Neck corks

[prelude1]

Wow….im still a lowly beginner but i got skills in the shop….so i replaced the neck corks on both my saxes. Cheaper Selmer Prelude and my vintage Buescher…..my squeakage has darn near disappeared if im blowing correctly….my mouthpieces werent really loose or anything but they were very easy to put on, really didn't need grease….now i need grease but its not difficult just very firm….it is an EZPZ fixe for beginners with even a modicum of skill….maybe a half hour at most for each horn. It appears this can alleviate some squeakage issues that isn’t necessarily embouschere related. Sooo am i showing my sax iq is very low or did i accidentally stumble on to a good thing.
Cheers

 

[skeller047]

If you don’t need cork grease at least every second or third time you put the horn together, your cork is too loose. So that is now part of your saxophone bag-o-knowledge 🙂 A good way to check if your cork is loose is to wrap a layer of plumber’s teflon tape around the cork. If that changes the way the horn blows, get a new cork on there ASAP! (Leave the tape on until you do…)

Good on you for successfully putting on a new cork - 2 corks! Easy to do for someone that understands glue and knives and sandpaper, but maybe a stretch for someone with no “tool aptitude”. Most techs will do this work for a minimal charge.

Squeaks can easily be caused by small leaks (as you found out). Make sure your horn is sealing well. And good that you found out the cause wasn’t you.

 

[thomsax]

The cork on the neck needs more water instead of lots of cork grease.

The warter expand the cork. The cork grease makes if easier for us to put the mpc on the neck and to adjust the mouthpiece.

I use to place my neck in a glas of water ( I use the "condensated water" from the tumble dryer instead of water from the tap) for some hours, over the night ..... just so much water to cover the cork.

I like tapered tube corks insted of sheet cork.

 

[Targa]

You can swell the cork by holding it in the steam from the kettle with appropriate care for your fingers.

 

[thomsax]

I used steam and open flames the expand the neck cork. Both methods were drying out the cork and made it fragile. f Next time you have a new neck cork on your sax start to apply a small quantity of cork grease in the bore instead of on the neck cork. IMO we use too much cork grease on the neck corks.

 

[PiccoloPirate]

I use sheet cork for sax necks, clarinets, and the Grenadilla Picc.
Having two clarinets now, used up my cork grease, and I am trying out, Lanolin.
The type used by Moms and babies.
Always take the Grenadilla clarinet apart after playing, clean, let dry and in its case.
The B12, gets cleaned then left assembled, ready to play.
Mouthpieces are always cleaned, as are the reeds and assembled when ready to play.
Lanolin comes in different viscosities.
I just repadded the B12 with homemade cork pads, to see how it played, and laminated some better cork, which I'll put in soon.
Went with old school shellac and my hot air soldering tool.

 

[PigSquealer]

Be careful submerging the cork for a long period of time in water. Especially if it is a vintage lacquered neck. Long-term in water can remove the lacquer. Steam too.

I mask off the area on edge of glue zone. Apply the glue and then quickly peel it off. You get a nice crisp edge.
When it comes time for sanding I protect the area again with tape. No reason to have scratches. It’s cheap insurance.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Just goes to show that all saxophone parts need to be in serviceable condition.🤔

 

[thomsax]

The sax neck is tapered but the mouthpiece bore is straight. To have you mouthpice to fit proberly on the neck cork the outside of the cork must be straight. A sheet of thick cork or a straight tapered tube cork? Most techs prefer sheet of cork. When you sand down the neck cork its' important that it's even and and has the same O.D. from the tip of the cork to the end of the cork.