Klarinet Archive - Posting 000262.txt from 1995/08

From: Gerald Evoniuk <Gerald.Evoniuk@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Any cure for sticky saxophone pads?
Date: Sun, 20 Aug 1995 21:32:31 -0400

In my experience, I have been repairing saxophones for 25 years, the G#
sticks because of buildup of crud between the pad and tonehole and is
further complicated by the fact the spring that raises the G# is tesioned
relitively light. Further complicating the issue are pads that are too
deeply creased along with burrs left by makers and repairers after leveling
the toneholes with a file prior to padding.

If the dollar bill trick fails to work, take the horn to a competant repair
tech and have them check the pad seat and remove any burrs that might be
catching the leather. As a side bar, these burrs also lead to premature
tearing of the pad in the area of the crease.

One very fine sax tech who happens to work for me and plays tenor
profesionally in the Joseph Wytko Saophone Quartet, Mike LaMonica places a
piece of good quality typing paper between the closed pads on his instrument
after he swabs the bore several times with a handkerchief type pull through
swab before he puts the instrument away. This significantly has reduced his
sticking problem as well as prolongs the life of the closed pads.

As for using a fine sandpaper, I would'nt recommend it.

Gerry
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Gerry Evoniuk
Staff Instrument Repair Technician
School of Music
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ

602-965-4502

email Gerald.Evoniuk@-----.edu
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