Klarinet Archive - Posting 001017.txt from 1999/07

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] sax problems
Date: Mon, 26 Jul 1999 10:39:08 -0400

At 09:35 AM 7/26/1999 -0400, Daniel A. Paprocki wrote:
>Here's a change of topic. Since almost all clarinetists play sax and the
>sax lists out there are dead or near death, I thought I'd present this
>problem.
> I'm about to purchase a used (like new) Selmer VII (yes you heard right
>the dreaded VII) alto sax. I love the sound, it tunes well, my hands
>(large) fit well, and the price is very good. It has one problem - the low
>C#, C, and B (not Bb) sometimes develop a slow warble in the sound. This
>comes and goes depending on reed and who knows what. I've been playing sax
>for a long time, have a great mouthpiece (Rousseau 4r) and reeds (Oliveri
>3). I've played other saxes in the last couple years (Yamaha 52, Keilworth,
>Selmer VI) and haven't had that problem. I've had it checked for leaks with
>my repair person and it's tight. My next step is to have the pads doped. I
>have done the trick of dropping the end plug in the bell and that does solve
>the problem but sometimes makes the C# stuffy. Why is this happening and
>how do I fix this?
>--
My own Mark VI alto suffers from the same problem, most prominent on B,
slight on C, and not at all on Bb. The tech who overhauled it and I have
both spent much time in trying to find the problem. The biggest
improvement I have been able to make was the result of noticing that, when
first picked up right out of the case, it played fine. Only after I had
warmed it up did the problem begin. It seems that one of the upper stack
pads (G, as I recall) was sort of borderline sealing on one side. When it
got warm and moist and the OTHER side expanded, the leak began. Of course,
that meant it was always fine when the tech looked at it. Adjusting that
pad has all but eliminated the problem.

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://members.wbs.net/homepages/z/o/o/zoot14.html
ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.

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