[bingas]

Hi I bought a used Startone alto saxophone in september 2018. It was my 1st saxophone and I had usual troubles as a complete beginner. After few months I got in to it and I was enjoying it very much. Few days ago I noticed there was goo on my pads and some screws were loose so I looked it up on the web and following the instructions cleaned the pads and tightened the screws.
After that I started having trouble with playing 2nd F# on alto when doing jumps from lower scale, after few minutes of playing it starts just screaming. I tried changing mouthpiece and reeds, Also read much about the possible problem with my embouchure, also about sax mechanics and what might be causing the problem. Then I tried that as well and got nowhere...
I am considering changing the saxophone because of it, but I figured to 1st try asking for help. Also I contacted the local repair shop and they do not want to look it up at all because it is a Chinese model.
So as you figured out by now I need some advice about what to do and how to proceed.

 

[zapatista]

It might be as simple as pad(s) not sealing. Are you prepared to self-diagnose your horn/tumble down the repair learning curve? A leak light used properly would be a lot cheaper than a new saxophone...

 

[JayeLID]

Indeedy. The light would allow the diagnosis... question then becomes, what next ? Because unless you are ready to delve into sax repair you'd still need to take the horn to a tech for a look-see.

Or skip the leak light purchase and just get thee to a tech, now.

You bought a used instrument, not a reputed brand at that, and you had not had it serviced after it came into your hands.

It is overdue for a checkup, I'd say. Once you get an estimate you can then make a decision on whether to invest in the repairs, or take that repair $ and buy a different horn.

Generally speaking, on a somewhat obscure-branded import alto...if tech servicing is gonna cost over around $250-275, many folks would say sell the horn (you will not likely get much, but it's $ nonetheless to put towards a replacement purchase), and get a different (used) horn.

 

[BrianMitchellBrody]

My immediate advice is to drop your loss right now. I'm sure this brand is not going to take you anywhere if it is already in this condition. Most unknown Chinese saxophones are poorly made and techs just will not touch them much like yours.

There are a few better Chinese manufacturers that are relatively inexpensive and have proven more reliable. One that comes to mind is Tai Shan.

Best of luck

 

[lydian]

But the instrument was working fine before he cleaned the pads and tightened the screws. Now some of the screws could be too tight and some of the pads misaligned or damaged which can easily happen if you don't know what you're doing. I say try a different tech before scrapping a perfectly good horn. Don't mention the Chinese make to them if possible. Just take it in a see what they say.

My tech will make a couple of adjustments for $20. I doubt it would need $250+ worth of work if it was working before your adjustments/cleaning. But just be up-front and tell them you don't want to spend much. Then they can fix the big issues and/or tell you it's too far gone to fix for a low price.

 

[bingas]

Thanks for the reply. I used cellphone light on it in dark room and I get no leaks. The thing is it kinda works well in the beginning and then it starts giving me trouble half the way in the 1st song.

 

[bingas]

Thanks for the reply as well. I Live in Bosnia and Hercegovina and there is only 1 shop in my town and I asked them already they said definite NO. So I am out of options for the shop. I read upon the most common causes of this type of problems and what screws to check, I do understand the mechanics of it and think I can do some adjustments myself if i knew what to look for.

 

[bingas]

I was considering buying this https://www.olx.ba/artikal/27367039/saxofon-amati-kraslice-aas-extra-stanje/#detaljno what do you think about it. I am a student and still don't have an income so this is used as well. I bought this one because I wanted to start with something. And I would like to bring it in to working condition myself so I can sell it to someone and get some investment return from it atleast.

 

[datsaxman]

If you used a cellphone, you had the light outside of the horn.

A proper leak light goes inside the sax.

Yes, something you adjusted likely is causing the problem.

 

[bingas]

If you used a cellphone, you had the light outside of the horn.

A proper leak light goes inside the sax.

Yes, something you adjusted likely is causing the problem.

Ok I will use Christmas lights to check

 

[bingas]

No leaks... Just checked.

 

[JayeLID]

But the instrument was working fine before he cleaned the pads and tightened the screws. Now some of the screws could be too tight and some of the pads misaligned or damaged which can easily happen if you don't know what you're doing. I say try a different tech before scrapping a perfectly good horn.

Me too....

No leaks... Just checked.

Your horn was playing before you did your home cleaning. Now it is not playing.

When you say 'no leaks'...what does 'leak' mean to you ? Because 'leak' can mean more than 'pad leaking'. It can also be a mechanical leak where something got tweaked in the regulation when you cleaned it.

...there is only 1 shop in my town and I asked them already they said definite NO. So I am out of options for the shop.

Did you take it to the local tech AFTER you did your cleaning job ? Or before ?

 

[bingas]

Me too....

Your horn was playing before you did your home cleaning. Now it is not playing.

When you say 'no leaks'...what does 'leak' mean to you ? Because 'leak' can mean more than 'pad leaking'. It can also be a mechanical leak where something got tweaked in the regulation when you cleaned it.

Did you take it to the local tech AFTER you did your cleaning job ? Or before ?

I did not take it the worker did not want to look at it at all.
No leaks for me means no light is coming out of the pressed pad...
Yes : It can also be a mechanical leak where something got tweaked in the regulation when you cleaned it= what screw to try and tweak to fix it I ask.

 

[Reet McVouty]

Don't mention the Chinese make to them if possible. Just take it in a see what they say.

Yeah, because a good tech would never be able to tell it was Chinese....

 

[lydian]

Don't mention the Chinese make to them if possible. Just take it in a see what they say.

Yeah, because a good tech would never be able to tell it was Chinese....

Whatever. Announce you're bringing in a crap horn and get turned away over the phone, or show up, play dumb and ask nicely. Which do you think will be more successful. You're not fooling anybody, just getting your foot in the door.

Your way is certain to fail. Mine at least has a chance. But the easy answer is to give up and throw the horn in the garbage.

 

[bingas]

It might be as simple as pad(s) not sealing. Are you prepared to self-diagnose your horn/tumble down the repair learning curve? A leak light used properly would be a lot cheaper than a new saxophone...

Hi I would like to do so. Even tho some people still say I ought to take it to the repairman, after getting rejected. What to do what to look for. I ve tried to diagnose it with the christmas lights and no light leaks here....

 

[lesacks]

Can I just check - when you say "tightened the screws", you didn't tighten the, famous, G#/Bb screws, did you?
The ones shown here
https://tamingthesaxophone.com/leaking-articulated-g-sharp

Some screws hold stuff in place - like key gards - others are adjustments which shouldn't be "tight" or "loose" but in the right position...

 

[Grumps]

Yeah. Start with loosening the screws you tightened until one fixes the problem.

 

[JayeLID]

Hi I would like to do so. Even tho some people still say I ought to take it to the repairman, after getting rejected.

Ya' know, this SHOULD go without saying, but the point of mdavej's comment (although it was pretty obvious to begin with) was simply that if you phone up a tech and tell them the brand of horn (which they have never heard of, thus many assume it to be junk) and they happen to be busy, you may well get a result like you have gotten.

However, IF you "show up, play dumb and ask nicely" it is far less likely in a face-to-face that a person is gonna blow you off like that. You can even go so far, if asked, as to claim you had not phoned up earlier in the week...If the person is the only tech in town, and you do not intend upon moving anytime soon, it might be worth a second shot.

Or we can just make suggestions about what to do at home, based upon incomplete information, no photos, nobody here able to examine the horn, and educated guessing....

if the latter, THIS one is a good start:

Can I just check you didn't tighten the, famous, G#/Bb screws, did you?

Yeah. Start with loosening the screws you tightened until one fixes the problem.

 

[milandro]

years ago I've heard this story about a flute brand that started providing a screwdriver with the flutes and the new flutes started flocking in the shop that had sold them because the buyers couldn’t resist the temptation to do something that they had no trining i doing.

Also, checking for leaks is probably is not something that one that has never been doing knows how to do.

Anyway.

Take any saxophone to any tech and he will always find something to adjust, the difference is that he knows how and you op, don’t.



A little knowledge is dangerous ( Alexander Pope)