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Re: How to increase throat A spring tension?

Author: Chris P
Date: 2019-02-21 04:30

Some throat A ley springs need to clear the key barrel so they don't foul against it. Another thing you can do to make more room is to file a flat on the underside of the key barrel to provide more clearance for the spring, but making sure you don't file through it.

Having the flat spring made as long as possible so the free end is as near to the countersink for the open G tonehole as is possible will help a lot as will replacing the steel saddle in the spring slot if it's worn out or removing and flipping it over. Add a drop of heavy oil to the end of the needle spring where it contacts the steel saddle to make it slide better. If the saddle is rusty, then use a screwdriver tip to scrape the rust off and along the length of the saddle as opposed to across it so the spring tip won't catch in any cross scratches.

You don't need a mega heavy gauge flat spring for the throat A key as that will make it too heavy to use in conjunction with the speaker key when playing throat Bb as the speaker key will open before the throat A key does. Find a gauge that you can balance well (the curve of the spring will determine the tension and balance) and making sure both throat A key and the speaker key will open together when playing throat Bb.

The throat G# needle spring will only have an effect on the throat A key once the A key makes contact with the adjusting screw tip and then lifts the G# key as opposed to adding more pressure to the throat A key pad, so leave a gap that's less than 0.5mm between the two to be sure the G# pad closes.

If you want a much better action or feel on the throat A key when using it, don't use cork or anything there and instead burnish the flat recess on the top side of the throat A key arm to a mirror finish and fit a nylon tipped adjusting screw in the G# key arm (or fit a nylon tip to the adjusting screw). Make the nylon tip evenly domed instead of cut square or at a wonky angle so you can get good adjustment and feel. You won't get any noise from it as there's such a tiny gap between the two.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

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