New pads for Kohlert `57

[Meyer]

I have recently bought a Kohlert 57, does anyone know where to buy the special flat pads for them.

I have tried normal pads, but they are too thick, and they have to be very flat as the original pads. I have read/heard that someone said that a nomal pad could be ironed flat??

Any reply appreciated. :)

Regards
-Meyer

[hornimus]

What do you mean by "normal"? What thickness did you buy? Pads are sold in a few thicknesses, 0.160 inch (about 4 mm) being probably the thinnest readily available. Commonly stocked sizes tend to be anywhere from 0.165 to 0.185 inch -- too thick for many horns, including some Martin models.

Check with MusicMedic!

[Meyer]

The pads I have bought is standard Ferree pads, I recall they are called B46, and have a thickness of 0.160"

The Kohlert original pads are very different, they are very very flat, like the Conn-reso pads.

Anyone having any experience with Kohlert saxophones, I have allready set up a Bixley with the thicker pads, but I had to regulate all cups to the new pad thickness.

Regards

-Meyer

[spiderjames]

I use the feree .160 pads with selmer resos on my kohlerts and they work fine. You will need to use some key wedges or levers to reshape the keys slightly as you said. You could also sand the back of the pad to reduce the thickness some. I did this on a leblanc alto on the advice of a poster here on the forum and it worked well. Conn reso-pads would be most like the originals but I don't think all the correct sizes are available.

[hornimus]

I just took in a 57xxx SN "Kohlert" tenor. Seems to be all original, including the pads, many not surprisingly leaky. Replaced a few just to get it in rudimentary playing condition because I was itching to hear how it sounds. The pads I replaced were cracked, revealing a brass ring around the edge (like the traditional Conn-reso type) and a plastic membrane of some kind underneath the leather surface, probably there to protect the felt from moisture etc. Yes, they are thin .... you can just barely see them from the side as they are almost flush with the bottom edge of their pad cups.

But..... I used what I keep in stock, the Kraus 115 series pads which, (not sure but I think) are generic Luciens, also spec'd at 0.160". Even thinner than the originals, requiring I float on a fairly thick bed of shellac. The originals I removed had been installed with a thin layer of clear adhesive, kind of gummy like a hot glue.

I could be making a poor assumption here .... that a 57xxx dated "Kohlert" is virtually the same horn as a '57 and hence sports the same key cups. From every pic I've seen, though, they look identical except that the "Kohlert" has the low Bb key table extension you see on the later models (Regent etc.) and is missing the fancy neck brace.

[saxez]

Hi Hornimus,

What is different between Kohlert 57 and 57xxx Kohlert tenor that you did repad? the engraving is the same? is it considered as 58 Kohlert? Have you seen Kohlert 58? Thanks,

[spiderjames]

The later Kohlerts seem to have deeper key cups. You can shim the pads to increase thickness. this is better to me than using more shellac.