Hello from Jackson Hole. . .

[wyocollins]

Good morning world, my name is Danny and I am a total newbie to the wonderful world of saxophones! I am 41 and was given, yes given, a CG Conn Naked Lady from a friend who's father played it in their family band. This saxophone could easily be from the late thirties.
I've had the sax checked out and have been told that it's in fine shape. I've been teaching myself how to play it through a couple of books for almost a year now.
I have been playing guitar and bass for many years and find the sax FORCES me to count in time!

Anywho, I have a couple of questions concerning the keys and may have a difficult time articulating the question. For instance, when I play a G#/Ab I don't discern a noticeable difference in the sound and I also do not detect any pads moving or opening when the appropriate keys are played. OK, enough of that run on sentence...
If you feel you can help me figure this out, please do.

Have a wonderful day everyone and I look forward to learning from all of you!

 

[kevgermany]

Hi, big welcome from me.

G# - this key is slightly unusual, in that it's opened by a spring and closed by a stronger spring. Pressing on the key, frees off the closing spring, allowing the opening spring to open the key cup. I'm assuming it was working until recently. Chances are the opening spring has become unhooked. If you follow the linkage from the key, you should be able to identify the springs. And see if the opening spring is on the wrong side of the post.

This key also sticks, especially when the sax isn't used very often. If the springs are in place, try fingering the G# and opening the keycup. This should free it off and allow you to play.

 

[dooce]

Wyo - I am in so much envy of you coming from Jacksons Hole (which I googled and which looks like a suburb of Heaven) that I can't concentrate enough to give you a comprehensible answer. Someone much more grounded will be along shortly. Welcome and enjoy.

 

[jbtsax]

Welcome Danny. I grew up in Kemmerer, Wyo. south of Jackson and spent a lot of time camping and vacationing in your area. I second Kev's advice on the G# pad. There's a lot of combined experience and expertise on this forum and there are lots of folks willing to help newcomers to the sax, so don't hesitate to ask. Hope you enjoy the forum.

 

[Justin Chune]

Hello Danny and welcome to the cafe. It's a good idea to make sure that the G# pad is free before we start playing. How I wish I could remember that great tip myself.

Jim.

 

[wyocollins]

Hey Kev and thanks for the tip. I am very much in the dark about the sax and my friend doesn't know any more about it than me! I have been trying to follow the 'spring' which looks like a very tight, if not flimsy piece of flexible metal. OK, please bare with me as I try and describe what I am seeing.
When I now press on the top plateau of four keys, just below the G key the key between F and E now goes down as well. However, I am not seeing any key cup open or close. YEAH BOY I am now seeing the cup hole open!!!!!!!!! It was stuck, just like all ya'll just said.

 

[wyocollins]

the pad was totally stuck! Seems to me I need to be practicing a bit more
Thanks for the welcome.

 

[wyocollins]

Welcome Danny. I grew up in Kemmerer, Wyo. south of Jackson and spent a lot of time camping and vacationing in your area. I second Kev's advice on the G# pad. There's a lot of combined experience and expertise on this forum and there are lots of folks willing to help newcomers to the sax, so don't hesitate to ask. Hope you enjoy the forum.

I am learning how to reply to individual posts, so pardon me.....
I mentioned a key in between F and E (clearly I have not learned it yet) that is slow to go down like it is loose or maybe needs tightening. Sound familiar?
Damn, I wish I would have found cafesaxophone months!!!!
Thank you all.

 

[wyocollins]

Wyo - I am in so much envy of you coming from Jacksons Hole (which I googled and which looks like a suburb of Heaven) that I can't concentrate enough to give you a comprehensible answer. Someone much more grounded will be along shortly. Welcome and enjoy.

Hey Dooce. Yeah, we are lucky to live where alot of people come to vacation! This allows me to practice outdoors during the elk rut (bugling) season!!!

 

[jbtsax]

I am learning how to reply to individual posts, so pardon me.....
I mentioned a key in between F and E (clearly I have not learned it yet) that is slow to go down like it is loose or maybe needs tightening. Sound familiar?
Damn, I wish I would have found cafesaxophone months!!!!
Thank you all.

On older Conns the key you describe is an alternate G# trill key. It has become obsolete on modern saxes. Its original purpose was to provide an easier way to trill from G to G# without having to use the little finger of the left hand. If it feels kind of "floppy" that's normal. In some cases when I overhaul a 6M I will remove that key (with the player's permission of course). You can just ignore it for the time being.

 

[old git]

Welcome to the caff©, Danny.

Jackson Hole? Is that where Johhny Cash and June Carter got married?

ENJOY!​™

 

[navarro]

Hi Danny and welcome, great advice here. And a `hole` lot of knowledge. Best Regds. N.

 

[wyocollins]

Welcome to the caff©, Danny.

Jackson Hole? Is that where Johhny Cash and June Carter got married?

ENJOY!​™

Well, there is that song . . .! I've often wondered myself.

 

[Sue]

Welcome from me also. We had a great ski-ing holiday in Jackson Hole in the late 90's when I was a lot younger and a lot fitter than I am now. Some great trails and some quite scary ones too. Hope you enjoy your visit here

 

[Tenor Viol]

Welcome

I'm jealous of:

a) Your nice sax
b) your location! I've long fancied skiing in Jackson Hole. I've been to Canada 5 or 6 times (Jasper, Banff, Panorama etc) but not managed the States yet (too expensive for solo travellers). Probably France this winter...

Have fun.