[Dog Pants]

Hi Guys,

I'm chasing my tail trying to fix my A

It's flat in the first octave and sharp in the second. All other notes are within normal tuning workable range.

It's a 273XXX Crat Alto with an 01 neck and I'm playing a John Reilly Meyerish piece with a Jazz Select 3S reed.

I've tried raising the height of the G. Helps the flat low A but doesn't help the A2.

I've tried both raising and lowering the height of the bottom stack.

The A2 is also stuffy sounding which is a fix for another weekend but for now I just want to see if I can sort the tuning issue before work starts back on Monday.

Anyone have some ball park key heights in mm

Juan???

thanks,

DP

 

[maddenma]

Just measured my A key, and the pad height is about 5mm (Buescher 135 ('crat Series 1) Alto - 288,xxx). If you're in this ball park, then pad heights aren't going to help you much -- particularly between octaves, as this is more of a neck/mouthpiece issue.

While I have no idea what John has done to this piece, I suspect a larger chamber or lower baffle piece would help. That said, frankly, sometimes even modern horns don't like certain pieces, and all things being equal on the horn, it's always a trade-off between the horn, the neck, and the mouthpiece.

The Strathon I use tends to go sharp in the upper register and I do have to dial the lip back a bit to keep it in tune above G2, though it's not uncontrollable. The Vandoren AL4 doesn't have this issue and is dead on all the way through the horn. Have you tried other pieces on the horn and does it give the same result?

 

[jicaino]

Your problem lies (most likely) in the neck octave pip. Try reducing the vent area by taping it, adding a little glue to the inner sides of the pip, building up to effectively reduce the diameter of the vent.

 

[Dog Pants]

Your problem lies (most likely) in the neck octave pip. Try reducing the vent area by taping it, adding a little glue to the inner sides of the pip, building up to effectively reduce the diameter of the vent.

Thanks Juan. I'm assuming you're talking about reducing the diameter of the entire neck octave pip rather than just the external opening. Do you have a preferred method that won't dmage the pip itself? It sounds like an easy way to ruin a neck if not done properly.

Would a thin coat of nail varnish suffice?

 

[MusicMedic]

Thanks Juan. I'm assuming you're talking about reducing the diameter of the entire neck octave pip rather than just the external opening. Do you have a preferred method that won't dmage the pip itself? It sounds like an easy way to ruin a neck if not done properly.

Would a thin coat of nail varnish suffice?

If you're going to reduce the octave vent maybe you can also fix that hissing (or stuffiness in the A) at the same time.

 

[jicaino]

Thanks Juan. I'm assuming you're talking about reducing the diameter of the entire neck octave pip rather than just the external opening. Do you have a preferred method that won't dmage the pip itself? It sounds like an easy way to ruin a neck if not done properly.

Would a thin coat of nail varnish suffice?

just the opening would give you an idea. Once you explored that, if you're satisfied, I can turn a new pip for you and send it free of charge. I use cyano glue and a needle and try to apply the glue on the inner wals of the piup, not too deep, not deeper than approximately 3 mm.

If you're going to reduce the octave vent maybe you can also fix that hissing (or stuffiness in the A) at the same time.

Definitely would cure the hissing along with the spread A's.