Beginner Balance point

[allansto]

lets talk about something else for a while.
Reeds, smeeds

I play a Yamaha Allegro YTS 575 Tenor.
It seems to me that the balance point for the neck strap is in the wrong position.
The horn seems to hang away from my body at the top.Probably on about a forty degree angle to the horizontal.
Is this normal.?
For example If I am about to play a high d then I wont have any fingers on the front keys with the left hand apart from the thumb holding the reg key and the palm pushing the d key.
This tends to try to push the sax side ways and out of my mouth.

If the neck ring was mounted higher however then the sax would hang more vertically and be easier to hold in my mouth .
Does any one ever get the neck ring moved to accomodate this or am I doing something incorrect ?
Or is this a common problem with this sax or model?
Picture included.View attachment 1044sorry dont know how to rotate it

 

[kevgermany]

You'll never win on this one. Older saxes often had the strap mount higher, and then people complain about the mouthpiece hitting them in the teeth...

Some saxes had a triple ring. Some people have made up adjustable rings (there's a post here somewhere showing how to do it). You can get a tech to move it/add another, but this marks the sax and may affect resale value, especially if the buyer prefers the 40° angle of dangle....

 

[aldevis]

In your case I guess you should simply balance the whole horn with your RH thumb.
I have a cheap Chinese horn that tends to "turn right". It is a bit annoying, but still well playable.

My SML has a horrible ring. Some hooks don't get in and some others (rico) keep the Bb key open.... I think I will add some sort of 8-shaped removable thing.

 

[allansto]

kev your Fantastic .
Youve just solved my problem.
I looked at the pics of home made adjustments .
I am a metal fabricator by trade so I will make up a little jig that will fit and allow me to adjust my hang point.
Ill post it on the forum when done.

 

[aldevis]

Allansto, where did you find the pictures?
There might be an answer for my SML

 

[kevgermany]

Allansto, where did you find the pictures?
There might be an answer for my SML

I found it:

http://cafesaxophone.com/showthread...-does-my-vintage-sax-hit-me-in-the-teeth-quot

 

[aldevis]

Thank you Kev. If I manage to find a more elegant solution will let you know.

 

[aldevis]

Well done!
Are you using an extra ring or do you attach your hook directly on the piece?
Neoprene between the thing and the horn?
Bolt soldered on the plaque?

 

[allansto]

no the hook goes directly on to the attached adjuster.I have put a 10 mm hole in it for this purpose.
Also my sax also hung a little to one side so I made the adjuster to fit on the side I wanted to roll to and whallah it cocked over a little as well.
The piece is basically an angle with a cut out to fit over the existing ring and a tapped boss tig welded to the side of it for the retaining bolt. The boss fits neatly into the existing ring.

 

[Nick Wyver]

The horn seems to hang away from my body at the top.Probably on about a forty degree angle to the horizontal.
Is this normal.?

Yes. When you let go of it you don't bash yourself in the teeth. Would also be in the way when you picked up your soprano.

 

[allansto]

I recon I might need to keep the mp protection cap on when not playing so i dont !!!!!
Whats a soprano))

 

[kevgermany]

Nice job, was wondering at first how the boss was attached, but then you said.

Could have been silver soldered as well, I guess.

 

[Tenor Viol]

I recon I might need to keep the mp protection cap on when not playing so i dont !!!!!
Whats a soprano))

Generally female singers with dubious tonality and a tendency to use vibrato over a minor third in order to say that they are singing in tune....:-J Well the right note is in there somewhere :shocked:

Exits very rapidly stage left...;}