repair! A big chunk of metal seems so much more stable than two pieces of wood joined in the center with string tension trying to constantly fold it in two. Damn guitars, if a full setup is not preformed every year the instrument is basically unplayable.....seasonal humidity changes alone are cause for seasonal trips to a tech!
Great Video Jay!
I recently found a sax technician in my area and ended up bringing my Yamaha YTS 62iii to him because I was having issues with my Lower B,Bb,C,C# notes, and noticed my neck was loose a bit. The saxophone was purchased 2 years ago (brand new)and I had noticed an issue with the neck and getting my lower notes on the horn from the beginning ,so I brought the instrument back to where I purchased the horn and left it with them for a week. When I picked up the horn they told me that everything was fine and that I shouldn't touch the neck because it was brand new and that if it was a little loose it would become tighter as I played due to metal getting oxidized on the tenon part of the neck. So I believed nothing was wrong with the horn and assumed it was me having issues either due to my mouthpiece or reed etc. Well I'll tell you that my new sax tech pointed out to me that my neck was loose and it needed some other minor adjustments as well. He ended up fixing the neck and reseated some pads and it now plays better than it ever did!! I learned from my tech guy that just because it's a new instrument doesn't mean it doesn't need any adjustments.
I recall having one of my Tenors (a 1947 "The Martin") given a complete mechanical overhaul and repad by an excellent technician. It was expensive. However, in the end, I discovered what a brand new Martin probably was like in 1947. Albeit with teflon, synthetic cork, kangaroo pads, and Noyek resonators. A friend played in and said "This is a be-boppers dream. Amazing action. Was it worth the money. Yes. I don't play tenor that much but it's nice knowing that the horn will not be the problem when I do.
Those old horns really need the full treatment to be restored back to the original glory.
I don't have a sax yet (I want a tenor, used to play years ago) but I do play clarinet and the problems you face are about the same. I used to work on my own and the new pads always made the keys feel out of whack. Of course, I'm not a professional on either playing or fixing it, but this is helpful and know what to watch for. I have a Selmer Series 10 (very old clarinet) and it is waaaaaayyyyy overdue for an overhaul.
Awesome tips! I just took my saxes in for a checkup, so the timing is perfect. If you're in the South Bay of California, Frankie is an outstanding technician and he's based out of Music and Arts in Aneheim! Highly recommend him!
Hey, this video is great! As a repair technician I couldn’t agree more with the info presented in this video. Thank you for making all this information accessible to all the players out there that may, or may not, need some work done on their horns! I couldn’t have said it better myself. :)
I have a very old beri that need a complete overhaul. I adopted it from an elementary school so it has been used and abused. It still plays, but the bell is detached, the pads leak, there are some broken guard, etc... oh and don’t even get me started on the smell! Haha 😆 i’ve been watching all of your videos to see if I can work up the courage to do my own overhaul. Thank you for everything you upload!
My repairman has a deal for “pro” saxophonists. He charges a flat $100 a year to bring the horn in once a year for normal maintenance,and he does anything it needs, from replacing several pads to just a leak check and adjustment.
I play a sop, not very well, but taking lessons. I had to switch from alto due to a shoulder injury, it was to heavy and I couldn’t play on the side. I loved the sound and ease of playing my alto. The sop is a challenge, and until I can get the beautiful tone out of it from playing it well, I’m not as motivated to practice, I don’t hear the ‘soul’ that the alto does. I cheat, put my alto on a stand to hold it up, in front of me. Thanks, you have motivated me to practice and check my G-stack for movement ☺️
Appreciate your coverage of many of concerns of the player and role of technician, and how to get a saxophone in the condition that it ought to be. I'm a new player, and bought an old player's instrument with serious octave change issue's, but my investment was low and I'm willing to learn the nuances of this very personal portion of the tuning of this amazing instrument. Then I understand when things are in need of attention, and how I am to address it. Then I can fully be a part of the instruments life as I give it the care it deserves. It will make me a better player in theory, being aware of shortcomings the Sax is experiencing. Great advice for the player from a technical side. Thank you my friend.
Great video! Bob is one of my favorite players and jazz personalities.
i really enjoy watching and understand you really do care about the insturments
I just had my saxophone adjusted and cleaned and they did a good job, so when I was looking for any problems with my sax during this video, I could not find any! But a very good video to show us what to watch out for! Love your videos!!
What I have done is to send my horn to a good shop and ask them to assess the horn and do what needs to be done. My tenor needed a rebalance, my alto only needed minor adjustment. The results for both were horns that were a joy to play. I am no expert, and have had mixed results using local technicians, who usually only deal with high school band instruments. I found a guy in New Jersey I sent my horns to now.
Really enjoyed this Jay .. thank you! I’ve got a whole heavy smoker thing going on in my case any way .. cig papers to dry pads lighter fluid to clean them .. 🤣 one lovely older chap in my class last year.. we called him cheeky John cos he puffed his cheeks out to play.. bless him was struggling with his alto to get notes.. turned out it wasn’t his fault at all the horn needed a total overhaul! Since that he was able to play much easier!!
Actually one of my altos has a clicky octave key .. it’s def the mechanism becasuse if I tilt it to one side it doesn’t click! You can see the pin in the action is too high so I’ll try to adjust it ... we have to travel quite a distance to the nearest repair man! 👍👍
I bought my Mark VI new when I was a sophomore in high school back in ‘74. It was repadded for the first time in ‘94 then again in 2017. I waited WAY too long between visits to the shop. Gradualism causes the player to make physical adjustments; closing the keys with more pressure, altering the embouchure on lower notes. It can take the joy out of playing. Find a good tech, get your sax in regularly.
Good info Sir. Thank you!
How much $ does it take? Like for an alto.
Like Bob mentioned, I experienced the phenomenon of gradual decline in performance that I finally rectified years later than I should have. I even changed my mouthpiece to try to get the sound I wanted on my 40ish year old Mark VII alto. Leaks all over the place, particularly on the left hand keys. All new pads and appropriate adjustments and I went back to my original mouthpiece/reed combo with a sound much closer approaching my desired sound concept than before the "overhaul".
Lucky Bob - to get his horn fixed by you...
Great video, tnx
Keep it up...
So I've been using as my primary horn on a GTA70-GL for two years. It's a Taiwan Selmer Series II copy. So my palm e, low e flat, and low B were leaking and I took it in for an adjustment.
Thanks, Jay and you too Bob. I am a big fan of both of you. Jay, these are things I've read about but it is so helpful to see them demonstrated in a video. I am fortunate to have an excellent tech about and hour and a half away. Now I will know when to bring my horn in. How did we amateur saxophone players ever get by before RUclips!
There is only one person I trust with my saxes and he has been repairing my horns since I was 15! I am lucky he isn't fully retired but I should bring in some yummy treats when I pick up my alto today. About 20 years ago I tried a fellow sax playing friend out that repairs and it was a bummer because he made the keys have too much resistance. It took about a year for my selmer sa II to get back to normal. My back up pro alto selmer has been useful. Things happen.
Hugely valuable information, Jay. I think it's so important that players need to understand how the Sax works and, perhaps more importantly, understand what can go wrong and what to expect from a tech. Plus, the music nerd in me is really into the mechanical aspects ;-). As a pure coincidence, my cheap Chinese Alto is in with my local repair tech at the moment, getting a good setup - so it's always good to understand what gets done and what to look for. More videos like his please, and thanks so much for sharing your amazing knowledge.
I repair my own. You should see the hardened dripped shellac from "re-padding" some keys with pads too small, and way too much shellac. I will say this, it plays much better after my repairs, than before. We should have an amateur saxophone repair disaster forum!
The last time I sent my alto sax (Selmer Paris Mark VI) to get a complete overhaul, repaded and complete balance was about 5/6 years ago. It was Emilio from Boston that did the job. He also worked on my Tenor Saxophone (Selmer Paris Mark VII). Emilio did an amazing job. When I gave him my two saxes to work on he had just retired from the music store he worked at near Berklee in Boston, he was about 84 years old God bless his soul. So he actually worked on my saxes at his home. Now after five, almost six years later I am looking where can I take my alto sax to because of the fact of feeling, when I blow into it, it needs to be worked on. I worry about this a lot now. It's like you said finding the right technician can be confounding. What would you recommend. Thank you for all the great things you teach and recommend.
Boston Sax Shop
I have a 1915 King tenor that has a sticky E key. It was last overhauled on 1990. I'm thinking it's due. I love the idea of doing one hand at a time. I should bring it in and have the right hand keys worked on.
It doesn't necessarily need an overhaul. Sometimes just a cleaning of the existing pads make them like new again.
Thank you Jay, I learned a lot from this video. I have a Mark XI in very good-looking condition, its plays well also. I needed someone to look as it for me after it has been in its case for 20 years, I know, such a waste before I meet my musically inclined wife n wanted to play Coltrane's My one and Only Love at our wedding in 2013. That's when I met the Woodwind mgr/ musician Damian Cremisio at Dillion brass in Woodbrudge NJ. Before this I searched for a repair man to evaluate my horn but the best one I could locate moved from NYC to another state, I think it was Wisconsin, I can't remember but he said I would have to leave it with him for about a year. he was that busy. So under Damien's supervision they replaced a pad (marred the surface of the right hand keys) that had dropped out and replaced the gooseneck cork. So I was set to play for my wedding. I still feel that some key heights could use adjustments and I really desire to have it looked over by a professional. I'm detailed and fussy about my horn and I'm concerned about all the springs and pivot point! Would you be able to tell me how to go about finding a great repair professional?. It's like looking for a needle in a hay stack for someone who has not played regularly over the years, still learning music theory and improvisation. PS, I subscribe to your courses . They are very helpful being that I only learned how to read music in grade school and have stored my axe away for far to many years.
Get a hold of Jack Finucane at Boston Sax Shop
I'm currently in beginning band at my school, and your videos help me a lot. Especially the video where you did the frustration turning into growth. I know that i will never be the best alto sax player in the world, but i do know that with your videos (and practice) that it'll at least help me through the difficult stuff. Thanks a for the video and tips, and i should probably get myself an end plug. because i dont have one :/
Strive to be the best version of yourself, that's all any of us can do.
@@bettersax Thanks, I'll try :)
I just talked to my Tech. She will see me in almost a month. She is certified and has references/reviews. There are a few keys that are slightly unmatched and need slight alignment. I oil my sax at least every 2 months and clean it after playing it and look at it as I do so. Some of the felts/corks are pretty compressed, the pads are old but they still look good.
To be honest I'm starting to think the only thing wrong with it is the nut that holds the saxophone probably needs an adjustment.
Having low B problems? Drop a cork or 2 into the bell. Look it up, is a good fix for sound warbling problems. I did it on my bari and it plays low B a LOT easier with less fluctuations. It really work, it’s physics that the 180 turn at the bottom makes the airflow act like an expansion of the tube, so a cork reduces the volume of the tube a little bit at the turn, correcting the air pressure.
Same here with my 1931 RS Berkeley. Found bottom 2 pads leaking slightly . Adjusted ok. No warble now.
I do my own maintenance work... Great info and video... Thanks man
brilliant, thinking about reviving my mkVii and this inspired me even more
Ultra Hip Insight !!!!! Thank you Jay . Thank you Bob revealing how bad it can be and still play!
Thanks Bob, you don't have issues like this though living around the corner from the best repair shop on the planet.
You got that right-incredibly lucky. By the way, it is Peter Jessen´s 25th anniversary at the shop!
what a great vlog! This is much needed and very entertaining too.
Bob , good video. My son plays a Yamaha tenor and he uses a case that isn't in great shape. I want to minimize the damage we sustain when traveling, and wish to replace it with a higher quality case that will give us better protection from careless bus drivers and parent volunteers abusing the instrument loading and unloading it on band trips.
The last time it was bashed into a heavy door, and cost me $100 to re-align the bell!
He's a high school marching and concert band player, and the only one allowed to handle his sax besides him now, is another tenor sax band -mate. Proper transporting/handling of a sax might make a good video to produce. Thank You!
I have been trying to teach myself saxophone repair for about 8 years now. It still amazes me how much work goes into an overhaul. The process is long and tedious, and if one detail is off the horn doesn't play to its full potential. A big undiagnosed issue I see is neck tenon fit, almost every horn I see has a leaking neck tenon good way to kill the sound!
Why am I watching and enjoying this? I don't even own a saxophone.
Reminds me I need to get the top half of my left hand stack swedged. There is play between the front F and B/bis keys. Also, for end plugs, you can sometimes get traditional wooden ones - if you want to get fancy.
yeah like the one I have in my tenor in this video.
Exactly the same. I wanted to be careful though since I recognize you have your affiliate links - guy needs to get paid after all.
I bought two of the traditional plugs for my altos and was lucky they fit. The Key Leaves version looks pretty flexible though for any sax.
This video help me out a LOT thank you soooooo much Better Sax. If it weren’t for you my sax would look terrible
Great info. Definitely when you find a great instrument repairer, stick with them. I have been going to the same repairer for the last 30+ years. I am lucky that he happens to be in my city. A majority of the tri-state (plus) symphony, local armed forces band members, university/colleges, and pros (around the states) send their instruments to him. AND he's beyond reasonable. Great video!!!*****
1957 MKVI alto, has only ever had the octave pad (neck) and E flat pad replaced, and neck cork. Needs a complete overhaul.....saving $ now.
Definitely worth it to pay the premium for a horn like that.
That was very informative. Thank you for posting it.
Jay, this was an absolutely great video! Much important information concisely shown and explained. Thank you!
I play a Conn Connqueror 30M, thanks for the great information.
Nice to see an actual pro give advise. There are so many so called pros who have little knowledge. Are you anywhere near NJ I have several Mark VI that need TLC. Guy I used is booked too long.
I’m getting squeaks/notes sound weird on a few notes on my tenor in the higher register.
I compared the tenor to my soprano and I noticed the felt on the A key has worn and there’s a space.
I’ll be taking it to the technician this week.
I have a super action 80 series 2.
Had my selmer series III alto rebuilt twice, (once by someone who didn't know that sax intimately and once by someone who did) and the difference was night and day. The second guys (Kessler and sons out of Las Vegas) did a great job. The only thing I don't like about that sax is that it has soft metal compared to my old student horn which has not been rebuilt since I bought it in like 1995 and it works better now than the selmer series III. Tougher metal. So I'm ditching the Selmer for my old horn again. Plays like butter (some Antigua Winds who knows what horn). Talk about money down the drain. Just needs a few new keys glued in a some springs. No biggy. Will do that myself.
As Bob said, it happens so gradually over time, you don't notice it until you start to struggle. It's happened to me a few times over 50 years of playing. This brings to mind. Be aware that if you are trying out a new or used saxophone, it may be out of adjustment and may be difficult to play. Could be a perfectly good horn and a good buy, but needs a little work. Have it checked...
I need to go check my horn out since my pinkie keys wont lift back up all the way after they are pressed. All springs are in place but I'm thinking it's because the springs are weak but I'm not sure.
When you mentioned taking your horn to a new repair tech and the new repair tech bashes the old, I laughed so hard because that's exactly what happened to me.
Tony Spicer at Woodsy's music in Kent Ohio is phenomenal. He literally keeps a book record of how I like my horns adjusted. I may be taking my Tenor to him soon
Great Video, I might need sax repairs in the future. Now I know where to reference. Thankx
This has been a very informative video, Jay. Thanks so much. I have an old Selmer MK vI and recently had it serviced for a minor issue I've been experiencing ... When I hold down my left hand keys including the G# key at the same time playing the lower right hand keys it sometimes (not always) makes a strange wa wa sound. The technician even adjusted that little screw that holds down the G# key and the pad is not even moving.
You probably have a leak on the 2 pads immediately below the G# key.
That means your G# key is opening when it should be closed by the right hand keys with the connection arm. There is an adjustment screw there. You can try turning it 1/8 turn at a time to get it back in adjustment.
@@bettersax, I knew that's what you would say ... LOL ... As I explained in my previous comment, the technician adjusted that screw and also replaced some corks on some moving rails in the lower right hand stack ; they are tiny corks, kind hard to explain in a comment ... I'm beginning to think I have a strange beast for a horn but I love my Selmer. I think I'm going to make a short video and post in the Bettersax forum if you don't mind and maybe that'll ring some bells...
I've been playing my tenor today and it's hardly noticeable at the moment. Must be the weather ... less humidity or whatever ... i don't know ... I think my horn is having mood swings ..... LOL
A wonderful video. Many thanks.
Thank You Jeff for the Videos I have always found then useful and very helpful.
I'm actually in the process of trying to be a Saxophone , Flute and clarinet repair tech. I was wondering if you could do a special video on how you fix Saxophones.
saw a video about adjusting g bar screw for notes below low c helpfull
Another very good vid!! Thanks
Thanks for making these videos...I've learned a lot from watching them.
I’m hoping to chat to Bob at the GroundUp Music Festival in Miami in a fortnight and I will certainly mention I watched these two vlogs.
I've a 1949 vintage Buescher 400 Top Hat and Cane alto. It wasn't a vintage horn when I purchased it. It was simply the best alto sax in the pawn shop at the time, a long, longtime ago. I've not been able to find a reliable repair person who is familiar with these horns, let alone one with the snap pads and Norton springs, since the 1990s. Any good recommendations that a retiree on a fixed income who mostly plays charity gigs might afford?
I mentioned to you before on a comment on a previous video you uploaded, but the one issue I have had since day 1 of owning my Yamaha YAS-280 alto is sticking pads. When you did the video on one, the pads were sticking out of the case as was my experience. I cleaned and swabbed out the body and use a pad swab regularly after every play and leave it to dry for a few hours on my stand after practise and use key leaves and several months in, keys still were sticking. I had a year free service where I bought it, so had to send it to them to have a look at. I don't have any local repairers so had to send it via courier. It got there fine, and the repairer replaced some of the pads. I got it back, once again, sticking. Eventually I had a few adjustments to lighten the keywork and had all the pads replaced.
Several months since the last check and I am still plagued with sticking pads. The repairer told me the new pads didn't stick when she fixed it and it left her, but as soon as I got it back, it had sticking pads right out of the case and hampering my ability to play properly. If I had someone local I'd definitely take it to them in person but don't and currently at a loss on how to prevent sticking pads more than what I have been doing already.
My only thought is that during transport to me, something is causing the pads to stick. Maybe a change in temperature or climate? I can't think of any other reason I'd have permanent sticking pads even after getting it checked several times and the pads replaced. Aside from that one issue, I have had no issues with my saxophone as all the notes come out fine and even, but this feels like a major one as the sticking is making it harder to play. I live just over a mile inland from the coast and don't know if that is adding to my issues.
Try to clean/dry all the pads (closed keys) after you play, with a cigarette paper or a hand paper serviette. I do this ever, and it's the unique way i have not problems, specially with G#.
Good luck, regards from Argentina.
Dispense my english please..
Have you tried using Yamaha powder paper? It's not a substitute for cleaning the pads but it should sort out the sticking. Been using them for years on my Yamaha 280 alto and they work well.
I have used Yamaha powder paper. That ones one of the first things I tried and used them every so often and it temporarily stops the issue for a day or so, but stopped when it wasn't doing any good and the sticking comes back. I tried using a piece of paper to clean the pads and it helps a little but hasn't fixed the issue. The only pad I don't seem to have issues with is the low Eb (when it does stick it goes away after cleaning), all the rest stick, especially the palm keys, high F# and F key pads have the worst sticking which I put a piece of rolled up paper on the key to prop them open to allow the pads to air dry.
Are you eating or drinking before playing? You may be blowing stuff through your horn.
@@ian_s7481 No. I brush my teeth and use mouthwash, floss a while before playing and only drink water. The last time I had it back from repairers, as soon as I got it out of the case it felt very cold to touch and all the pads were sticking. I swabbed it out, used Yamaha powder paper and left it for a day on my stand to air dry but the pads were still sticking when I went to play it so the issue can't fully be down to just anything I am doing that is causing it.
Great video, saw some things I need to get checked.
Hi Jay, thank you for this video as comprehensive as it can be considering time/length constraint. Maybe some words could be said about neck problems. I experienced that last week. My tenor sax which was playing great (?) started the next day playing over toned almost an octave because the octave key/pin wasn't closing properly although the play was maybe just a micron. If you don't know you can spend hours thinking to what happened to you your sax or you :-) not to get the right tones
Just moved to Vegas and I need a tech! You got one? Thanks
FYI. Love my Emeo!!!
Most excellent Jay! A small silver lining on this whole surrealistic Covid bug thing is that some of us get to catch up on the latest info and tech regarding saxophones and improv through the wonders of RUclips. And guess what, turns out that a lot of new tech is old knowledge restated. Which is a good thing!
It was fun to hear Bob Reynolds talk about Emilio Lyons too. I remember trying out mouthpieces in the Saxophone Shop back in the ‘80s (talk about dating ones self!) until finally Emilio told me to just take one home because “ You drivin me-a-crazy!” He did, however, introduce me to Stan Getz a few months later :^)
About great players playing leaky horns: A friend got to play Brecker’s sax back in the early ‘80s. Friend (great player) could barely get a note out of it!
Haven't been able to go to the shop in a while, and have just been working with what I have. But after watching this I definitely should seek some professional repair, haha. Not a relatively old sax, not dropped or abused, cleaned after every use. Yet, has a ripped cork assisted by some electrical tape, a few clicky sounding keys, a missing screw in the G# key, and a strange issue where my low C# spring keeps falling off. Possibly just low quality to begin with?
It is not overhaul or nothing for many shops. If you keys are starting to rattle and pads ok, probably just need a clean, oil, and adjustment. If you pads need replacement, then the COA plus pad replacement. If you have loose keys, then an complete overhaul.
I just sent my Bari sax in for repairs after four years of never having it fixed. I’m surprised that I could even play on it because the technician said there was a lot wrong with it, like missing parts and a ton of pads not sealing. I guess I just thought it was something I was doing wrong with my embouchure or something was wrong with my reed.
Great video, Jay. Thanks for some really good tips.
Thats why, at least for larger work, i take my saxes to my tech.
Used to be a guy but he moved to new york to work on flutes. He kicks so much ass tho because I asked for his recommendations and now my repair tech is a woman that works wonders. Shes never spoken ill of my first techs work.
I'm suuuuuper fortunate. Honestly, at first i would have flown to NY for the first guy, but the person he recommended, took my bari for a quick re-corking the neck. I play it, she sees one thing, asks for my bari sax, tweaks one thing that idk what it was, but the difference was like riding in a focus to riding in a royce. Just, immediately it felt easier to play and i sounded better.
Once ya find a 💯 ⭐ repair tech, life is so much easier as a saxophonist (and honestly, any musician. All musicians need a tech. Even vocallists hace a tech, theyre called doctors)
I've got 2 gigs coming up. Multiple bumps and bangs to my case including a waist high drop and it just wasn't sounding quite right. Around G F# F and E.
All the pads look good. But I can tell I'm working a lot harder to get those notes to pop out.
Picking it up today or tomorrow. Should be an easy fix for the guy I've been going to the last 16-17 years.
Great video, as usual, Jay. Your videos are always informative and thorough. I always look forward to learning something from you that will help my playing, and you never fail to deliver. Thanks again for all the effort to help us play better.
Oh also, i need a felt stopper for my low B and cork pad for my right hand palm keys.
Thanks for another great video Jay! My video suggestion is on microphones for live performance, bell mic's vs stands (stands allow for some use of distance from the mic for dynamics, background vs solo) and for bell mics, wired vs wireless. Bell mics pick up "key clatter" , in my experience. Also, for wireless. What does it take to get a good sound? Is it the mic quality, the wireless band (UHF vs VHF) ? Thanks!
I'm getting my horn looked at soon for maintenance. Just got back into playing a while ago, so at first it was hard to know if it was the horn, or me. Finally getting a better handle on the difference now, lol. But I'm sure there will be surprises when I take it in anyway!
My friend uses an alto where you have to press down super hard on the right hand keys to make any sound and he has been using a broken reed for like a year. And he somehow manages to play it.
Great. Thanks 👍🏻
Ever hear of a shop called Tenor Madness. They bought my 1960 Selmer Mark VI for 9;000. The owner was a very nice guy.
Thanks for sharing
Very helpful