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Saxophones RIP Buescher Tru-tone - need a new ALTO

I bought a set of Roo-Pads for my Martin stencil from Musicmedic, and was very pleased.

The set you link to is only $50!
Need I say more?
 
I looked more closely at the bit left on the key where the pad fell off. Either it is partially disintegrated or broken, but there is a nub of metal there. :confused:

After reading Taz's post in another thread about removing the rods (per Mr. Howard's book) I've ordered the pad set from Music Medic, although I am grateful for the information on the other pad set. I'm off now to order the book too! :welldone

I'm glad I fought the urge to super glue the old ones back in place - they would have been tough to remove!! :D

In the meantime, I will have to find a loaner for next week's rehearsals - hoping the college has one in it's closet.

I think it really just needs new pads, it is not dented, the rods and mechanisms are in great shape after an application of key oil, and the cork seems okay for now.

Many, many thanks to all for your advice, encouragement, and information - I'll post a picture when I've finished :)
 
Glues that allow reheating to float into alignment are best. in the Old Days stcik shellac was the choice of manufacturers. Hot glues also work great.

If you replace pads or various pads involved in a combination< key that move together and must close are same instant> you use a pad slick type tool that protect the pad from the tone hone hole and 'floats' the pads into alignment with the tone hole and each other.

Ferrees offers a great set of these.

I am not suggesting you undertake an overhaul yourself but most good shops can tell you the cost in advance and all issues should be covered..

If you are a beginner then the music store advice to use a student may be OK. The idea that this horn is beyond repair is just goofy
 
the other issue I forgot to mention was that I have on occasion removed the plastic resonator form a new pad to make room for the snap inside the pad cup and then glued the pad into the horn. This would lalow you to maintain the snaps for a more appropriate restoration later.
 
I took some photos of the sax, pad and plastic resonator - but I think I should move my questions to the technical thread - see you there? Many thanks.
 
Was just looking at ebay germany. There are a couple there - asking about 800-900 euros...
 
That's a lot of euros!

I enlarged the picture I took of the serial number and I think it's from 1913-14 range? It also says it's a "Low Pitch" model.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dWMjXHyrlvtNCPf8wwhJ_Q?authkey=Gv1sRgCP3dppuU9PGrxQE&feat=directlink
 
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Take a look at saxpics.com. Your serial number is about 1925/1926. Still a vintage horn. Would love it myself.

Low pitch - this means A=440Hz, modern tuning. High pitch would not play in tune with modern instruments, even with mouthpiece adjustment.
 
Take a look at saxpics.com. Your serial number is about 1925/1926. Still a vintage horn. Would love it myself.

Low pitch - this means A=440Hz, modern tuning. High pitch would not play in tune with modern instruments, even with mouthpiece adjustment.

A HP sax can play in tune with a LP instrument!! A cord or rod can be insert in the tube. From the mpc/neck down to the bell. The cord/rod make the bore smaller. The Cord/rod should also be tapered in the same proportion as the bore is tapered. The pitch will change but also the tone.

For some reasons, HP saxes can be found in Canada. Bueschers HP saxes is popular in India!!

Thomas
 
A HP sax can play in tune with a LP instrument!! A cord or rod can be insert in the tube. From the mpc/neck down to the bell. The cord/rod make the bore smaller. The Cord/rod should also be tapered in the same proportion as the bore is tapered. The pitch will change but also the tone.

That's a new one. Have you seen/heard it done? My understanding is that pitch is dependant on the length, not the diameter of the bore.
 
That's a new one. Have you seen/heard it done? My understanding is that pitch is dependant on the length, not the diameter of the bore.

A friend of mine bought a mint goldplated Conn HP alto for c 20 years ago. It was a very cheap. He did this operation. It took him lots of time to get the cord/rod right/good. The neck was hard to take of the sax after the cord/rod was installed! He got the idea from Eric Brands book "Band Instrument Repairing Manual" - "Changing High Pitch Instruments to Low Pitch Instrumetns" (side 71). It worked ok, but odd tone so after all nothing that I recommend!

I think Bob Ackerman did something in this way as well. No cord/rod but I think he "took of" a piece of the tube on a HP Conn Wonder sax. I think it was Freddie Gregory who did it for Ackerman. I'm not sure of this. Bob Ackerman rebuilt old Conns LP as "Custom Finished Conns" ("sterling silver resonators, better strap position, new tone ring (neck), larger left thumb button, modern voicing of the key heihgts and neck taper ....". I never bought one of these, I just bought Martins and Kings from Ackerman.

Thomas
 
That's a new one. Have you seen/heard it done? My understanding is that pitch is dependant on the length, not the diameter of the bore.

Scanned qoutations from Eric Brands book "Band Instrumnet Repairing Manual"

about valve instrument
"It is quite easy to do this on valve instruments, but even there it is not the type of job that would satisfy a really particular player. It has been regularly done on these instruments by lengthening each one of the valve slides and the tuning slide by the required amount. There is a general rule for this, but it is so controversial that it had best not be published here."

and keyed instrumnets
"What this acctually does is to make the bore smaller, and in that way change the proportions between the bore diameter and the total length of the tube. The total length of the tube can not be changed because this would have to be done as though it were made of soft rubber and iust stretched out. Each tone hole would have to be moved it's own proportional distance."

Thomas
 
Take a look at saxpics.com. Your serial number is about 1925/1926. Still a vintage horn. Would love it myself.

Low pitch - this means A=440Hz, modern tuning. High pitch would not play in tune with modern instruments, even with mouthpiece adjustment.

kev you could be a saxophone investigator! S.I.S. (Saxophone Investigative Services) :)

Brought my tuner to rehearsal last night - the old girl was spot on! 1925/26 - it's a roarin' 20's flapper sax :w00t:
 
kev you could be a saxophone investigator! S.I.S. (Saxophone Investigative Services) :)

Brought my tuner to rehearsal last night - the old girl was spot on! 1925/26 - it's a roarin' 20's flapper sax :w00t:

lol - the Gemans have a word for it - neugierig, meaning inquisitive - or nosey:))) I'm just one of those people who has to know how something works...

Are you going to dress the part?

And how about a nice vintage Meyer HR for it.
 
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