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Pad recommendations

kevgermany

kevgermany

ex Landrover Nut
Messages
21,369
Locality
Just north of Munich
My tenor needs an urgent repad. I noticed, trying to see if a few squeals were the sax or me, that some of the pads are sealing on the felt, and those that aren't mostly have a lot of wear.

So I'm about to do a complete repad. Roo pads are a little over the top for me, so was looking at Something like Pisoni or Prestini. I don't want to see problems with sticking and so on, as I don't have them at the moment.

Any comments/recommendations? And if so, which of their ranges.

Any thoughts on resonators, it has flat metal ones in it at the moment.
 
Either you've done this before or you're a very brave man. I spent a while working with a repairer - I would strip the sax, clean, repad, recork and reassemble. I would then hand the sax to him so it would actually work after all that.

As for pad suppliers, I would try PMing Stephen Howard or any of the other repairers on here if they don't actually reply to this.
 
kevgermany said:
So I'm about to do a complete repad.
Click to expand...

I agree this is very brave, I've done a couple. One was a disaster as the horn and keycups were so out of whack, the other went very well - but all the toneholes and keycups were tickety boo and it was a Buescher Trutone, so I bought a set specifically for that horn.

Presumably you already have Stephen's book, but I would echo Nick's advice of seeing what Stephen or Griff have to recommend both for your horn and which are best for a DIY job.
 
Thanks, I've got Stephen's book, and have removed/replaced some pads on other saxes I bought to learn on, also some adjustments (corks/regulation, key straightening and so on), so I'm reasonably confident. I'm not expecting to do a pro job, but should be able to get it to an OK standard.

Have already checked the toneholes and cups and free play, nothing untoward that I can see at the moment. It seems to be one of those saxes that didn't get played much, but after 30-40 years the pads are shot.
 
You may see things differently, but I'd think I'm only going to replace the pads on this instrument once in my lifetime.
When putting in the effort to do the job why skimp on the price of the pads.
For a bit more you can get a set of tenor Roo-pads from Music medic for about $103. They are nice and firm, easy to work with and they don't stick!
 
I would like to know more about the function of resonators, and would be very grateful for an explanation please.

John.
 
johnboy said:
I would like to know more about the function of resonators, and would be very grateful for an explanation please.

John.
Click to expand...

I call them reflectors.
Simply put, the surface of the pad presents a sound-absorbing face to the bore of the horn. By covering up with surface with something that's less absorbent it maximises the volume.
This can be clearly heard when playing a vintage horn with just a plain rivet in the centre of the pad, and playing the same model fitted with reflectors. The horn blows a little more freely, the response is livelier and there's more volume.

Regards,
 
I agree with stephen re the premium deluxe pads from windcraft a nice firm pad with quality materials. They do tend to be on the thin side particularly if you are fitting them to lets say a vintage horn, where you are more likely to need a thicker pad in which case I would use Pisoni standard pads from Windplus. The prestini pads are nice too and they do a brown roo version available online from www.prestini.de
 
Thanks Griff.

Sorry Stephen, Griff Windcraft and other UK suppliers are out. No problems with the firm, they were very helpful over the postal problem. It's that parcel postage from England to Germany is terrible.

Not sure if you know it, but Prestini.de is run by Thomas Keilwerth a descendant of the famous sax makers..... He's built a business restoring saxes. Must admit I'm tempted by their roo pads. Looks as if it's going to be worth the extra cost as I intend to keep (and keep playing) the sax.

Order goes in online today. Thanks for the help!!
 
kevgermany said:
Thanks Griff.

......................Not sure if you know it, but Prestini.de is run by Thomas Keilwerth a descendant of the famous sax makers..... He's built a business restoring saxes. Must admit I'm tempted by their roo pads. Looks as if it's going to be worth the extra cost as I intend to keep (and keep playing) the sax.

Order goes in online today. Thanks for the help!!
Click to expand...

I order from Thomas regularly over the phone, He's a nice man to deal with and knows his stuff.
 
Good to know. There was an interesting interview with him posted on a german sax forum a while ago. In german, of course. One day I'm going to find the money for a pre-war toneking.

I decided on the black kangaroo skin with metal resos.... Should be fun.
 
Great thread this very interesting and informative.Good luck with the re-pad kev and a good choice of pads,it will be interesting to find out how it goes...regards ...john
 
Well the pads arrived quickly... Ordered Sunday, delivered Tuesday. Super service. Just need to wait for the Shellac to arrive (they don't seem to sell that) and I'm away.
 
kev - You have far more guts than I. I tackled a repad many years ago on my Martin stencil (American Professional) alto, and it ws a total disaster. I had to take it to a shop to have my screwups fixed.

I have curved plastic resonators in my cigar cutter alto and my radio Improved(?) tenor. My Modele 26, I had fitted with metal curved resonators, becasue it is a smaller bore, and is silver plated. I feared the plating might tend to dampen the natural vibrations of the instrument some, and I wanted all the power I could get from it. Coupled with the Guy Hawkins 9 metal mouthpiece, I can play subtones softer than most flute players can play, or cut through a full blowing big band brass section with it, and not break a sweat.
 
Most of the way through now. Pads are in, just need to recheck the seating, then it's corks and finished. Am enjoying it. I suppose if I did a lot of them, I'd get quicker, but I'm seeing where the cost of a professional repad comes from - it takes ages. Lots of really fine, precision work, and there's clearly a lot of skill involved, skills I don't have. I'm finding it really satisfying to work on a pad for a while, and then to get to the desitred point - where it closes exactly flat all round, without leaks. Good patience builder. Have found a tight rod which I can't straighten, guess that's going to the repairer some time, but it's not that bad...
 
Straightening a rod requires a bench motor or a lathe. It is done by chucking the rod in the lathe or motor, and spinning it rapidly, while pulling the rod through a drawplate or a pair of swedging pliers. My repairman makes it look easy. I can put a nasty bow in one real quick. LOL

Et ainsi au lit. Bonne nuit.
 
bodak said:
Stephen,could you tell me the make of pads you put on Pete's Grafton?
Regards.
Click to expand...

Whilst I cant tell you which pads Stephen put on Pete's grafton I can tell you I am servicing a Grafton at the moment and the pads are considerably thicker than any pads available from Windcraft or Wind Plus - Ive got a small stock of thicker older pads but will probably have to make a special order from Prestini or Pisoni.
 
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