Bottom end on a Trevor James 'The Horn' Alto

[chadders]

A couple of years ago I bought a Yani A901 to replace my Trevor James 'The Horn' Alto . The Yani was much easier to play and I never looked back. Until now. I have started gigging and am a bit worried about damaging the Yani so thought I would get the TJ out and have a blast on it with the intention of using it as a gigger.

The TJ suffered a bit of damage when it fell off an open strap hook when my son was using it ( before I started to learn 6 years ago) so has a bit of textured look on the bottom of the bell u bend - I had it straightened out at the time but there is still a bit of denting visible ( but its better than it was !!) I am mentioning this as I think this may be the source of a problem I have always had with the TJ. The low C motor boats when you play it which I have got around by bunging a cork in the bell.

However since retrying the TJ a couple of days ago after two years of it being stuck in a darkened case I find the bottom end of the sax very hard if not impossible to get. It seems to be from low D downwards - the D & C# sound but the quality is thin - the C B & Bb octave up and it only by reducing breath to a whisper will they sometimes sound.at the correct pitch.

Any ideas if the problem might be linkage/ mechanical or related to the denting in the bell?

ta
Chad

 

[Colin the Bear]

Trouble with low notes can be a leak anywhere further up. If it's been sat in a case for a couple of years cork may have shrunk, leather may have dried out. It may need playing in and regulating.

 

[chadders]

Doh ! I didn't think of that - I think I'll take it to a tech for a once over-Thank you
Chad

 

[Steve Marshall]

Check the low Eb spring. Under pressure that can lift and the spring pushes it back so it bounces. Similarly the side C or Bb can do the same thing if the spring is weak. Check all the closed pads and the G# regulation.

 

[chadders]

Thank you - Will check this out - Chad