problem with G and below

[neil]

hi all, this is hard ro explain but here goes
I just picked up my tenor and when i play a B its fine, A its fine, G its seems ok but when i get to F and below it jumps up an octave, i can `force` it to play low by adjusting my embrouchure but something is wrong, for info i played it last night with no issues, it hasnt been dropped and i have checked the keys for G and above for leaks ( visually but they seem ok)
any ideas anyone...please

regards
yours
tearing what little hair he has out
Neil

 

[kevgermany]

Have you checked both octave key pads? Sounds as if the one on the body may be sticking open.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Sounds like a leak. You can't always tell visually.

 

[neil]

i thought it might be a leak...just how does a sax develop a leak from being ok one day and not the next?

 

[rudjarl]

It could also be a 'spring pin' (was that right?) you know, the grey bluish metal rod thingies... On rare occasions they can 'unhook' themselves.... (wow.... my vocabulary is almost infinite today... sigh)

 

[thomsax]

Check the closed keys G#, Eb, and C# so they are sealing properly.

 

[neil]

everything looks ok...wheres griff when you need him

 

[kevgermany]

It could also be a 'spring pin' (was that right?) you know, the grey bluish metal rod thingies...

Needle spring, but you're doing really well!

 

[griff136]

It also sounds to me like you could have a leak.

Check first that you havent got your mouthpiece cap or anything els for that matter stuck up the body of the sax.
I would check that your octave mechanism is working as it should. (The crook octave key opening when you play A to C# and the body octave key remaining closed and vice versa from D to G#)

Check that the sprung shut keys ( palm keys and side keys) are closed and sealing. you can do this by playing the sax and getting someone else to press down on each key in turn to see if improves or stops the instrument from bumping up an octave.

let us know how you get on.

...just how does a sax develop a leak from being ok one day and not the next?

I get this question often and most times the instrument has been put away in its case with the sling still attached or a wad of sheet music including books have been placed in the case and then the lid forced shut!

Other possibilities could include glue failing and a cork coming off, lint from a sax mop stopping a pad from closing.

 

[neil]

ok i have had a better look at the sax.
through i process of elimination i think it might be the side top F# key/pad, would this cause thes symptoms ???? . i have tried the fag paper test for a leak and it seems ok ish ( not that i`m very experiance in this) but when i leave the fag paper in place, helping to seal the hole a bit i presume, the problem seems to dissapear. i have tried bending the spring a little to increase the pressure but i dont really know how much `bend` to apply. The daft thing is i`m a self employed engineer and would happily work on someone elses equipment with no worries at all but when it comes to this i feel very nervy.

any more idea?

 

[griff136]

Hi Neil,

If it is your high F# pad leaking then before any adjustment it would be wise to ascertain the cause of the leak It could well be that the post that holds that key has taken a very slight knock, in which case the key cup( the bit the pad sits in is no longer centered over the tone hole chimney) you may want to give the post a very very light tap with a non marring hammer (canvas/hide/delrin/rubber) if you are confidewnt not to tap it too hard. The problem being that if this is indeed the cause it will be difficult to get the impression in the pad back over he tone hole so its closes exactly as it did before.

If it is not the post then the key cup or the key arm ( the bit that is soldered to the cup) may have been moved out of alignment/twisted slightly in which case you can try and twist it back with non marring pliers or apply some gentle heat and "Float" the pad back into position. ( adjust the position of the pad whilst the glue holding it in the cup is flexible.

Best thing id to take it to your local repairer to get it sorted.

If you were bringing it to me and that was all that was wrong with the sax and a new pad wasnt needed it would stand you in around £5

Let us know how you get on.

Griff

 

[neil]

Hi griff
I couldnt see any noticable bend in the post, however whwn i looked at the cup/pad it did look like it was ever so slightly out of alignment, I used a pair of pliers with sone thin gasket rubber to protect the metal and gave the key arm a gently twist to realign it, if i`m honest i would say i hardly moved at all but when i played it it plays perfectly ( well as perfectly as i can play it anyway). Many thanks for your help, I live in Hull so i`m not really close enough to you but your price of £5 seems unbelievably cheap to me. Thanks to all the others that replied too, thats the great thing about this forum there is always someone willing to take the time to help.
One thing that this has taught me is just how precise an instrument the saxophone is, the tinyest leak can make the thing unplayable, Its pretty amazing that they play at all just with general wear and tear never mind clumsy sax players.
Anyway i`ll go give it another blow, again many thanks for your help

Neil