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Question for CSG players

Author: JayC
Date: 2010-12-31 17:40

Hello All,

I bought a Yamaha CSG about 4 years ago and LOVE it! However, there are a few pads that look like they should be replaced. Should I have a tech order the special pads from Yamaha? Has anyone used regular pads? How about cork? If any of yall have used an alternate kind, has it made a difference in how your instrument sounds or responds? Most of the techs that I've taken my instrument to seem confused by it all. Would it be better to send it away to someone more knowledgeable about this particular breed?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jay

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Re: Question for CSG players

Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2010-12-31 18:06

The pads that are provided with the CSG are Lucien Deluxe Pads. They are unique in that they sit VERY flat. I find them to seal more like cork than most other standard bladder pads. That said, you must have noticed that your pads also all have little plastic buttons on them. Yamaha talks about the heightened reflectivity (better sound) due to this design. I am not sure that they aid any more to the sound than helping to keep the surface of the pad flat. There is a tendency, however, for there to be an initial weakness of the bladder around those very buttons. For this reason I am a little torn about them.

Still the best overhauls I have seen involve cork on most of the top joint combined with fine custom bladder on the bottom joint.

There are also VERY good synthetics now available called Kraus Omni Pads (actually Valentino makes a version called the Master's Series). I find these pads to seal extremely well, they are more durable over time, resistant to humidity and extremes of temperature. I have several horns with these pads and have found them to be amongst the best options since they seal like cork, and yet are almost as silent as bladder (no extra "clicking" of the keys as they go down onto the horn).

Keep in mind that top techs charge from $350 to $700 for a full repadding.

.........hope this helps

..........................Paul Aviles

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Re: Question for CSG players

Author: JayC
Date: 2011-01-01 20:12

Thanks for your input, Paul. I guess I was just concerned about the instrument responding/sounding different without the Lucien Deluxe pads. I'd also read that Yamaha attributes the sound quality of the CSG, in part, to the pads (ie. hightened reflectivity). I'm pretty skeptical of that particular statement too so I guess I'll just replace the pads as needed with something other than the Lucien Deluxe variety.

Jay

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Re: Question for CSG players

Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2011-01-02 05:05

I'd like to hear more about the comparison of "buttoned" pads. Does the hard surface really improve the sound? Are the buttons really there to flatten the pad?

Bob Phillips

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Re: Question for CSG players

Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2011-01-02 14:02

I don't know if the buttons flatten the pads by default (their presence is only to increase the sound), but the pads do stay very flat. As a result they seal to a much better degree than other "standard" pads.

As for the sound, I don't think there is an appreciable difference (any more than say changing ligatures). They are just small beads of plastic, not full surface reflectors like saxophone pad resonators.

My guess (since I haven't initiated any sort of side by side comparison) is that a change from one major type of pad to another (bladder to gortex, or better, leather to Omni pads) would make a more appreciable difference.

....................Paul Aviles

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