All sorts of octave problems.....

[BetsyMay]

Ok, so I have a TJ classic - black nickel plated with solid silver crook and it's about 4 years old.
I had sax lessons for about five years and then my teacher sadly passed away and I stopped taking lessons round about 2 years ago. Since then I've played casually on and off when I felt like it - obviously not as intensively as when I had lessons.
My problem is that I picked it up this week wanting to have a nice relaxing play and I couldn't play a D (all fingers and the octave key) without it making a horrendous high pitched sound. I thought it might be that it was my first time playing with a brace on so I persevered and with a LOT of effort controlling my air flow (I'm talking a lot more than should be necessary) I kind of got rid of it.
then yesterday my sax was on my stand and my mum moved it while she was vacuuming and when I came to play today no notes come out right - all are about one octave higher but also slightly squeaky and I can't go up or down an octave from there no matter what I try..... HELP PLEASE!!!!

 

[1954pip]

hi
when i started playing i just could not get a note from the octave key and above so i know how annoying it is ,i don't have an answer but have you got any leaks is your octave key closing /working correctly
pip

 

[Nick Wyver]

It's broken.

Oh, alright then.

Is the octave key on top of the crook open? If it is, remove crook and bend (very carefully) the curved bit of the octave key until the key shuts when reassembled. Check that it doesn't open when you play middle D and only opens for notes above top G#.

 

[BetsyMay]

Hi guys,
I checked my octave keys - the one on the crook is fine but if i put my finger behind the little joint between the buttony bit and the key an pull slightly then it goes back to normal... I'm guessing that suggests that the little octave key on the side isn't shutting properly...... how would I go about fixing it??
thanks!

 

[kevgermany]

suggest you go to a repairer for that one.

 

[BetsyMay]

is that likely to be costly?

 

[kevgermany]

Shouldn't be, but it's a fiddly thing to sort out, depending on what's wrong. There are 2 springs and a complicated linkage making it all work. So it could be something bent/sticking, a spring that needs adjusting.... Or even a spring come off, but you'd have noticed that if it was the case.

 

[Gandalfe]

Wouldn't hurt take to a tech and have him take a look see. They can price that for you. I have lists of woodwind professors in my neck o' the woods who do that kind of think for very reasonable prices. I probably get two or three inquiries a month now. Do you have access to anyone like that? Good luck.

 

[BetsyMay]

I rang my old sax teacher today who also does repairs and things and he said he'll take a look for me hopefully nothing too major :/

 

[Gandalfe]

Make sure you bring him cookies or a cup o' joe! We really have to take better care of our repair techs.

 

[BetsyMay]

haha I'll let him know you don't suppose he'll repair it in exchange for biscuits?

 

[Gandalfe]

I have been known to work for cookies. ;}

 

[les3716]

I agree with the other posts - Time to take it to the tech boys, hope you get it fixed soon - then enjoy!
Les.

 

[griff136]

Sounds to me like you have a problem with your octave mech - either a spring issue or more likely the mechanism is binding on the rod screw (axle)

Theres a great woodwind technician in your neck of the woods - tell him Griff said Hi if you pop in to see him ( we were at college together)

here's his email address - rob@robsansom.co.uk good luck.