Time to Clean Your Saxophone?

#bettersax #saxophone #saxophonelessons
Jay Metcalf gives a tutorial on how to disassemble a saxophone to clean it.
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Пікірлер: 443

  • @willipuga
    @willipuga4 жыл бұрын

    “Don’t try this at home!” **gives us a step by step tutorial on how to try it at home**

  • @tatarsauce6314

    @tatarsauce6314

    4 жыл бұрын

    People in quarantine:

  • @willipuga

    @willipuga

    4 жыл бұрын

    Takeshi He changed the title haha

  • @willipuga

    @willipuga

    3 жыл бұрын

    @Eden Peter how dare you scam in my very own reply section

  • @conniee.

    @conniee.

    2 жыл бұрын

    I would never try this at home.😣 This is scary to me.😨 I most definitely would have to have this done by a professional.💲😊👍🏾

  • @voltagestorm1787

    @voltagestorm1787

    2 жыл бұрын

    He said not to do it alone

  • @damaxxant
    @damaxxant4 жыл бұрын

    I borrowed an Alto Sax from school on Friday, and now I’m keeping it until schools open back up 😂

  • @bradley5800

    @bradley5800

    4 жыл бұрын

    Lucky

  • @saxy6893

    @saxy6893

    4 жыл бұрын

    Same i dont have school until september

  • @bradley5800

    @bradley5800

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@saxy6893 that suuucckkkksss

  • @pbasswil

    @pbasswil

    4 жыл бұрын

    Ha, I played trumpet in high school way back in the '70s, and I used to borrow saxes & flutes for fun! You're bringing me back.

  • @jaxw2628

    @jaxw2628

    4 жыл бұрын

    SaXy WHATT? We don’t have school for 6 weeks but September? That’s like next school year here.

  • @yorusign
    @yorusign4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for this! I used to play jazz on my alto, but for several years now my sax has been laying idle (for various reasons). As a result some keys were sticking and the whole instrument lost some of its shine. Yesterday I watched your video and today I finally took the time to fully disassamble (photographing and documenting thoroughly while doing it), clean, and then reassemble the poor thing, loosely following the steps in this video. The whole affair ultimately took about 5 hours, but I'm more than happy with the result! So thank you for bringing me closer to reunite with a long lost hobby~

  • @bradley5800
    @bradley58004 жыл бұрын

    Oh jeez we all know why this came out

  • @damaxxant

    @damaxxant

    4 жыл бұрын

    f4de 😂

  • @El_Caballer0

    @El_Caballer0

    4 жыл бұрын

    👑

  • @isaacmera4758
    @isaacmera47584 жыл бұрын

    Ive worked on cars most of my life but for some reason im more scared to fix a saxophone then a car or motorbike

  • @Sebastian-ne1yt

    @Sebastian-ne1yt

    4 жыл бұрын

    Might be because you're not as familiar with the parts as you could be before fixing. Also since its easier to lose parts on a sax

  • @PhinAI

    @PhinAI

    4 жыл бұрын

    Yep, me too. I can rebuild transmissions, but I don't want to damage my saxophone. Bought a good Haynes manual for it. Studying! "Approach determines response [outcome]!"

  • @therealkaz5824

    @therealkaz5824

    4 жыл бұрын

    than***

  • @PhinAI

    @PhinAI

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@therealkaz5824, "...Time, time, time.... Look what's become of me...."

  • @knowledgeiskey3258

    @knowledgeiskey3258

    4 жыл бұрын

    TheRealKaz we don’t need to use grammar on the fuckin internet this isn’t the English class you failed

  • @dominicbarone8114
    @dominicbarone81143 жыл бұрын

    I have a spare old sax that I can do whatever with, and I use it now as a test sax for taking it apart and putting back together again. So far, one success!! Thanks so much for the awesome video!

  • @KadrianThomas
    @KadrianThomas4 жыл бұрын

    Wow! This is amazing, I’ve repaired a ton of stuff by myself I think I’m gonna have to go to a professional like you. Awesome man.

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thanks 👍

  • @vincentbianchi4797
    @vincentbianchi47974 жыл бұрын

    Jay, your deep love of the saxophone is unparalleled! Love the videos! Thank you for all the great information! You have such a great focused sound on all the horns! I surmise that you have surpassed the 10,000 hours for sure!

  • @retreauxnintendeaux1663
    @retreauxnintendeaux16634 жыл бұрын

    I never knew there was a specially-made "hinge-hook" ... I've always had one of my mom's crochet/knitting needles she gave to use for the springs. She was a sax player too. In fact I still have the alto she started out on in middle school, which is also what I played in 6th grade!

  • @marcbohets6671
    @marcbohets66714 жыл бұрын

    I did this years back, when I was learning to play on an old tenor from a concert band. It takes quite some time if you are not used to it, but if you are careful and pay good attention to put everything back in the same place, it is quite do able. I play baritone now and have a sticky high F palm key, so I will take of the key and clean the pad and tone hole to get rid of the stickiness.

  • @randypickering5793
    @randypickering57934 жыл бұрын

    Bravo Jay, no parts left over! Sure makes you want to clean your horn really well after playing!

  • @toms74094ts
    @toms74094ts4 жыл бұрын

    Jay, thanks for posting this. I’ve just taken playing back up and my horns haven’t been serviced for quite a while. With lockdown in the uk they aren’t going to be soon either..... using this video as guidance I carefully removed the G#, Eb and C# keys and cleaned the pads that were quite mucky. Both horns are now playing noticeably better for this small amount of attention and will hopefully get me through until I can get them serviced. Thanks for the great content!!! Stay safe!

  • @johnmarshall2048
    @johnmarshall20483 жыл бұрын

    Interesting that you said key pads could last for decades. Three years ago I gave my tenor Mark VI a new set of pads for its 50th birthday-it’s first new set. The originals on the upper section were starting to deteriorate a bit. Cost was a bit more than what I paid for the new horn in 1967, but it was time. I always swab my horn and wipe it down with a soft cloth (usually an old tee shirt) after playing. Taking care of your axe is the best thing you can do for years of enjoyment. Great vid, Jay.

  • @johnchapin7707
    @johnchapin77074 жыл бұрын

    Yeah baby... we're GONNA get through this. Keep rockin, JM.

  • @Nestor_Fernandez
    @Nestor_Fernandez4 жыл бұрын

    Hi Jay, Thanks for the detailed procedure. That minute at the end with the sound of your clean sax and the words of hope was a nice way to finish it. Good job!

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    thanks!

  • @jamesrush8300
    @jamesrush83004 жыл бұрын

    Mental Note: If thinking about taking your Sax apart, first conquer the art of The Rubix Cube in the dark. 🥴🎷

  • @ablubird1451

    @ablubird1451

    4 жыл бұрын

    It's one or the other, man. If you can do both, you're simply too powerful.

  • @ChaimMosheZaltsman

    @ChaimMosheZaltsman

    3 жыл бұрын

    You spelled rubik’s wrong And I’ve done it

  • @conniee.

    @conniee.

    2 жыл бұрын

    Ya think?😫I've never been into Rubics Cubes anyway.😄

  • @jacquelamontharenberg
    @jacquelamontharenberg4 жыл бұрын

    Great video Jay. I do this once or twice a year to my Keilwerth SX90R Tenor. I like to clean under the mechanisms that are not normally excessible until you remove the keys. I also never drink anything but water when I play. Since it has rolled tone holes, the pads (especially in the palm keys and C, B, A, G and G#) are more susceptible to getting sticky. I always clean the reed, mouthpiece and neck with warm water and the proper brushes and swab the main horn after every practice and performance session. I got in the habit of doing this year's ago thanks to my dad who was a trumpet player and my 1st sax teacher. Even the sax tech I occasionally use has mentioned to me how clean my horn is and my case did not have an odor. When you do things right, it pays off in the long run.

  • @EdBordin

    @EdBordin

    3 жыл бұрын

    My alto is a Keilwerth too...never thought about the rolled tone holes making sticky pads worse. Sounds about right, because mine stick a lot! Especially G#. Gonna give everything a good clean and maybe get hold of some key leaves to see if I can stop it happening ever again.

  • @lahrelkeely6541
    @lahrelkeely65414 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for keeping the dream alive Jay. Stay safe. 👍

  • @missiontwa8340
    @missiontwa83404 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Jay! I'm sure we all needed this. I take all of your suggestions, and I'm very grateful for you showing me about Rigotti Reeds.

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    My pleasure!

  • @rickyricardo7242
    @rickyricardo72424 жыл бұрын

    Many good tips there, Jay. Thank you. I also have those pliers and other tools from Music Medic. I have a few old altos I've been taking apart and putting back together...not something I'd even attempt with my "good" horns!

  • @gordondennis4820
    @gordondennis48204 жыл бұрын

    It's never going to happen to my sax! I'd have parts left over after assembly.

  • @jazzcornertv

    @jazzcornertv

    4 жыл бұрын

    Does are just the parts you just did not need. (lol)

  • @jiokl7g9t6

    @jiokl7g9t6

    3 ай бұрын

    ROFL!

  • @smithfantology8646
    @smithfantology8646 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you for teaching me (a French horn who hasn’t cleaned his instrument in 2 months) how to clean a saxophone, I will use this information wisely

  • @colinanderson6831
    @colinanderson68314 жыл бұрын

    love it you just saved a lot of time for people maybe do one for each style cheers mate

  • @murraykriner9425
    @murraykriner94252 жыл бұрын

    Great tips for returning a dirty/dusty Sax to its cleaner/healthier self. Looks like I'm going to have to need an overhaul in my future after looking at the condition of my instrument, as the former owner just shoved it in a closet after no longer playing it in college. Thanks for the assistance. Take care.

  • @cristiancaballero2025
    @cristiancaballero20254 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for this video, it is very much so needed!!!!

  • @imranabdulmuhaimin3014
    @imranabdulmuhaimin30144 жыл бұрын

    Very educational, kind and heart warming words just makes the video even more pleasant to watch. Looking forward to see more videos. Godspeed.

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    thanks!

  • @joshjablonski5183
    @joshjablonski51833 жыл бұрын

    Fantastic video. Just bought a tenor saxophone 2nd hand and I can tell right off the bat, they did a lousy job of keeping the horn clean. Will giving a a cleaning this week.

  • @arthurschwieger82
    @arthurschwieger824 жыл бұрын

    My first also was a brushed silver Conn from the 1920's. I did take it apart a couple times to clean it as it would get dirty! I stuck my fingers on many springs in the process. I laid all of the keys out in the order they came off so I could put them back on in reverse order. I could also easily clean the keys. It sure looked great after I did that. The brushed silver is hard to clean and keep clean. The whole process to clean was easily 2 hours. Once you clean it and spend all of that time on your horn, it will always sound better to you. ;-)

  • @windsurfer3329
    @windsurfer3329 Жыл бұрын

    As I said before, we wouldn't know what to do without you, producing this very informative vids. Thank you :-))

  • @rusty728
    @rusty7282 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Jay great video.

  • @GGflute
    @GGflute10 ай бұрын

    Thanks from Bulgaria! Im architect, but play on tenor sax B@S evry Day 3houts 30 years yet! Thanks for knowlige!

  • @kennethellison9713
    @kennethellison97134 жыл бұрын

    Great job Jay. I've been doing my own sax work since I was a kid. When I got my first soprano the first thing I did was strip it down to adjust the spring tensions. I remember my dad coming home from work and seeing my horn in a hundred pieces on the kitchen table! Better pliers for the job are brass-jaw pliers. The brass, as you know, is a softer metal and does not maul the metal.

  • @wcakgilleran
    @wcakgilleran4 жыл бұрын

    cork grease for pivot screws brilliant!

  • @alexanderlochardful
    @alexanderlochardful4 жыл бұрын

    This was definitely an amazing video, well done...

  • @gbrietzke
    @gbrietzke4 ай бұрын

    This helped a lot. Common sense goes a long way. Thanks!

  • @vikingwind25
    @vikingwind252 жыл бұрын

    Oh, forgot to thank you for the "Over the Rainbow" improv at the end... very nice!

  • @DjREVERENDSCAR
    @DjREVERENDSCAR2 жыл бұрын

    Bought a used sax for 225 it has now come to my attention that it was not in as good of shape as advertised. This is going to help me make it worth every penny. How anyone could play and not know the proper care for an instrument is beyond me.

  • @randallreza6572
    @randallreza65722 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Jay - Even though I am a trumpet player, I have an obsession with saxophone culture, and appreciate your time and wisdom. You have great content and natural delivery that the lay person can understand and follow. I use many of your videos for my middle school band students and they help a lot. Keep pluggin' at it, peace be with you. I love BetterSax! BTW - Is there any way to get purchase orders through you for our purchase of saxes in the future? Thanks!

  • @christophercalabrese9257
    @christophercalabrese92574 жыл бұрын

    You should do a video on pad replacement and leveling unless you already have one. Love your content Jay!

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    I will at some point. Don't need to replace any of my pads for another decade or so though...

  • @matsmanteatern698
    @matsmanteatern6984 жыл бұрын

    I really like all you’re tips and ideas on all saxophone related things! Especially you’re maintaining advice. Even if I never tried this cleaning advice myself(prefer to leave that to a professional technician) I have to say I disagree about one of you’re opinions about overhauls. I’ve heard you say a number of times that if you only take good care of you’re horn you don’t have to do a overhaul for many many years! My experience is that I have to have my horn at least adjusted every second year or so. Why? Even then my tech recommend me one or two new pads. And sometimes even if there is no new pads needed there is always some adjustments that need to be done. Cork or felt that gets worn out. New oil is also important to prolong the life of all the mechanics. I get the feeling that you do some of those things yourself every now and then when needed, right? But of course you’re right: taking good care of you’re horn on a daily basis, using swab and key leaves after every session will push the time limit for the overhaul. Been playing for 30+ years and I really did NOT take ANY care whatsoever when I was young...many years later, and slowly learning ( after many expensive total overhauls) To take good care of my horn. But even nowadays: every second year I feel the need of my local sax tech look at my horn and make adjustments...

  • @PrestonCoC
    @PrestonCoC4 жыл бұрын

    5:41 Demonetized

  • @ludvigbroman8799

    @ludvigbroman8799

    3 жыл бұрын

    Bruuh

  • @vikingwind25
    @vikingwind252 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for this video! I am cleaning, oiling and trying to adjusting a very, very tarnished 1923 Buescher Alto, Silver , no lacquer. Pads are good. My first time doing this. After removing the left hand stack I realized that re-assembly will be mechanical nightmare for someone new to this. Not to mention I have stabbed myself to death with springs in the cleaning process. Wish me luck...I enjoy your videos very much.

  • @TheMyrkiriad
    @TheMyrkiriad4 жыл бұрын

    Jay, two weeks into confinement. Has washed all his saxophones... twice. Third week into confinement : repadding party !

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    haha

  • @13bKalighat
    @13bKalighat4 жыл бұрын

    I'd be too afraid of hurting my 1943 silver alto sax balanced action...unless I've practiced on a cheaper sax before, I prefer to give it to a professional. However your vid gives some precious advices...thank you so much, Jay !!

  • @doctormaccoy
    @doctormaccoy4 жыл бұрын

    Great video. It was fun to watch. I admit that I gave this job to a tech recently. However, it underlines for me how beautiful a saxophone is and wonderful it sounds.

  • @corrigenda70

    @corrigenda70

    2 жыл бұрын

    Definitely a great video though, LOL , I was a tad distressed to hear that these instruments can last for decades. I had rather hoped that would be the case.. You will have gathered that I really detest the sound of a saxophone!! Don't know why....

  • @BCToby
    @BCToby3 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for this great vid! On case and sax smell, using an ozone generator on the case can completely sterilize and remove any residual odor in the case, perfect to do after a cleaning. Ozone will kill any odor on the sax too however unless the organics are removed from the crevices (as you suggest) it'll likely come back in a hurry so a cleaning is still necessary!

  • @toomuchtoofast4533

    @toomuchtoofast4533

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yup I run an ozone gen through vintage saxes when I buy them. Kills mold and mildew. Let your sax air out a bit and don’t breath the ozone when treating the sax

  • @gst2380
    @gst23804 жыл бұрын

    merci pour cette vidéo

  • @iantrewhella9470
    @iantrewhella94704 жыл бұрын

    A little friendly side note, try neatsfoot oil for the pads, (from the UK softens horses saddles) I use a cotton bud moist with the oil, also works on the pivot screw and rods... works wonders, it cleans the pads and restores them at the same time... respect to you and your youtube videos from a fellow player and tec.

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    we used to use that at Rod Baltimore's shop in NYC. thanks for the input.

  • @gst0362
    @gst03624 жыл бұрын

    Thanks! Hoping to clean my new one out!

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    if it's new why clean it?

  • @elsaxophonistachapin.6161
    @elsaxophonistachapin.61614 жыл бұрын

    Buen tutorial amigo, siempre veo tus viedos...

  • @danielaluna500
    @danielaluna5004 жыл бұрын

    Great video thanks.

  • @bluessax5089
    @bluessax50894 жыл бұрын

    Love the channel!!

  • @jbloveday9538
    @jbloveday95384 жыл бұрын

    “I’m going to make do with what I’ve got” - so refreshing with all the hoarding going on!

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    well in then end when looking at the crazed people in the store it occurred to me that my viewers would forgive me if I didn't have every item I would have wanted to make this video given the circumstances. And it wasn't worth potentially contracting a deadly respiratory infection...

  • @kiernanhuff5144
    @kiernanhuff51444 жыл бұрын

    Can't wait for the video with Chad. Lovin the amazing camera work.

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    Coming soon!

  • @led8541
    @led85413 жыл бұрын

    That phone call was funny I got the same one today lol

  • @tedwilliford7218
    @tedwilliford72184 жыл бұрын

    I bought a used alto on ebay and had to do 3 repairs to get it to play correctly. one was to reset a spring at the bottom that had come loose and it was relatively easy. the second was to bend the post at the top activated by the left thumb because it was bent out too far causing the top pad on the neck to stay open, again relatively easy. the third was to reset a pivot screw on the small left hand palm key because it had backed out and someone had tried to reset it but it did not go into the post because it did not line up. so the pad was seating at an angle and leaked air. what a chore this was. finally ended up tapping the right post lightly with a small hammer several times to get it to line up and then reset the key with the spring pressed down after tapping the screw into the shaft (right to left), lubricating it, and then tapping the post out after backing out the screw to open up a bit because the key would open but not close on its own. finally got it to close correctly. I cleaned the outside surfaces with a lightly oiled rag (using a gun oil), wiped it down with a clean dry rag, checked all other screws and springs and replaced a couple of cork/felt key pads, and oiled all pivot points with key oil. overall key pads are in good shape so did not do anything on them. with all repairs and cleaning done the old girl plays pretty good. overall spent about 3 hours on this. saw no need to completely disassemble the horn as done in this video. inside was not that dirty. the point is do not be fearful of making adjustments. I had another horn to study before doing the repairs and using the other horn helped be do the diagnosis to figure out what was wrong. sax cost $105.00 with a case and is an american made horn from the 70's, a good buy.

  • @jnaime
    @jnaime4 жыл бұрын

    haha cet appel qui tombe toujours quand on travaille ! :D Merci pour toutes ces astuces de nettoyage !

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    😂

  • @rmillerhighlife
    @rmillerhighlife4 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the pleasant distraction Jay.

  • @jazyladd6410
    @jazyladd64104 жыл бұрын

    Have you ever thought about trying a bass or contrabass saxophone just for fun? I've seen those on some other channels, and i think that would be a fun idea for a video.

  • @sativasoundsandgaming9142
    @sativasoundsandgaming91424 жыл бұрын

    Love you jay everything is great as always

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    I appreciate that

  • @petermorrison5002
    @petermorrison50024 жыл бұрын

    Hello Jay - Every 2 years I take my YTS 62ii completely apart using lighter fluid and pipe cleaners to clean and oil everything.. My alto is a Selmer Mk 7. I'm a little nervous to do this with it. Will it be as easy to do as my tenor?. Is there something different that I must watch for.? I am a subscriber and an working on your Pentatonic course. You videos and course have really helped me. Thank you so much .

  • @tctc2470
    @tctc24704 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Jay. Quick question...I don’t trust that my Sax shop treats horns very delicately during repairs (due in part to my neck banging around inside my case when I picked it up) and want to learn to make some simple repairs on my own...in particular, fixing small leaks. Do you have a leak light you would recommend? Thanks!

  • @pfalcon626
    @pfalcon6264 жыл бұрын

    Question: Since pads are bladders made of leather, have you ever used saddle soap to clean / maintain instrument pads? If so, what were your results?

  • @chrisli9685
    @chrisli96852 жыл бұрын

    Love this video Jay, thank you for posting it. I was wondering what would cause leaks on a saxophone when the pads still look good. I have a pro horn and the pads are original. The horn is probably from like 1993-1994. Except for a couple dings, it is in decent shape. However, it leaks. I was wondering how to fix the leaks. Normally I would just take it to a shop, but given we are in the days of Covid, I'm leery of anyone test playing my horn to make sure it is OK.

  • @tamasfoldesi5987

    @tamasfoldesi5987

    Жыл бұрын

    It can be caused by a ton of things actually. 1. It can be because of a bent or badly made tonehole rim. 2. Maybe the chimney started to come off if it has soldered toneholes. 3. It's possible that the pad is warped a bit. 4. The key or padcup could be bent, making the pad not parallel with the tonehole. 5. The pad could just be badly leveled by someone, so it doesn't sit at the correct angle in the key cup. 6. It is also possible, that the keys or posts are loose around the hinge rod or pivot screw (because of wear over time or the pivot screws backed out a bit) causing the pad to close differently every time you press down the key. It either makes the pad closing unparrallel to the tonehole or the impressions in the pad can make air escape if they don't meet with the tonehole rim exactly because of this key wobble. 7. It can also be possible that at some time in the past, the pad has fallen out, and someone glued it back in, but either didn't level it or glued the pad back in but rotated it differently. If you look at the pads, you can see that the impressions in the skin are usually not at the center of the pad. So if you rotate it differently, the impressions won't meet with the tonehole rim, causing air to leak. 8. One or more posts could have come partially or completely loose leading to the same issue as loose keys or someone could have soldered it/them back to a different position, making the pad either closing unevenly or closing to a different position that (again) causes air to leak under the impressions in the skin. 9. It's also possible that the problem is not even the pad, the mechanism or the tonehole. Leaks can be caused by cracks in the body as well. 10. A loose neck tenon or neck cork can also be a problem. If it's not tight enough, it can make the instrument a lot more difficult to play. 11. If the pad skin is too porous, you can also experience leaks. 12. Shitty mouthpieces can also make playing difficult. I once played on a Chinese made mouthpiece on a soprano and the mouthpiece was so narrow that the reed hang over the sides. I could barely make a sound on that shit, so I bought a Rousseau mouthpiece for 25,000 Hungarian forints if I remember correctly which would be 63.29 dollars today. At the time that money would worth around 70 dollars (thanks inflation 😆). So that new mouthpiece that wasn't even expensive immediately solved my problem. 13. If 2 keys are too close to each other, it can make one key to push another down with it, like low C can also push down the D#/Eb key, but you would have definitely noticed that if it was the case. 14. A pad might just be missing, but again, you would have noticed that. Although it's not always obvious which pad causes a problem. 15. If spring tension is too weak, you can actually blow a closed pad open. Of course, it only happens with pads that are held closed by a spring, and not by you. 16. If you have a pro sax, then this probably doesn't apply to you, but problems with playing technique or reed can also be a factor, but I guess you already knew that. 17. Bad pad timing can also cause leaks. A lot of keys move in unison, so they need to close at the same time, otherwise the pad that reaches its tonehole first, won't let the others close, because it can't move any further. 18. Corks and felts on the keys and/or body actually have a triple fuction. Every musician knows that they elliminate metallic noise that would occur when a key hits another key or the body. But they also prevent wear and tear, but its most important role is to make sure that the pad timing is correct, so their thickness needs to be precise. The problem is that over time, they compress (some may even fall off), making your instrument gradually get out of proper adjustment causing leaks. 19. Just plain out bad instrument (of course this doesn't apply to your sax). Some instruments are just awful. Chinese, Czech, Czechoslovak instruments are generally garbage just as the ones made in the GDR and don't even mention those things made India and some other countries. Some of them (especially Czech and Czechoslovak ones) are made out of the remains of battlefield tanks and have such a huge wall thickness that a .50 cal sniper rifle would just give up and get a job at Walmart. Of course it makes them durable against accidental hits, but also makes them a resistive shit. You may think that something is leaking a bit, but no, they are just that bad. So yeah it is a bit more complicated than people generally imagine, and this list is possibly isn't even complete, because I only got into this profession a year ago, so there are quite a lot of things that I just don't know yet. One thing in particular, when I had tried a Yamaha alto and everything was fine on that except for the upper register. High C# was working properly, but everything above that didn't. Especially the front F. D and D# was playable, but barely. My guess is that it was a mouthpiece problem, because everything seemed to be OK, and I'm experienced enough on the sax, that I can be 100% sure, that it wasn't a technical problem and those notes should have come out. If I can play them on a cheap Chinese sax even in a ppp dynamic, then a Yamaha shouldn't have any problems with it. Maybe someone could answer that one for me. But please, don't try to fix your instrument at home. As you can see from this list, it's much more complicated, than people think, so if you are not a professional, odds are, you'll just damage your instrument, and it also involves quite a lot of tools, many of them are spcialized tools for instrument repair and you can't find them in a regular hardware store anyways. COVID shouldn't even be a concern though, because as far as I know, that virus loses its ability to cause any harm pretty fast outside a host body. By the time you arrive at the shop, it'll be harmless, especially because they will just disinfect your sax before repair and after testing, just before they put it away, wearing gloves and they won't use your mouthpiece and reeds to begin with. Repair techs are only concerned about your mouthpiece when they clean it, make modifications on it, making a custom ligature or cap for it, or when they replace your neck cork. But they'll use their own mouthpieces in testing. And you can always be extra careful, if COVID is still a problem where you live, and disinfect the mouthpiece yourself as well. Sorry for the long reply. 😆

  • @samueldiabate6588
    @samueldiabate65884 жыл бұрын

    Hello Jay, I hope you are doing well during those difficult times. I was wondering if you had any advices for me... One of my pad just detached from my horn today (the pad of the octave hole, the one used from D to G#). That could explain why I was unhappy recently with my sound, the pad was probably leaking. Anyway I cannot really bring the horn to repair given the situation with the coronavirus where I am. But I don't want to spend the next 6-12 weeks or more not playing. I am thinking about doing the repair myself, but I have never done it in the past. So far I understand that I need to order a new pad, some shellac, a blue flame from a burner, and maybe some water, as well as the screwdriver to remove the key from the horn. What do you think of it? Is it doable ? I am gonna damage my horn? Would you recommend any brand of pad? Are the pad size the same for every horn by the way? Mine is a selmer Super Action II. Bye bye, and thanks for the work you do on this channel! Sam

  • @realmoonanomaly-sebastienb1192
    @realmoonanomaly-sebastienb11924 жыл бұрын

    Nice sound 👍🏽🙏

  • @SaxArtMan
    @SaxArtMan4 жыл бұрын

    Good job!!!

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    Thanks!!

  • @gcasag
    @gcasag4 жыл бұрын

    Amazing video as always! Jay, are there any tips for people who live in crazy humid locations? My alto's body is constantly getting dirty because of moisture and I'm wondering if you'd have a few tips for cleaning it in between the keys and stuff without having to mess with any screws, etc

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    there's always a danger in messing something up when you get close to the mechanisms.

  • @SkylersRants
    @SkylersRants4 жыл бұрын

    Recommendations needed for cases!!!

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    BAM are great.

  • @SkylersRants

    @SkylersRants

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@bettersax Thanks, but I suspect the reasons would be very interesting coming from an international saxophone player.

  • @sambsialia
    @sambsialia4 жыл бұрын

    All good stuff. 👍 Thanks. You can record a set for us, if your bored.

  • @DouglasHampton
    @DouglasHampton3 жыл бұрын

    Little bit of a hack, but instead of a spring hook, I use crochet needles. I've run across spring needles on instruments and on bikes (a lot of bike breaks will have a large needle spring that can be a bit brittle if you over tension it when unhooking). I started improvising when I was a kid and needed to clean the bari sax or contra-alto/bass clarinet I was using. Not having a spring hook, I just grabbed my mom's set of crochet needles and perfection. I could pick a needle appropriate to the size of the spring, which was handy, given the size of some of the springs on a bari. And to this day, I keep a set of crochet needles in all my toolboxes. They can be pretty handy....and very inexpensive.

  • @lesliededo2457
    @lesliededo24574 жыл бұрын

    Quarantine is getting to me, enjoyed your video, don't even play.

  • @bobblues1158
    @bobblues11584 жыл бұрын

    Liked your background track Jay. Clever sidestepping of the copyright problem. Jazz is so hip!

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    I wasn't actually thinking of that. When I throw a lot of embellishments into a melody it doesn't get flagged normally.

  • @stulast
    @stulast4 жыл бұрын

    I love these "How I do" videos, Jay!. Just one quick quesiton, talking about hygene and cleanliness. I have just bought a new BG Alto body swab (thanks for your recommendation) - how should you clean the swabs, and whats the best way of cleaning them?

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    throw it in the washing machine...

  • @kevinbrettsax
    @kevinbrettsax3 жыл бұрын

    After cleaning everything, I use a q-tip and put Neets Foot oil on all the pads. Keeps them soft and they don’t absorb moisture as much. So they last longer.

  • @dankokorin
    @dankokorin4 жыл бұрын

    I was thinking, what should I do exactly in this time.

  • @kwootamuckbear9294
    @kwootamuckbear92944 жыл бұрын

    I used a little WD-40 to loosen my G# key from sticking after taking it out the 2 screws and notice they were dirty and binding. Is there a better lubricant you suggest.👍🏽Nice video

  • @bluessax5089
    @bluessax50894 жыл бұрын

    OMG 😱. I would definitely mess that up!!

  • @jonnyoates1218
    @jonnyoates12184 жыл бұрын

    Hey, I'm looking at getting a sax off ebay. It is described as having "rust" on the Bell. It looks like the surface has been rubbed off and has brown spots on it. Would you say avoid, or its not that bad? There are at least 20-30 of these spots, all smaller then 3mm. Thanks! Loving these videos. It's made me want to start again. Not played for 20 years. Here goes! 🤞

  • @Ispasoiu76
    @Ispasoiu763 жыл бұрын

    If I keep it clean and dry every time I use it how often we have to do this ? I can't do it by myself. I just purchased my first Sax alto Jean Paul AS-400 GP. And I'm gonna use keypads and microfiber to clean.

  • @alsiemens2186
    @alsiemens21864 жыл бұрын

    I have had good results cleaning pads with the clear Windex (not the regular blue stuff) and applying it with cotton swabs (Q-tips).

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    Yes that works too. I dilute it in water first though...

  • @Music_Chlode
    @Music_Chlode Жыл бұрын

    The call about electricity bill...💀 and I like ur humor

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    Жыл бұрын

    haha I forgot about that...

  • @robstevens9590
    @robstevens95904 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for sharing this. How long did it actually take you to take it apart, clean it and put it back together? I've watched a sax repairman work on my (40 year old silver Amati alto) sax a few times, and had it overhauled 5 years ago. I've thought about taking it apart to clean it a few times, but was sure I would have problems putting it back together. The tip about labeling the parts you take off the horn made it seem more doable.

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    It took me longer than normal since I was filming. The whole job would probably take me 1-2 hours though under normal conditions.

  • @sperom88
    @sperom884 жыл бұрын

    I was aiming to buy a silver tenor sax (yamaha yts62s) and you bursted my bubble. Thank you for the vid btw.

  • @ryanstrohman7429

    @ryanstrohman7429

    4 жыл бұрын

    Spero M Try not to let looks get to you and buy a saxophone based on whether it plays well

  • @sperom88

    @sperom88

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@ryanstrohman7429 ofc i will try it before i buy it. But i do not think that finish of a sax affects its tone at all.

  • @pixamite1
    @pixamite14 жыл бұрын

    interesting video Jay

  • @waldensmusicandgifts858
    @waldensmusicandgifts85811 ай бұрын

    Use a blitz metal care cloth!! Great for polishing and no mess! 12:25

  • @paolocimmino5648
    @paolocimmino56484 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for convincing me NOT to do this by myself! 🤣

  • @jimb4547
    @jimb45473 жыл бұрын

    3M makes a paper strips for keeping silver horns from tarnishing. They do really work. Tarnish Strips. Try them for you Siver instruments. FYI. Thanks.

  • @jessesheehan4051
    @jessesheehan40514 жыл бұрын

    also use a white eraser to clean gunk off roo pads. like magic!

  • @RndomFX
    @RndomFX4 жыл бұрын

    great video. i'd suggest personally to lay towels into the sink and the desk when working on it to protect the surface. your towels will get wet in the sink. big deal. but i do not allow stainless steel or hard surfaces to touch my saxophones. but good job, i hope too many people do not try this thinking it is easy. it isnt hard, but it does require good memory and being careful.

  • @bettersax

    @bettersax

    4 жыл бұрын

    yeah it's not rocket science, but you do need patience and time.

  • @shellyyu4628
    @shellyyu46283 жыл бұрын

    Hi,may i know The brand of your side key protector, The black ones. They looks nice.

  • @ryanm7777
    @ryanm77774 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the vid, didn't know you speak French too, cool, man

  • @ekesamuel8795

    @ekesamuel8795

    4 жыл бұрын

    I was shocked.... And impressed too...

  • @sam45354
    @sam453543 жыл бұрын

    do you have a video on cleaning out the inside of the Saxophone and what to do if you run into any issues while doing so like it being plugged up or the lacquer isn't the same color that the horn use to be and what you can do to repair it or restore it?

  • @cypher526
    @cypher5264 жыл бұрын

    Which musicmedic screwdriver size(s) would recommend for working on a modern alto? Maybe size B and D?

  • @ekesamuel8795
    @ekesamuel87954 жыл бұрын

    Hello jay, i got to ask what's the name of that tune you played at the end of the video? I was hearing it in the background and i really liked the way you played it. I have have heard it before now but i still dont know the name...

  • @artilhausa
    @artilhausa5 ай бұрын

    How often should I clean my sir? Once a month? Thanks

  • @TackyFlamingo
    @TackyFlamingo2 жыл бұрын

    I have to rent a school tenor sax until I get mine so I just felt the need to do this lol

  • @martiglesias60
    @martiglesias603 жыл бұрын

    You speak good french! But very interesting your videos!

  • @iikpsyt4619
    @iikpsyt46197 ай бұрын

    This video reminds me of the time when one of my friends washed his alto saxophone with water as a beginner without knowing what would happen to the pads.

  • @oriolcubeles620
    @oriolcubeles6208 ай бұрын

    Hey, if my saxophone is made out of silver (and some gold bath inside the horn), no laquer, is it still safe to clean it with cold water and soap? Or i should look for a different approach?