Palm Key Risers

[Ivan]

I've tried palm key risers on my tenor and they're fab

Big hands y'see

I remember peeps writing about Sugru moulded and stuck to the keys to the same purpose

My question: which is better?

 

[Colin the Bear]

You'll be the best judge of what's better for you.

 

[Ivan]

You'll be the best judge of what's better for you.

Thanks Col

I was hoping for a bit more info than that

 

[Nick Wyver]

Having used both in the past I can confidently say there's bugger all difference but the rubber ones look neater. These days I'd say get a Keilwerth - they're adjustable.

 

[kevgermany]

I wrote this earlier, but for some reason I didn't post it.

I'm not sure what you're trying to compare Sugru to.

Sugru's probably easier/quicker. But you can also use cork or buy commercial ones.

As long as they stay in place, don't bend, can be adjusted to suit you and are easy to remove without trace if needed I guess it comes down to feel and looks. For me cork looks better/more professional and is easily customisable/removable. It's also cheap, but can be time consuming.

 

[ProfJames]

Palm risers are pretty cheap and available on eBay or any reasonable music shop. Easy to remove as well

 

[aldevis]

I tried everything, and the winner is Caprolactone. It melts in hot water.
I even managed to colour it.

I just don't remember its commercial name.

 

[ProfJames]

£6.69 delivered by Monday, free postage, job done!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Runyon-PA...axophone-/121350496828?_trksid=p2054897.l4275

 

[Nick Wyver]

Get a sax that's got them the right height?

 

[aldevis]

It is polycaprolactone and I bought it as "polymorph"

 

[aldevis]

Get a sax that's got them the right height?

Often not the cheapest solution.

 

[altissimo]

unless the rubber palm key risers aren't the right height for you, fiddling around with Sugru or any of these other methods is time spent not playing the instrument... plus the rubber one's are easier to remove if you come to sell the thing

 

[ProfJames]

unless the rubber palm key risers aren't the right height for you, fiddling around with Sugru or any of these other methods is time spent not playing the instrument... plus the rubber one's are easier to remove if you come to sell the thing

I rest my case!

 

[Jamesmac]

I tried everything, and the winner is Caprolactone. It melts in hot water.
I even managed to colour it.

I just don't remember its commercial name.

Aldevis, did you use it to build up the palm keys. ? I found it an easy and practical material. It was a godsend for the 10M. On the side keys, palm keys, F# trill key, thumb rest. Octave Key, Magic material. Also makes an emergency lig. And. Bottom lip protection, that's after the 4 hrs gig. LOL.
PS. I tried the black colour, but very messy.

 

[jbtsax]

I tried everything, and the winner is Caprolactone. It melts in hot water.
I even managed to colour it.

What did you use to color it with? I have used a product similar to Polymorph call Jett Set sold by jewelry supply companies. The photo below shows a Buescher True Tone soprano I restored with palm key risers that were made with this material that were designed to snap on and off.

 

[aldevis]

Also makes an emergency lig.
PS. I tried the black colour, but very messy.

That hug-ligature was a masterpiece.

What did you use to color it with?

A natural pigment from an art shop: a black powder supposed to be mixed with something to make a usable colour.
I put it on piece of kitchen foil, then I started rolling the half melted polything and working by hand, with a kettle ready for when it got too hard. Messy too (very dirty hands), but I ended with a nice black polything noodle. I then re-melted the noodle when needed.
My alto has a sugru palm key, my tenor a polycarp. I definitely prefer the latter

designed to snap on and off.

Please explain: it sounds very interesting

plus the rubber one's are easier to remove if you come to sell the thing

They also like to come off on stage. Seeing a saxophone player searching the floor for a piece of something resembling an illegal smokable substance can raise some eyebrows. Guess how I know it....

 

[altissimo]

They also like to come off on stage. Seeing a saxophone player searching the floor for a piece of something resembling an illegal smokable substance can raise some eyebrows. Guess how I know it....

not a problem I've encountered... further comment is self censored in the interests of common decency...

 

[jbtsax]

Please explain: it sounds very interesting.

This turned out to be much more difficult and time consuming than just forming the plastic mold around the key. The bottom of the riser was left open, and the riser was formed to very lightly wrap around the edges of the key. This allowed the riser to snap on to the key and to be pried off using a thin lever when desired. Again, it took a lot of time and experimentation to get it just right. The reason I did the risers that way is that I was selling the sax on Ebay. You can't really see the bottom of the risers in this photo, but this is what they look like off the saxophone.

 

[aldevis]

This turned out to be much more difficult and time consuming than just forming the plastic mold around the key. The bottom of the riser was left open, and the riser was formed to very lightly wrap around the edges of the key. This allowed the riser to snap on to the key and to be pried off using a thin lever when desired. Again, it took a lot of time and experimentation to get it just right. The reason I did the risers that way is that I was selling the sax on Ebay. You can't really see the bottom of the risers in this photo, but this is what they look like off the saxophone.

A big challenge indeed. Thanks for explaining.
Have you tried sanding them? I had a rough result.

 

[Jamesmac]

That hug-ligature was a masterpiece.

A natural pigment from an art shop: a black powder supposed to be mixed with something to make a usable colour.
I put it on piece of kitchen foil, then I started rolling the half melted polything and working by hand, with a kettle ready for when it got too hard. Messy too (very dirty hands), but I ended with a nice black polything noodle. I then re-melted the noodle when needed.
My alto has a sugru palm key, my tenor a polycarp. I definitely prefer the latter

Please explain: it sounds very interesting


They also like to come off on stage. Seeing a saxophone player searching the floor for a piece of something resembling an illegal smokable substance can raise some eyebrows. Guess how I know it....

I sent the Hug-lig with the PPT Mouthpiece to the lady that bought it. As something she could use until she could get a lig to fit. She was very appreciative, but I cautioned her about stealing the design.