This article will step you through the overhaul of a badly damaged Selmer Mark VI alto saxophone.
Saxophone Structural Work First Up
First all the structural aspects of the instrument need to be dealt with. In the extreme, such as the saxophone
on the left, this includes major dentwork but also encompases such things as:
- Re-aligning the bell
- Making sure the body is straight
- Removing dents
- Repairing any broken or compromised solder joints
- Refitting the neck
This gets the major structural work out of the way so that the finer work is not compromised at a later stage.
Finer Structural Work
This stage comprises a lot of hand finishing on the structural elements of the saxophone. Most of these steps are
not actually completed on brand new saxophones, as manufacturers find it uneconomical to include these finer stages of
setup. This stage alone makes a fabulous upgrade to a new professional saxophone, ensuring the fresh first set of
pads cover well and last longer.
- Strip saxophone down
- Repair uneven toneholes. This is crucial to give the fresh pad a flat surface to sit on. On an uneven tonehole a fresh pad may cover fine as it is soft and very forgiving. As the pad ages it is less forgiving and cannot properly cover the uneven tonehole. We do not file toneholes. While filing toneholes may eventually achieve a flat tonehole it also destroys the integrity of the horn. Maintaining the height of the tonholes is critical
- Repair any wear or looseness in the mechanism to ensure the pad lands in the same place ever time it falls. This can include making new rods
- Check all key cups are flat so they do not distort the pads when re-assembled
- Set post alignments and poise keys
- Remove rust from spring, replace any springs as needed
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Prepare Padding
After all the important background structural work we can now begin to prepare for the overhaul.
- Wash and clean instrument
- Remove all old grease and oil from keys and posts
- Prepare all the pad sizes for proper support in the keycups
- Select and install resonators on the pads. Read our other article on the importance of saxophone resonators
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Pad Install
We now have a clean instrument with all structural elements restored to better than factory-new condition.
With these all dealt with, installing the pads is an easy step. We know that the pads are also set up to endure and
improve with age, not reveal the inadequacies of bad (or no) structural work.
- Recheck mechanism, tonehole and padcup of each pad
- Install pads
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Putting It All Together
Nearing the end, this crucial stage is where all the hard work pays off and we start to see something
that resembles a saxophone again.
- Set stack heights
- Replace all keycorks and felts
- Final check of all key mechanisms. Key must fall freely with NO side to side movement
- Full oil and lube as re-assembled
- Recork neck
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Test Play and Final Check
The final and most satisfying step in the process!
- Test play every aspect of the horn
- Spend time wih the customer to ensure all personal preferences have been achieved
- Re-check in 6-8 weeks. This is a crucial part of the process. Like any new instrument, the saxophone will go through a 'settling in' stage. This is unavoidable as felt, cork, leather, etc can compress or expand with playing. If this follow up service is missed there is a chance of uneven wear as well as compromised performance.
