[JimMetcalf]

I am interested in adding a floor peg to my Yani B991 baritone. I am considering both the Yanigasawa type that has a threaded reciever mounted to the bottom bow rib--or the Selmer III type that has two rod attachment pieces fastened to the side of the horn. An example of what I want is shown on a DC pro harn at www.dominicsmusic.com or on the WWBW pictures of the Selmer III. Any suggestions for finding these add-on parts?

 

[JimMetcalf]

After searching available bari floor peg installations-deceided to make a floor peg-purchased a standard brass 3/4" to 1/4" reducing coupling from my local hardware store. Shortened coupling by cutting app 1/2" from large end-filed grove to fit bari rib guard and soldered in place. Purchased a 3 1/2" ,2/ 1/2" and 1 1/2" brass threaded 1/4" nipples at hardware store, put 1/2" plastic chair leg end over nipple. Total cost app $15.00 On my B-991S I silver plated the hardware. This allows me to play bari without the neckstrap! Play in "Bass Clarinet" style. A worthwhile improvement!

 

[Al Carter]

Jim, can you post a photo or two of your installation? I looked at the DC Pro picture, and that is an interesting approach, attaching it on the bow in that spot.
I have a Selmer bass sax with a floor peg that is affixed on the back of the horn, ala bass clarinet. So the angle is a little awkward. Having the attachment on the front of the bow makes sense, although I wonder how adjustable it is? Or do you just find the right length and adapt your body and posture to it? The reason I'm asking that is that it seems as though every gig we play has a different chair - some higher, some lower, so the peg (for me, at least) needs to be adjustable. Of course, I could just drag my own chair to gigs, but that seems a little far out....

 

[JimMetcalf]

Brass threaded nipples are availavble in lengths from 1 1/2" to 12". Just select the length that feels good and screw it in. A 1/2" chair leg cover fits tightly over the floor end to provide traction and prevent scratching the floor. It also looks very "factory".

 

[Joe Jazz]

Why Jim I do believe you may have found a new profession......making and installing one of those for all in need. I hereby dub thee....."pegleg Jim"!

 

[Stretch]

I went to the trouble of having my tech put a peg on my Yani bari. He did a fine job but I found that balancing the bari on a peg to be a problem due to the weight and length of the bell of the bari. I was forced to use my mouth to help steady the horn which was quite uncomfortable. The bass clarinet has a much shorter, lighter bell so that the balance is better, the centre of gravity is lower. I play the bari in my Hercules stand without a strap and I am very happy with this set up.

 

[rhysonsax]

I saw on BBC TV a bari player called Jim Corry http://www.jimcorry.co.uk/ playing at Glastonbury in the horn section for Amy Winehouse. His baritone had an interesting looking long peg or spike that supported the horn for playing standing up.

I tried to capture some stills from the TV broadcast that show the spike. It looks like it is attached from the back of the bell brace to a point near the bow. The balance of the horn looks about right.

I did try contacting Jim Corry about this spike thing and also the two repairers local to him that I thought might have made it for him, but I never heard back.

Rhys

 

[Kini]

fyi - I trialed a Yani 992 with the peg, and with the longest peg attachment, it did not reach the floor while sitting. Before spending money, I recommend that you confirm that the peg or extension is long enough for you. You also might have case fit issues. The 992 fit in the stock case, but it would not fit in my BAM case due to the peg recepticle.

Good luck, I played a 2 hr motown gig on my bari, and my back was killing me afterwards. Wish I could find a standing support.

 

[Gandalfe]

Ooh good point about the case fit problem. I still prefer the strap but my wife uses a guitar strap thingee to great effect (on tenor). And like Stretch sez below, I've seen many a good player using the stand to great effect, especially if they are short or older peeps. That's my fall back.

 

[JimMetcalf]

The total added length is app 7/8" so bari fits in stock Yani case and the "pegs fit into the holes already there. I added a peg to my YBS-52 and that required a minor case adjustment-drill holes for the legs-inserted them in holes and created a slight "dimple" in case to accomodate the added leg fitting. With the peg-leg I play bari in "Bass Clarinet" position" For the first few hours-wear a strap for safety-soon you will not need the strap unless you need to stand up for solo/ soli passages etc. Pegs are 5" 3 1/2, 2 1/2 and these seem to accomodate all the different chair heights. I am 5'10" if taller would need longer pegs. Remember-I use atandard plumbing brass threaded nipples for pegs-they are available in sizes from 1" to 12" For custom sizes-they are easily cut down with a tubing cutter.

 

[Mark Harrison]

Dont want to get burned for unearthing an old thread but i have some information regarding these spike things.

Its likely it was lent/made for him from a guy called Joel Purnell. Jim and Joel are some of the best sax player's in the north of england, and i happen to have Jim as my teacher this year. He is insane, check him out, such a soulful player and guy.

Anyways here is an example of Joel's tenor spike -

And here is his website - http://www.joelpurnell.com/#

When i spoke to him about it he said it is specific to his horn and it was this holding back patent or production or something. Also it works in conjunction with the ring between the body and bell. He says it takes the strain of his back and leaves him free to play. "Havent done a gig without it since" were his words i believe.

 

[rhysonsax]

Dont want to get burned for unearthing an old thread but i have some information regarding these spike things.

Its likely it was lent/made for him from a guy called Joel Purnell. Jim and Joel are some of the best sax player's in the north of england, and i happen to have Jim as my teacher this year. He is insane, check him out, such a soulful player and guy.

Anyways here is an example of Joel's tenor spike -

And here is his website - http://www.joelpurnell.com/#

When i spoke to him about it he said it is specific to his horn and it was this holding back patent or production or something. Also it works in conjunction with the ring between the body and bell. He says it takes the strain of his back and leaves him free to play. "Havent done a gig without it since" were his words i believe.

Thanks for the information - that's very interesting. Looks unusual on tenor, but it seems to work for Joel.

If Jim is your teacher, could you ask him specifically about his bari spike and maybe get some pictures ?

Thanks

Rhys

 

[Mark Harrison]

Sure il ask him a week today when i have a lesson (which is always the highlight and focal point of the week!)

Do you need it cause you have back problems, or are you just generally looking to take the strain of bari away?

 

[rhysonsax]

Sure il ask him a week today when i have a lesson (which is always the highlight and focal point of the week!)

Do you need it cause you have back problems, or are you just generally looking to take the strain of bari away?

Just interested really. I play bari sitting down in big band and alto/tenor standing in other bands.

There is some chance that I will play bari in a horn section and I am interested in the technical side of saxes as I'm an engineer. This looks like a neat solution.

Rhys

 

[KeithL]

I'm not sure about this. I haven't found playing the bari out in front to be especially comfortable. Tried putting stuff (a few books and a yoga block) under the bow of my bari once- I found it to be nice initially but I tend to move around over the course of a few hours playing leaning forward or back in my chair, straight back, slight slouch, etc. The mouthpiece was only in the right spot for sitting one way. If I sat up straight I needed to tip the horn to get the mouthpiece higher, if I sat back I'd have to tip it a different way- the angle (of the mouthpiece entering my mouth) was never quite right except in that one spot.

The other issue is space. I've been gigging with a horn band that's just starting up; http://www.masshipsteria.com/ and few of the clubs in our neck of the woods have the space for a full horn section- if I had a 2-3ft. extension on the end of my horn(s) it would quickly turn into a Stooge act of me knocking over stands and mics and whipping people across the legs when switching horns or music.

I'd also be interested to see how a peg attached that way would effect bell key alignment over the course of time. The bari is especially susceptible to having the bell keys knocked out of line due to the size and length of the tube. It doesn't take much to make low A's and Bb's very difficult to play.

 

[On KEW]

For sitting down, I was thinking about building a wooden box of the right height and stapling a mouse pad upside down on top of the box for a non-slip, padded surface to rest the bottom of the sax on. Anyone tried this? Thoughts?

PS-Please move this if it is considered off-topic for this thread.

 

[edwin]

My tech kindly added a peg to my bari. I say "kindly" because although I paid him for it, it clearly turned out to be a lot more effort than he'd expected and he refused to take more money than he'd originally quoted for the job.

I've been meaning to post pictures of this for ages and will try to get my act together in the next day or so and do it. I'll try to describe it now though.
What he did was attach a short brass tube to the front of the bell. The tube has a screw at the front. Then there's a removable peg - more of a rod than a peg, really, it's maybe 25cm long - which slides into the tube and is locked in position by tightening the screw. This means that the length can be very conveniently adjusted to suit the height of the chair you're sitting in. I mainly play with the horn in front of me, although it works with the horn to the side as well.

My tech was impressed with the effect - the bari is well balanced and seems weightless. He was skeptical at first when I asked him to do it but now reckons it should be a standard fitting on the bari.

You could play it without a strap, although I don't. In fact the main downside is that the whole thing feels so light that there's almost no resistance when you play the palm keys - the horn tends to just swing away to the right when you press on them - so that you need to adjust the way you play a little.

 

[edwin]

Whoops, just realised these photos have been sitting around for months and I hadn't done anything about adding them to this thread.

I guess the photos say it all. When I first bought the bari and had the peg added, I mainly played sitting, with the bari in between my legs. This has a couple of disadvantages - it makes for an awkward right wrist position and it means that the palm keys are a bit tricky to play because there's no resistance to the pressure from your left hand. But otherwise it works well.

However, after a period of playing mainly standing up, with a harness, I've been playing in a mini-big band and have taken to playing with the bari on my right, resting against my right leg. This works very well.

Either way I find it a bit tricky to find a position for sheet music in which I can see the pages in front of me without the top curl of the bari getting in the way, but I presume that's an issue however you position the horn and has nothing to do with the fact that it's resting on a peg.

Either way, this is very easy to adjust for height. The peg takes the entire weight of the horn. I'm very happy with this setup.

 

[MontyMac]

View attachment 35389 View attachment 35390

Whoops, just realised these photos have been sitting around for months and I hadn't done anything about adding them to this thread.

I guess the photos say it all. When I first bought the bari and had the peg added, I mainly played sitting, with the bari in between my legs. This has a couple of disadvantages - it makes for an awkward right wrist position and it means that the palm keys are a bit tricky to play because there's no resistance to the pressure from your left hand. But otherwise it works well.

However, after a period of playing mainly standing up, with a harness, I've been playing in a mini-big band and have taken to playing with the bari on my right, resting against my right leg. This works very well.

Either way I find it a bit tricky to find a position for sheet music in which I can see the pages in front of me without the top curl of the bari getting in the way, but I presume that's an issue however you position the horn and has nothing to do with the fact that it's resting on a peg.

Either way, this is very easy to adjust for height. The peg takes the entire weight of the horn. I'm very happy with this setup.

It seems a Lot of threads here are protracted but what the heck!
I'm rebuilding my Bari, the bottom bow guard is smashed in will need straightening anyway so I have many options in front of me right now.

LOVE Jim's solution and have been thinking of a way to make a secondary pin to slide inside the pipe and be adjustable. Maybe take the first 1/4" nipple, drill out for a 5/16" rod, make 2 saw cuts in an X through the lower threads then use a hex coupling as a"nut" for the pipe threads so that when the 5/16" rod is inserted the "nut" and pipe act as a collet and tighten on the rod giving a much finer adjustment without having to do a set screw thing in the pipe.

With your rod arrangement Edwin, (I just SO LOVE YOUR AVATAR) could you get another rod, ( 3/8" stainless I presume?) make 2 45 degree bends to get the point under the center of the bow, then could even let it swing to the outside a little and add just a little weight to the left?
Just a fabricators thoughts first thing in the morning

 

[justthesaxman]

It seems a Lot of threads here are protracted but what the heck!
I'm rebuilding my Bari, the bottom bow guard is smashed in will need straightening anyway so I have many options in front of me right now.

LOVE Jim's solution and have been thinking of a way to make a secondary pin to slide inside the pipe and be adjustable. Maybe take the first 1/4" nipple, drill out for a 5/16" rod, make 2 saw cuts in an X through the lower threads then use a hex coupling as a"nut" for the pipe threads so that when the 5/16" rod is inserted the "nut" and pipe act as a collet and tighten on the rod giving a much finer adjustment without having to do a set screw thing in the pipe.

With your rod arrangement Edwin, (I just SO LOVE YOUR AVATAR) could you get another rod, ( 3/8" stainless I presume?) make 2 45 degree bends to get the point under the center of the bow, then could even let it swing to the outside a little and add just a little weight to the left?
Just a fabricators thoughts first thing in the morning

These 2 posts are real interesting as I am in need of a peg arrangement for my Bari. I have Arthritis and playing a Tenor is no problem but my new love is a 1960' "Keilwerth" Bundy Bb Bari. It is a heavy beast and even with a harness it is making my right arm/elbow sore to the point of making it difficult to comb my hair. I only play standing and a peg makes perfect sense. Seems to me MontyMac has a good point to bend the rod to center weight below bow. I think of a stand up Bass and think I will maybe try a pointed peg to prevent any movement while playing. I will look at some stand up Basses to be sure. Any thoughts ?