Common faults & repairs
As with all musical instruments, it’s necessary to know some of the common issues you might encounter and understand the causes and solutions. Saxophone repairs can be costly, and some issues can take time to fix. Still, a qualified repair technician easily addresses these. Common Saxophone faults will typically fall under one of 4 categories (Air leakage, Broken or missing neck cork, Dents, Stuck keys)
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Air Leaks
When notes won’t play, or the instrument requires a lot of air to play, it’s mostly always due to an air leak. The leather pads under the keys seal the air from the tone holes. Still, if the pads don’t seal well, the player blows harder or squeezes the keys until it seals. If the leak is big enough, the note(s) won’t play at all.
Leaks sometimes occur when keys are bent out of position, but mostly, they are due to old or deteriorating pads. As the saxophone pads age, the leather stiffens and stops sealing well. The immediate solution for such an issue is replacing the old pad(s) and carefully placing it next to the tone hole for a tight air seal.
Usually, when one pad deteriorates, the others are close behind; therefore, replacing one stiff pad won’t fix the problem for long and replacing all the pads is recommended.
It’s never a welcome expense, but you’ll be surprised how well the Saxophone plays with newly replaced pads.
Leaks sometimes occur when keys are bent out of position, but mostly, they are due to old or deteriorating pads. As the saxophone pads age, the leather stiffens and stops sealing well. The immediate solution for such an issue is replacing the old pad(s) and carefully placing it next to the tone hole for a tight air seal.
Usually, when one pad deteriorates, the others are close behind; therefore, replacing one stiff pad won’t fix the problem for long and replacing all the pads is recommended.
It’s never a welcome expense, but you’ll be surprised how well the Saxophone plays with newly replaced pads.
Broken or missing neck cork
The neck cork looks similar to the cork used for corking a wine bottle. You find it between the mouthpiece and the neck of the saxophone, and its sole purpose is to block air leaks through to the saxophone. The cork compresses and comes loose with regular play, and its break, crack or falling off is part of the wear and tear of the saxophone.
When the neck cork breaks, cracks, or is missing, it has to be replaced. To replace the cork, the technician cleans the old cork off the neck, cuts the new cork measured to fit, glues it, and shapes it to hold the mouthpiece tightly in place.
Cork replacement is not an expensive repair; with proper maintenance, the new cork should last a few years.
In an emergency, you can apply tape or paper to the neck to hold the mouthpiece in place until you can get your sax to the shop.
When the neck cork breaks, cracks, or is missing, it has to be replaced. To replace the cork, the technician cleans the old cork off the neck, cuts the new cork measured to fit, glues it, and shapes it to hold the mouthpiece tightly in place.
Cork replacement is not an expensive repair; with proper maintenance, the new cork should last a few years.
In an emergency, you can apply tape or paper to the neck to hold the mouthpiece in place until you can get your sax to the shop.
Dents
Due to the soft nature of the material Saxophones are made from, they are prone to get dented even when you take necessary measures to protect them. It is never recommended that you fix dents yourself, and the recommendation is always to send the instrument to a qualified and experienced technician to get it fixed, as the repair must be carried out with great care
Stuck keys
Saxophone keys stick when they bend out of position during play, transport, storage or as a result of frozen pivot screws or rods. To repair, the technician will turn these back into place and align them so they can move freely. In most cases, technicians will also examine the state of the pads and replace them at the same time if they are found to require replacing.
If a single key doesn’t return to its resting position, its spring may have come unhooked. Sometimes, the Saxophonist can move the spring back into place with a pen or crochet hook. However, only attempt this “fix” if you know what you’re doing; otherwise, it is best to leave it to the technician for repair. If you notice your keyguard is loose and find the missing screw at the bottom of your Saxophone case or elsewhere in your practice area, you can screw it back on. On the other hand, if the keyguard has been knocked off completely, it will need to be soldered back on then it is best to leave it to the technician to carry out such repair.
If a single key doesn’t return to its resting position, its spring may have come unhooked. Sometimes, the Saxophonist can move the spring back into place with a pen or crochet hook. However, only attempt this “fix” if you know what you’re doing; otherwise, it is best to leave it to the technician for repair. If you notice your keyguard is loose and find the missing screw at the bottom of your Saxophone case or elsewhere in your practice area, you can screw it back on. On the other hand, if the keyguard has been knocked off completely, it will need to be soldered back on then it is best to leave it to the technician to carry out such repair.