Beginner Saxes My first tenor - Selmer (USA) TS-400

[AnAngryWombat]

Welp, I've been lurking around for a while with my rental YTS-26, but finally this month the overtime hours and stars aligned with the Mrs. encouraging me to really follow a hobby that isn't work related, ha. It's been a while since high school band, but I was surprised and how much came back, and after 6 months with the rental I'm pretty happy to be able to play some tunes -- so finally took the plunge. $1200 used at a local store, it was a student horn and has a bit of weird wear on the neck, but I'm really happy. It feels very solidly made and has a very steady sound for me, I can hit all the palm keys and high F# without trouble right out of the case. Couple scratches and a bit of a ripple on the bottom of the bow but it's been well loved - no sign of bending of re-soldering on any of the posts, so no major bangs. I have to say that after a day, I'm in love with the tilting table to hit the low notes. All in all I'm pretty happy!

 

[PiccoloPirate]

Sadly it is not an Alto,
but have fun anyway.
I regret selling my Tenor, after 15 years of fun, lotsa classical, but budgets ruled as did a Selmer Alto.
Baroque on Tenor is the gateway to Jazz.
Did Lester say that? 🧐

The experts will chime in if you show the weird neck wear. Hard to tell if it's shadows or pull down.

 

[AnAngryWombat]

Great call. Happy to report that altos are significantly more reasonable in my area - I'll be able to pick one up relatively soon actually. There's that wearing on the neck. The case is pretty loose, I'm almost wondering if it's from the third party case it's in rubbing.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Looks like serious pull down to me.

 

[AnAngryWombat]

Looks like serious pull down to me.

So from what I've read pull down can be affecting my intonation - how do techs check the number of degrees of pull down?

Not to say I've ever been a repair tech - but I'm a metalworker by trade and I've done exposed and architectural copper, and I've used all the stakes and hammers and fine bending tools for years, just brass is something I haven't worked with before.

Edit: I should preface it with saying too than the tenon and receiver fit perfectly, no wiggle or ovalling out - and that the picture of the neck in my hand is angled back to better see the laquer line in the light

 

[Colin the Bear]

Two options.
Replace the neck or have it repaired.
Either way it's a trip to the tech.
What's the rippling in the bow like?
Pull down and rippling in the bow suggests it has been dropped.
A drop can knock things out of line, causing leaks and making it difficult to play.

 

[AnAngryWombat]

Hmmm okay, I'll attach some pictures once I get home from work. I wonder then if it's had some repair work to it after a fall -- did a bit more reading, it doesn't have the same lustre in the picture as real life, but do you think those are soldered repairs on the curve of the neck to repair a split caused by the pulldown?

Honestly I played it for a few hours last night, and it plays better for me than the YTS rental I have. A smoother transition from middle C sharp to D than the YTS even.

 

[AnAngryWombat]

Two options.
Replace the neck or have it repaired.
Either way it's a trip to the tech.
What's the rippling in the bow like?
Pull down and rippling in the bow suggests it has been dropped.
A drop can knock things out of line, causing leaks and making it difficult to play.

Here's some pics as I'm back home from work. I wonder, is this the repair of a severely pulled down neck? I can feel on the edges of the discolored area where it's been hammered back to round. I'm a sheet metal worker, I'm pretty sure that's what that is. The angle seems very similar to the rental YTS I have, if not the same.

 

[AnAngryWombat]

Two options.
Replace the neck or have it repaired.
Either way it's a trip to the tech.
What's the rippling in the bow like?
Pull down and rippling in the bow suggests it has been dropped.
A drop can knock things out of line, causing leaks and making it difficult to play.

And there's the bottom of the bow.

This is explaining more to me the $400 price difference between this one and the same model that the store had at a different location.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Not too bad and all repairable.
One of the problems with pull down is that it can affect intonation, and value of course.

I've seen worse dents in the bow.

A leak light will tell you if it's still sealing tight.

 

[AnAngryWombat]

Not too bad and all repairable.
One of the problems with pull down is that it can affect intonation, and value of course.

I've seen worse dents in the bow.

A leak light will tell you if it's still sealing tight.

I'll have to get that booked in then! Thank you, I really appreciate the look through 🙂