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I have a super balanced action alto.
It has a sharper bend in the neck compared to a MK VI for example.
The angle causes me to bend just a tiny bit to position the horn/ mouthpiece.
This compromised posture is causing serious neck stiffness (MY neck - the one attached to my head that is).
I've been playing for 28 years mostly pain free and find this problem only on vintage horns (which tend to have a sharper neck bend).
By vintage I mean:
- conn curved soprano 1912 patent
- selmer balanced action alto
- selmer super balanced action alto
Has anyone ever come across about similar problems/solutions/tragedies.
For your info do have a MKVI replacement neck which solves the posture problem and plays easily in tune - but doesn't sound as warm as the original neck. When I got it 20 years ago i picked it out of a dozen at a Selmer factory (assembly plant which was in Toronto). It was more focussed sounding than the others - that's what I wanted at that point in time/
The present ongoing discomfort is enough to make me consider any option:
1. (less risky?) have work done on the MK VI REPLACEMENT neck to open it up especially near the top and hopefully make it much like the super balanced's original neck - just more comfortable.
2. Throw caution to the wind and get the ORIGINAL neck's angle straightened slightly - and hopefully not screw up the sound ! ... If it ends up slightly different, but basically as warm and fat as it is now I'd be very happy.
I'm not thinking so much about resale value - more getting the sound and posture I want and playing it for another 43 years.
Any success/failure stories involving sax neck re-shaping?
It has a sharper bend in the neck compared to a MK VI for example.
The angle causes me to bend just a tiny bit to position the horn/ mouthpiece.
This compromised posture is causing serious neck stiffness (MY neck - the one attached to my head that is).
I've been playing for 28 years mostly pain free and find this problem only on vintage horns (which tend to have a sharper neck bend).
By vintage I mean:
- conn curved soprano 1912 patent
- selmer balanced action alto
- selmer super balanced action alto
Has anyone ever come across about similar problems/solutions/tragedies.
For your info do have a MKVI replacement neck which solves the posture problem and plays easily in tune - but doesn't sound as warm as the original neck. When I got it 20 years ago i picked it out of a dozen at a Selmer factory (assembly plant which was in Toronto). It was more focussed sounding than the others - that's what I wanted at that point in time/
The present ongoing discomfort is enough to make me consider any option:
1. (less risky?) have work done on the MK VI REPLACEMENT neck to open it up especially near the top and hopefully make it much like the super balanced's original neck - just more comfortable.
2. Throw caution to the wind and get the ORIGINAL neck's angle straightened slightly - and hopefully not screw up the sound ! ... If it ends up slightly different, but basically as warm and fat as it is now I'd be very happy.
I'm not thinking so much about resale value - more getting the sound and posture I want and playing it for another 43 years.
Any success/failure stories involving sax neck re-shaping?