YAS-62 neck receiver

Bobby G · Dec 11, 2006

I'm finding it quite difficult to get the neck into the receiver on my YAS-62, it's really quite a tight fit. Obviously this means it's good in terms of not leaking, but I'm a bit worried about damaging the octave mechanism while I'm pushing the neck into the body. Is there something I can do, some adjustment I can make?

Cheers, Bob

lee_ · Dec 11, 2006

Dumb question, I guess, but you have the thumb screw backed off, right? Usually it's the opposite problem, where the tenon gradually gets compressed and the fit becomes too lose.

You may have some chemical buildup on the neck where it goes into the horn body. If so, you probably can clean it off with a VERY MILD abrasive.

Bobby G · Dec 11, 2006

The screw is backed off, the tenon and receiver both look pretty clean, but a bit of mild abrasive may do the trick. What is the best thing to use?

Cheers, Bob

lee_ · Dec 11, 2006

Maybe Griff can name a specific product. I have seen repairmen using a type of what I guess is sandpaper that is so fine it feels just like cloth.

Also, possibly some type of rubbing compound like you might use on auto paint. Maybe steel wool?

You don't want to wear away any significant brass, I think.

griff136 · Dec 11, 2006

I would in the first instance use brasso on a cloth or duraglit. If you are going to use steel wool then use 0000 gauge.

also just because it is what seems to be a tight fit does not necessarily mean it doesnt leak.
the collar on your crook may be "out of round" and therefore feels a tight fit.

you can check its roundness with vernier calipers or digital calipers make sur that you check all the way round the circumference and up and down the length of the collar

Saxlicker · Dec 11, 2006

Mine is similar Bob,

When I keep it clean and get a good start mating the body and the neck its fine.

With out this combination I make a mess of it and have developed an art for removing it safely....
I thought after 12 years it would have eased but it hasn't. I have lent mine to Tim Colewell some time ago so I cant be sure its not out of round as well these days.
Anyway, just to let you know you're not alone!

Bobby G · Dec 11, 2006

Well, I've given it a bit of a rub (cloth only, don't want to make any score-marks) and it seems to be a bit better. Rather a bit tight than flopping about, once I;ve done up the thumb screw it's solid.

I base the assumption that I have no leaks on the fact there are no duff notes or squeaks and the intonation's fine.

I have a vague memory that toothpaste can be used as an abrasive if you want a properly-fitting neck-to-body and two-way minty freshness, am I hallucinating?

Cheers, Bob

Bobby G · Dec 11, 2006

I've been thinking about this a bit; would applying some kind of mildly abrasive paste to the tenon, inserting it in the receiver and rotating gently do the trick? One advantage I can think of is that you wouldn't run the risk of grinding a flat spot somewhere.

Cheers, Bob

lee_ · Dec 11, 2006

Bob, I think that would be overkill. I think you'd just make a mess, with the abrasive or toothpaste or whatever possibly getting down inside your horn. All you want to do is remove any oxidation or other chemical that has built up on the tenon and/or in the receiver.

Also, if you're receiver or tenon were the slightest bit out of round, you likely would be rubbing flat spots by doing what you proposed. Also, If you stick the neck in and start rotating it around and around 360 degrees, you're running great risk of damaging your octave key mechanism.

As you pointed out, just a good rub did some good. That's probably all you want to do. I guess you could put just a very small amount of lube or cork grease on the tenon if you wanted to (personally, I wouldn't).

If you're using a polishing compuond or other very light abrasive, I don't think you're gonna rub through the brass. Just do the absolute least possible there, is my opinion.

Bobby G · Dec 11, 2006

Lee wrote:
Bob, I think that would be overkill. I think you'd just make a mess, with the abrasive or toothpaste or whatever possibly getting down inside your horn.

That is jogging my memory, you know. I think it might be in this context that I remember hearing about the toothpaste trick. I can see it could be messy, would I also have to get the sax to rinse and spit? :x

I suppose my main worry with it all being a bit stiff is that in pushing & twisting the neck into place, however gently, i risk bending the octave mech.

Why might it not be a good idea to use a small amount of cork grease to aid insertion?

Cheers, Bob

lee_ · Dec 12, 2006

You could do that without any problem, I'm sure. Just use the least amount possible. The less stuff you put into your horn to coalesce with the moisture that you know is in there, the better.

griff136 · Dec 12, 2006

the problem with using grease or oil on your tenon is that it will collect any dust dirt and then act as a grinding paste - you could end up with an even tighter neck.

If cleaning it with brasso on a cloth - which contrary to popular belief is an abrasive (it contains pumice which is used for lapping in valves on cars etc) - ba careful not to get any down the bore of your sax and if you are up to it I would suggest you remove your palm keys, High F and F# (if you have it) and your octave mech.

Clean thoroughly afterwards with a degreasing agent. do the same with your collar as well as the receiver.

greg_strange · Dec 13, 2006

The last time my (or should I say Pete's) 62 series alto had some work done to it about 6 months ago I noticed on the invoice the job description polish tenon. I use a high quality furniture polish (Lemon Oil based product) and good old Lemon Pledge when the high quality polish not available to clean the outside of the sax, maybe a bit of Lemon Pledge from the supermarket and a bit of a light rub around the end of the neck and also inside the neck receiver on the body of the horn may help. Wipe off any excess polish and it should not be sticky. Pledge polish is also non-abraisive. I have never had that problem but I do wipe the neck base and neck receiver after each time I play the sax (no chemicals just a dry cloth). All it takes is a few seconds when you pull the sax apart. Preventation probably better than cure. Same with that saxophone curse the sticking G# key and any other keys. Put cigarette papers under the G#, low C# and low Eb pads to soak up any moisture.

ken · Dec 15, 2006

Hi Bob,

Maybe totally off the wall and I don't know if you've considered it, but is this a recent problem?

The reason for asking is... I wonder if it has anything to do with temperature and the receiver shrinking in the cold. I'd guess (and "guess" only) that both the receiver and crook will shrink in the cold, but 'possibly' the crook, being thinner, warms and expands a bit quicker than the receiver/body... hence tight fit ???

1.5c

Ken.

Bobby G · Dec 15, 2006

It is a recent problem, but must have been dirt-related; since I've given everything a right good clean it all seems to be fine. The crook is now easy to insert into the receiver while still reassuringly snug, and when the thumbscrew is tightened the whole thing is solid.

Cheers, Bob

oliver_bentley · Dec 21, 2006

stewart at woodwind exchange, first thing he did when he picked up my horn was get a basic green pan scubber and simply ran it round the tenon a few times (and told me off for not keeping it clean myself) and it did the trick fine. Oli

Bobby G · Dec 21, 2006

From reading back through this thread, especially Oli's last post, I'm now convinced my problem was entirely dirt-related. I now keep the tenon and receiver clean (but not obsessively!) and the fit is fine. As I said earlier, easy to insert, but nice and snug.

Cheers, Bob