Some of my horn has died - help!!

Bobby G · Feb 10, 2009

Towards the end of last week my YAS-62 was given half-hours-worth of tweaking, plus a new Eb pad as the old one had gone hard and dry, and it's been great fro a few days.

Now though, anything below low D is 'orrible (well, the Eb is not too bad), kind of burbly, jumping octaves, making screechy noises etc. Fingering C# doesn't cause octave jumps or screeches, but it does sound particularly bad, kind of hollow and muffled. I'm not even too sure about the low E and F sometimes, I think I'm getting the odd squeak there too. It's all ok in the upper register, and ok if I play loud.

Not having a leak light, I've checked for leaks as best I can (thank you Rizla!) without finding anything obvious, cleaned all the pads and around the tone holes, made sure all the adjuster screws are doing what they should i.e. no pads lifting etc, the octave mech is working as it should.

I've tried several known good reeds and as I think it's unlikely they've all died at once I've eliminated that so think there must be something wrong with the horn. As i was told by Bill Wrathall last week, it's usually the horn and rarely the player.

So, what is wrong with the horn....?

griff136 · Feb 10, 2009

I suspect you have a leak somewhere.

are all the keys operating as they should? are all the springs on their latches?

are there any sprung shut keys that have weak springs that may be blowing open ? side keys etc

Seeing as you describe it "jumping octaves" then i supect you have either a problem with your octave mech or a leak towards the top of the instrument

Check that your octave mech works as it should ie only one key opens at a time and the other is fully closed.

Check that your octave key arm is not touching the loop on the crook key when it is at rest - there should be a small gap between the 2 otherwise your crook pip could be very slightly open.

Get someone to press the key cups on the keys in turn as you play, start with the palm keys , the high F#, high F, Bar key

check also that when you press middle C key, both the Bis key and the A Key and the bar key pads all close with equal pressure.

good luck

give me a bell if you find it .

07900 805152

Bobby G · Feb 10, 2009

Thanks Griff, some of what you have suggested is checked and ok (the octave mech operation, clearance at the crook loop etc), I have my suspicions about the A though. Something sounds a little dead when I pop the keys - it's livelier when I hold down the little Bb key, but there is a bar over the A key which is operated from, erm, somewhere else, and there is a gap there. Just wondering if this should be a bit closer.

I'm sure whatever it is, it's relatively minor, it's just finding it that's being a git.

I'm tempted to throw a sickie and come to Croydon on Thursday....

griff136 · Feb 11, 2009

Bob, if your Bis Bb key doesnt shut with equal pressure to your A key then you can try this:

look on top of the bis key you can see there is a felt under the A touchpiece - this closes the bis key when you operate A.

place a piece of standard paper inbetween and operate the A - check to see if theyre both closing fully. if not try 2 pieces once you have the right amount glue them with PVA glue and attach it to the felt using PVA too - only a little glue on one surface. that should do you until you can get a new felt fitted.

alternatively you could place the thin end of an old reed inbetween the A keypad and the A tonehole close the A and press down firmly but gently on the A touchpiece. then check to see if the 2 pads are closing together. If you have gone too far and the A is now not closing fully put the reed under the Bis and press down on the A key cup.

let us know how you get on