Tech/maintenance alto sax difficulties with lower notes

[teoman]

My G# key has been feeling loose for 2 days and playing lower notes has gotten more difficult. I am not sure if I have knocked a spring or something when I was cleaning the sax the other day. I am on a yas-280. But it still closes when the key is up and opens when I press it down. I checked the neck, produces the regular Ab when I play the neck alone. Although, when the neck is attached to the saxophone and I am physically holding down the octave key itself, lower notes are easier to produce. The octave pad on the neck feels fimrer neck alone, when attached still closed but not as firm.

 

[Dr G]

My G# key has been feeling loose for 2 days and playing lower notes has gotten more difficult. I am not sure if I have knocked a spring or something when I was cleaning the sax the other day. I am on a yas-280. But it still closes when the key is up and opens when I press it down. I checked the neck, produces the regular Ab when I play the neck alone. Although, when the neck is attached to the saxophone and I am physically holding down the octave key itself, lower notes are easier to produce. The octave pad on the neck feels fimrer neck alone, when attached still closed but not as firm.

That sounds like you may have bent the neck octave key. Check to see if there is sufficient lost motion to let the octave key shut entirely when it is supposed to. I like a lil’ slack in the octave mechanism rather than a hair trigger.

 

[atwl77]

Might also be the octave key arm got bent, could happen if you accidentally bump it while handling, or did not properly store the saxophone without the end plug.