High F# Key stuck open

Howdy. I'm a newbie and not known for being practical at the best of times....and today I couldn't get a note out of my sax. I finally discovered that the high F# key was skewed and not closing at all. In the end I sealed it up with blu tack and now I'm getting all the notes again (apart from that high F# of course!) The question is, is it just a matter of manhandling the thing back over the hole so it seals, or does it warrant a visit to a sax tech? The sax is a Rosedale Tenor bought a couple of weeks ago from G4M. All going swimmingly until today. Perhaps it took a knock which skewed the key? All advice gratefully received. 🙂
 
It could be a number of reasons, including the rod gone out of his guide or jammed screws.
Try to work out where it stuck.
 
One of the most common "emergency" repairs I do on tenors is to straighten the high F# post (pillar). It sticks out at the top of the instrument and is easily bent toward the tonehole if the sax is bumped or set down hard. The result of the post bending toward the tonehole is that the back of the keycup is raised causing the pad to leak at the back.

The fix, of course, is to tap the post in the opposite direction and return the post to its original position. To do this the tech uses a leak light in the body and a plastic or rawhide mallet. Sometimes it is helpful to use a wooden dowel to direct the blow. Several small taps are better than one big one to reduce the possibility of the post coming detached from the body where it has been soft soldered.
 
If it has had a knock it won't be covered on warranty. Be gentle with it, even when it's in the case. Brass is very malleable. What bends, will bend back, once or twice.
 
I bought it thinking it was brand new, but when it arrived I found a returns note from a previous customer, saying that it was too big for his daughter to play. That all got sorted out with G4M, who gave me a £50 refund and a pack of ten Rico reeds and a Rico pad saver. happy with it on the whole. I must've bashed it sometime last night after playing.
 
Ok Simon then get it to a local techie and get it fixed and enjoy! Any recommendations for a local techie or help from a forum member? Look on the forum map for members in your area or come back for more assistance,

The members of this forum are good people who will help. We'll get you there!
 
I put extra padding in my G4M tenor case - old kids terry face flannels folded (never chuck anything away...) in four positions.

The thumb hook is particularly prone to impact if the case is put down hard which will dent the body. The original padding does not cater for this. It pays to make a dent in the (foam) padding to accommodate the hook, then put your own extra padding in the obvious places.

The high F# must have been damaged out of the case, though, surely?
 
As John (JBTSax) has mentioned the upper post for the high F# key tends to protude from the sax as it sits on top of 2 other keys at its bottom post. Ive seen on a few brands where this post has been knocked when slamming snugly fitting case lid shut. So it doesn't necessarily mean the damage was caused when the sax was outside the case.

Its a simple enough repair assuming the knock hasn't weakened the solder joint on the post or that it was so severe its warped the tonehole.
 
For that kind of work I recommend a trip west: South Ealing for Jim or Bill at Michael White (North Ealing) or Willie Garnett at Ritz music (Putney).
There is a guy named Phil that is famous for his overhauls and the waiting list, somewhere in Essex (I never visited him), and another in Holborn, Richard Mattingly, that seemed very competent the only time I went there.

Or our very @griff136 is visiting tech in Croydon.

Always book an appointment first.

I hope it helps (I live in E2)
 
That's great griff136. 🙂 I'm coming into London from Rochester on Thursday, so I'll try to get in earlier to come and see you. Thanks a lot. 🙂 Hopefully I should be in Croydon around lunchtime.
 
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