Original SML rev D alto pads

[mark gaydos]

Hi,

I recently purchased a silver Rev D alto (mid 50's). Needs new pads, and the pads on it are not original. I'd like to replace them with pads and resonators that are as close to the originals as possible but I don't know what was used. The SML archive had a post about pads but the link was broken. Brass resonators? plastic? steel? rivets?, screws? domed?, flat?I'd be eternally grateful to anyone who could email me some pictures and/or a good description.

Mark Gaydos
gaydos@crocker.com

[max]

I seem to remember reading that they were large and flat.

FWIW, I have (non-original) large flat resos in my Rev D tenor, and it's great...

[Lomar Manx]

.165 thickness pads with flat nickel plated brass resonators installed with a through rivet with a 9mm head.

[mark gaydos]

.165 thickness pads with flat nickel plated brass resonators installed with a through rivet with a 9mm head.

Thanks Lomar,

Do the resonators take up as much of the pad as possible, or are they smaller like the ones you can buy preinstalled? I think those are small because the manufacturer doesn't know which horn they are being used on. I noticed the pads are not much larger than the toneholes - so you could use a fairly large resonator if they are matched to the pad.

[Lomar Manx]

the original resonators were quite small. There is no reason you could not user larger ones.

[Paul Coats]

Sarge at World Wide Sax padded my SML Rev D with Prestini pads with the smooth metal domes (PS-220 style). This worked out well.

I understand that SML's of that era were equpped with a small flat resonator.

I have seen many SML's repadded with the Ferree's B53 style pads, which are their "thick" pads, and have the brown plastic dome (Mk VI style) resonators. That seems to work well, too.

Also, SML saxes have a very dark tone. It does not hurt at all to size the resonators as large as possible. I did this to my SML tenor, and it plays and sounds much better, without being bright or edgy.

Tell your repair tech to size the resonators as large as possible without hitting the tone hole... hah! Seriously, about size them about 4 mm less than the tone hole diameter (2 mm from the edge).

[max]

I still remember reading a thread about how the originals were large (not oversized, just large) and flat - it was when I was trying to decide what to do with mine, which is part of why I remember it.

BTW, mine also has oversized resos - I was a little nervous about it because I didn't want it to be bright. My fears were unfounded - it plays like a dream...