Cork Grease - Does it come with a new Sax?

It should come with your sax, and I am of the mind that a pad saver does more harm than good if left in the horn, and I don't think they are made for soprano, anyways. Maybe a Hodge swab, which is what I use for my alto and clarinet (one for each).

I find that it generally helps when I have a mouthpiece.

Seriously, there are 2 main brands of pad savers. One is supposed to be bad and the other OK. I just don't remember which is which. And yes, they do make them for soprano.

I have never Bought a new horn but i would think not.

Don't forget your neck strap (just checked you previous posts so scratch that)
you did go for the Sop didn't you?
Anyway enjoy and have fun.


well thats not the most helpfull reply i have ever wrote:?

I have a couple of soprano "shove its" but don't use them, nor do I swab my horns. I think too much is made about doing that.

I'd make sure I have a mouthpiece, ligature, mouthpiece cap, and some reeds. Some horns come with cork grease and some don't, but even the smallest of music retailers usually has cork grease in stock. A neat little accessory is one of those collapsing/folding soprano stands that slide up the bell - VERY handy. DAVE

Grambo -

I just bought a 586 from Kessler as well. It came with cork grease, a stock mouthpiece, cap & lig, and a polishing cloth. Yours should as well. All you need are reeds. Actually, there was a reed in place on the mouthpiece, but I'm guessing it was used to play test the horn, so I didn't use it.

Good luck with it. You'll love it.

Frank

Grambo said:

I ordered a new sax (Antigua 586) and I forgot about cork grease. Does a new sax usually come with cork grease? Can I just use plain lip balm?

Is there anything else (besides reeds) that I should remember to pick up before I start playing? Maybe a pad saver? (it's been a while )

Cheers

Click to expand...

It may come with some vaseline like goop, but proper cork grease is probably worth buying from a local music store. Lip balm may look like cork grease, but I think for the couple of bucks cost you are better getting the real thing.

Depending where you got the horn a decent mouthpiece might be worth investing in, stock mouthpieces are a mixed bag at best, although if I recall Kessler provie a reasonable morgan mouthpiece, and maybe others do similar good deeds.

Padsavers...never saw the point, just stops airflow through the horn, get a good quality silk pullthrough, and remember to use it.

Comfortable neckstrap might be a good idea too, and a stand to prevent accidental damage when you arent using it and its not safe in the case.

Canadiain said:

It may come with some vaseline like goop, but proper cork grease is probably worth buying from a local music store. Lip balm may look like cork grease, but I think for the couple of bucks cost you are better getting the real thing.

Click to expand...

Yep accept no substitutes. I ran out of cork grease and grabed a tube of Preparation H; worked in the short run but after a while the mouthpiece didn't fit anymore.

:twisted:

Welcome back, Gary.

gary said:

Yep accept no substitutes. I ran out of cork grease and grabed a tube of Preparation H; worked in the short run but after a while the mouthpiece didn't fit anymore.

:twisted:

Click to expand...

Prep H:shock: Was there really nothing else close to hand? Ear wax? Nothing?

Thanks for the replies. It looks like I'll be all set to blow when the sax arrives.

If you're anything like me, you'll blow long after the horn arrives.

"It looks like I'll be all set to blow when the sax arrives."
Ah, come on surely you’re not that bad!

But do yourself a favor, liberally apply cork grease to the new cork several times and use a hair dryer on warm to help it soak in. Do this several times in the first couple weeks, the cork will then love you forever!

RandyJ said:

But do yourself a favor, liberally apply cork grease to the new cork several times and use a hair dryer on warm to help it soak in.

Click to expand...

So it looks like Grambo will be blowing at least two different ways after the horn arrives!

Seriously, thanks for the tip Randy.

RandyJ said:

"It looks like I'll be all set to blow when the sax arrives."
Ah, come on surely you';re not that bad!

But do yourself a favor, liberally apply cork grease to the new cork several times and use a hair dryer on warm to help it soak in. Do this several times in the first couple weeks, the cork will then love you forever!

Click to expand...

Be careful with that hair dryer or you'll weaken the glue holding the cork on the neck.

Just keep in mind the cork grease is for your neck cork. May seem obvious, but there was a girl in school who thought it was supposed to go on ALL the corks on her new clarinet.

All tenon corks on a clarinet get grease.

Yes, but how about all the adjustment corks?

Lol, I thought I might be setting up a few jokes with that "blow" line.

An extra tube of grease wouldn't hurt. How many times has someone asked to 'borrow' yours and you never get it back. Just remember not to use your corkgrease as chapstick. Did it with horrifying results.