Tech/maintenance Abalone key pearls

[DavidUK]

Needed to order from Amazon so I added a set of these to see what they're like: Bnineteenteam Key Buttons for Alto Sax, 9pcs Sax Abalone Shell Key Buttons Saxophone Key Button for soprano, alto and tenor saxophones : Amazon.co.uk: Books

Not expecting much. Most of the "real shell" pearls I've looked at seem to be covered in acrylic which means they're no different than a plastic key surely?

Anyway... for a fiver it's worth a go. Let you know what they're like once they arrive.

 

[JayeNM]

MusicMedic sells these in the US....I have used them at times, per client requiest. You are correct, they are some sorta hybrid real-plastic thing...but they do hold up to heat much better than the usual plastic faux pearl stuff.

 

[jbtsax]

It's a good thing they are made from "qualified" abalone shell. I wouldn't want to install any made from shell that is not qualified. It would lower the resale value. 🙂

 

[DavidUK]

They have a BSsea I believe.







NB. For our overseas friends, that's a play on BSc (batchelor of science degree, from university, aka a qualification.

 

[nigeld]

It's a good thing they are made from "qualified" abalone shell.

Presumably other types of shell have been disqualified.

They have a BSsea I believe.

There certainly seems to be some sort of BS involved.

 

[DavidUK]

Here they are...

Don't like the fact the shell is smaller than the black acrylic base it's set into. At £4.89, I was going to use them on the Ammoon sop, bringing the total spend to £69.89 for it, a Bari Esprit MP and DJS reed. Using these, I think I may devalue this wonderful instrument?

Send them back???

 

[Pete Thomas]

It's a good thing they are made from "qualified" abalone shell. I wouldn't want to install any made from shell that is not qualified. It would lower the resale value. 🙂

Presumably they would not be allowed to import other types as they are on the endangered list. I have heard of guitars not through cusoms due to the illegal Abalone.

Most of the "real shell" pearls I've looked at seem to be covered in acrylic which means they're no different than a plastic key surely?

Well if they are real shell, at least they won't contribute to any pollution of the environment by yet more plastic. It seems like a double edged sword, whatever you think about farming of sea creatures for cosmetic purposes, is it better or worse than unreyclable plastic?

I suppose if the abalone key touches are a by-product of the food industry, I would have no issue - but then many of my Vegan friends probably would.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Pretty.

 

[greenstripe]

Presumably they would not be allowed to import other types as they are on the endangered list. I have heard of guitars not through cusoms due to the illegal Abalone.

I've not heard of it for Abalone - you can always check Species Plus for anything restricted by CITES: Guitars are more likely to have Ivory and rare woods - eg It is illegal to harvest certain hardwoods like Brazilian Rosewood which is considered by some as the holy grail of woods.

 

[BigMartin]

It seems like a double edged sword, whatever you think about farming of sea creatures for cosmetic purposes, is it better or worse than unreyclable plastic?

Is it just cosmetic, though? I have a couple of saxes with abalone pearls and they seem more grippy than plastic. That is, my sweaty fingers don't slip off them so easily.

 

[Pete Thomas]

I've not heard of it for Abalone - you can always check Species Plus for anything restricted by CITES: Guitars are more likely to have Ivory and rare woods - eg It is illegal to harvest certain hardwoods like Brazilian Rosewood which is considered by some as the holy grail of woods.

CITES and ESA - Acoustic Music

Is it just cosmetic, though? I have a couple of saxes with abalone pearls and they seem more grippy than plastic. That is, my sweaty fingers don't slip off them so easily.

I don't know. But there must be some synthetic material that isn't so slippery. Selmer used some kind of black synthetic in the 40s, possibly due to lack of supplies of pearl.

I really liked the olive wood touches that Rampone used. I'm sure ivory would also be nice, but obviously not viable.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Plenty of cowbone knocking about.

 

[Pete Thomas]

I have a nice piece of coprolite form a beach on the IOW. That would make a really nice set of key touches.

Would a diplodocus count as endangered on the CITES list?

 

[Colin the Bear]

Fossilised BS?

 

[DavidUK]

Just to note, some materials are carcinogenic, such as MOP. Don't go making your own without researching the correct H&S.

 

[nigeld]

Would a diplodocus count as endangered on the CITES list?

Just to note, some materials are carcinogenic, such as MOP. Don't go making your own without researching the correct H&S.

Could be the first time that a homo sapiens was killed by a diplodocus.

 

[Dr G]

Just to note, some materials are carcinogenic, such as MOP. Don't go making your own without researching the correct H&S.

That’s if you inhale the dust as you grind it. Don’t inhale dust.

 

[saxmad]

I've bought these in the past from eBay sellers - they're plastic but do the job. I wouldn't want any animal to suffer in order to provide key touch pieces to any of my saxes.

 

[Dr G]

I've bought these in the past from eBay sellers - they're plastic but do the job. I wouldn't want any animal to suffer in order to provide key touch pieces to any of my saxes.

Those still have abalone shell in them - the sections are so thin that they must be supported on a plastic substrate to minimize cracking. Search for “laminated abalone” or “abalone veneer”.

 

[DavidUK]

Test fitted one of the cheapie pearls, quite liked it, carried on...

These were the only two plastic ones which came out whole...

Really dislike the "deep dish" design of the originals. New ones have a slight concave surface, apart from the domed b bis.