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Saxophones Cleaning a saxophone after playing

john4256

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I read somewhere that the use of pad savers (like feather dusters) is not recommended.Some say don't use them at all; others say use them but don't leave them in the instrument.

As a clarinet player I use pull throughs. With regard to the saxophone, pull throughs are awkward because they are either too small to do any real cleaning or too large to pull through the neck. Either way it seems that they will not do the trick.
Has anyone any advice please?
 
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Use a small pull-through on the neck, and a big one on the body.

Another alternative for the neck is a brush on a flexible rod, with a towel like piece at the other end. Scrub, then dry.

There's no real hard evidence for/against pad savers. Lot's of people saying it doesn't sound right, but no-one saying there was a problem with them. Just make sure they don't leave fibres behind. There was one with my alto when I bought it. Have used it, and pull throughs. Now I get the worst out with a pull through and stick the pad saver in. No problems. I don't think I'd use one on a wooden clarinet, though.
 
Iv'e used a padsaver on my alto for the past year and had no problems, also use the pull through after each session so no problems here pleased to say.
 
I use a pull through twice, then put the pad savers in., and this has been my cleaning routine for two years. I believe the pull through absorbs most of the moisture and honestly the pad saver is an afterthought. Some people are in favour, some not. Some people store the sax with the pad savers in, some don't. IIRC, Stephen Howard has an interesting article on it that I believe is available online somewhere, maybe someone can post a link???
Do what you feel happiest with.
 
I leave my sax out on its stand all week. When I do put it away, I have a larger shammy pull through for the body and a smaller cotton pull through for the neck and mouth piece. I use the pull through a couple of times on each part. Then I have a pad saver for the body, but it's only inside the body for a couple of hours, to and from my lesson as that's the only time I put the sax away.
 
BG also produce packs of two small cleaning pads which are designed to remove moisture from the pads - saves them sticking. They are very useful and something I use about once a week. Like Mandy my saxes are mostly out on a stand somewhere safe so that the air can circulate freely. Never used pad savers - can't see any behefit.
 
I use a small pullthrough on the neck after getting most of the moisture out with an old handkerchief.
Then on the body I use a large pullthrough on which I frequently perform a magic trick.
Dangle the weighted tape down the bell, invert sax so that it comes out of the top and pull it through, the tape now has a knot in it.
 
...Then on the body I use a large pullthrough on which I frequently perform a magic trick.
Dangle the weighted tape down the bell, invert sax so that it comes out of the top and pull it through, the tape now has a knot in it.

I must have got one of your old ones with a second hand sax I bought. Took me hours to get all the knots out. ;}
 
This is what I do after playing my sax.

1. Roll a bit of paper and place it down to the bow. Roll another bit of paper and place it in the top of the saxbody. Turn your sax upside down so most of moisture soaks up. Remove the ”paper rolls”.
2. Pull a swab through the sax body a couples of times. I use swabs out of good qaulity. They should soak up the moisture. And they shold also be washable.
3. Insert a pad saver. Twist it around so it reach out to the toneholes. I use the original paw saver which i think it’s the best and I leave my pad saver in the sax.
4. Dry all pads with pad paper. No powder. Important that the closed pads are really dry.
5. Wipe of the sax body.
6. Roll a bit of paper and dry the inside of the neck.
7. Before I place the neck in a neckpouch I give the neckcork some cork grease. I store the neck in the bell of the sax.
8. Remove the reed from the mouthpiece and dry it. Store it in a reedholder.
9. Clean the mouthpiece in lukewarm water with some detergent (if possible). Store your mouthpiece in a pouch.

This takes about five minutes to do. And your sax is ready to play again. I meet players that just pull of the mouthpice and neck of the neck/sax. Next time we have to wait for them to cure sticky pads, fuzzy tones and squeaking reeds!!

Once or twice in a month I rinse the neck with lukewarm water.

Thomas
 
10. And then take a 50 minute nap before going on Cafe Saxophone for some stimulating banter with fellow addicts.
 
Your Hired ...

Hey Hey Thomas ...

How much do you charge mate ... ;}

I could do with that kind of sax cleaning service ... :)))
 
This is what I do after playing my sax.

. I use the original paw saver which i think it’s the best and I leave my pad saver in the sax.

Paw saver, I could use one of those.
 
There has been mention above of 'paw saver'. I have googled it and all I get is care of dog's paws!! lol Can anyone enlighten me what it is or was it just a spelling error for pad saver!!

Many thanks,
 
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I use a small pullthrough on the neck after getting most of the moisture out with an old handkerchief.
Then on the body I use a large pullthrough on which I frequently perform a magic trick.
Dangle the weighted tape down the bell, invert sax so that it comes out of the top and pull it through, the tape now has a knot in it.

That's amazing... I've never managed that.
I did once get my pull-through stuck in the body of the sax, and had to prod it back down towards the bell using the pad-saver!
 
I would say, always use a pull through after playing (no matter how late a gig goes onto) plus get a soft cloth and thread it under as many pads as you can,close the pads down onto the cloth to remove moisture, and then if you are putting your sax back in its case, a pad saver is a little extra "insurance"
 
There has been mention above of 'paw saver'. I have googled it and all I get is care of dog's paws!! lol Can anyone enlighten me what it is or was it just a spelling error for pad saver!!

Many thanks,

I'm so sorry. It's PAD SAVER!! The one I think it's the best is H.W. "Shove-it" Pad Saver (LaVoz brand). Nowadays I think it's just LaVoz ..... Sax Pad Gard.

Sunray,

You can come over to Sweden for some Rocksax honkin'!! I'll be glad to clean your saxes!

Thomas
 
I have trouble with a pull through. It catches on the little octave hole-pipe (or whatever its called) that protrudes into the body of the sax about 2 inches from the top. [Oh, by the way, the horn is Buescher alto made in about 1940]. The felt on the pull through gets torn up every time I try to use it, so I've stopped using it. Any advice?
 
I have trouble with a pull through. It catches on the little octave hole-pipe (or whatever its called) that protrudes into the body of the sax about 2 inches from the top. [Oh, by the way, the horn is Buescher alto made in about 1940]. The felt on the pull through gets torn up every time I try to use it, so I've stopped using it. Any advice?

If it feels quite sharp try smoothing it down with a needle file.
 
Thanks, Targa. I have been afraid of touching the octave tube (that projects into the body of an alto about 2 inches from the top) for fear of impairing its function. Is this a real concern?
John
 
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