[datsaxman]

This is purely cosmetic. Play the horn.
These are very good altos.

 

[NO SAX]

Well if you keep the sax long enough you will see other things happening. I understand it’s hard to get something new with even a slight flaw (I wouldn’t be happy either). Nice sax though.

 

[1saxman]

Fixing flux bleed is straightforward: remove the lacquer in the affected area, clean it thoroughly, polish, then spot lacquer the area. The adjacent joint must be fully cleaned which can include adding solder there since there's often a gap where the bleed is occurring.

This one certainly could be done spreading, but on such a new horn I wouldn't bet on it being stabilized yet.

Trombone and trumpet communities share this woe and it's common among other sax makers.

That's it. You can take a pencil eraser and see if you can rub off the burnt lacquer. Then polish with metal polish. For the small areas and edges you might use a cotton swab. Carefully remove excess polish and use alcohol to remove any 'protectants' that the polish may have left. Now you can take clear nail polish and carefully cover the spots.

 

[Guto]

I wouldn’t bother either, especially given you like how it plays and your logistical challenges to return it.

Your acid bleeding is really minor but I’d indeed document it back with the seller as suggested already just in case it gets much worse.

FWIW when I bought my first sax in 1991, a Selmer SA80-II it quickly developed several large spots more like those in post #15. Not knowing any better I returned it to Selmer and they fixed it. Honestly I don’t know whether they relacquered or replaced the sax but it came back perfect looking. But back then I was living in France and it was easy for me to go back to Selmer in Paris to return it.

 

[ROARII]

My 1970 mark VI has significant acid bleed. It was that way back when I acquired it in 1984. Back when I bought it, the music store insisted that it was the original relaxquer and I should consider relacquering it.

funny how times change.

 

[1saxman]

That's a bad case of acid burn! I wouldn't re-lacquer it, but when it needs a pad job I would get it acid-dipped, which will remove all that tarnish. The exposed brass will then develop a matte, golden-tan appearance that looks great with the remaining lacquer.

 

[soybean]

While Yany's horn is top notch quality, their lacquer quality is not at that same level…

yes. It is interesting that Yanagisawa didn’t update to the more durable epoxy-based finishes like Yamaha and some other companies. They could have done so when they released the World Outstanding series.

 

[milandro]

but I don’t think that the problem (which, I think is generally very minor ) is not in the lacquer but in the procedure beforehand. Irrespective of the lacquer that anyone uses the bleed is produced by trapped flux or water droplets not by the type o.

Also it is not so that Yamaha is completely acid bleed free, we have reports of acid bleed on Yamaha too.

I have seen acid bleeds an just about any brand , it occasionally happens

 

[ROARII]

That's a bad case of acid burn! I wouldn't re-lacquer it, but when it needs a pad job I would get it acid-dipped, which will remove all that tarnish. The exposed brass will then develop a matte, golden-tan appearance that looks great with the remaining lacquer.

I think you are comment on my horn and not the OPs. That is my 1970 mark vi. I posted as an example of bad acid bleed. The remedy back in the 80s was to relacquer them.

 

[milandro]

certainly a badly affected horn such as yours is was and will always be , in any times, strip it of lacquer and clean and perhaps relacquer

 

[1saxman]

I think you are comment on my horn and not the OPs. That is my 1970 mark vi. I posted as an example of bad acid bleed. The remedy back in the 80s was to relacquer them.

That's right - I think I would fix that.

 

[1saxman]

but I don’t think that the problem (which, I think is generally very minor ) is not in the lacquer but in the procedure beforehand. Irrespective of the lacquer that anyone uses the bleed is produced by trapped flux or water droplets not by the type o.

Also it is not so that Yamaha is completely acid bleed free, we have reports of acid bleed on Yamaha too.

I have seen acid bleeds an just about any brand , it occasionally happens

That's right - the problem is failure to adequately wash off the soldering flux before polishing and lacquer. The flux is water soluble which explains why re-lacquers seldom have acid burn, because the sax is washed/dipped before polishing/lacquering, removing any flux residues still on it.

 

[SaxNutz]

The nice thing about lacquer is it will burn in to itself unlike other finishes, so it can be touched up without showing.

 

[Dr G]

The nice thing about lacquer is it will burn in to itself unlike other finishes, so it can be touched up without showing.

Not if the color changes - either due to tinting or aging.

 

[turf3]

OP, just polish off the discoloration using one of these on an angle grinder

and then re-coat the area with a little spray lacquer. What could possibly go wrong?

 

[Mattsax2001]

OP, just polish off the discoloration using one of these on an angle grinder View attachment 127843

View attachment 127843

and then re-coat the area with a little spray lacquer. What could possibly go wrong?

I like this idea lot seems to be the most effective remedy

 

[clarnibass]

OP, just polish off the discoloration using one of these on an angle grinder

Two of them because one would wear before it's completely removed?

 

[Mattsax2001]

Two of them because one would wear out before the lacquer is completely removed?

Wouldn't have thought of that thanks