[Homely Saxman]

My Mark VII sold yesterday, so I finally got to take home my new (to me) Selmer Super Tenor. I'm already in love, but the bore is so huge that the endplug I had doesn't fit. It's not a huge issue, but I'm wondering if anybody knows where I might be able to get an endplug for a large bore horn.

 

[gratefulnateful]

Morgan Mouthpieces makes a wood end plug with a cork seal like on a clarinet tenon. If one of these was loose, you could just put a thicker cork on it:

https://www.morganmouthpieces.com/products/morgan-grenadilla-alto-saxophone-end-plug

I would probably just find a champagne cork that fits and use that but may take a few bottles to find the right one.:wink:

 

[littlewailer]

Champagne cork is super easy. Just soak it in some boiling water for a minute or two and it will swell up enough to fit. When you put it in the end it might be tight at first but should go on easily after a few tries.

 

[lostcircuits]

Pretty much any cork will do that - most bottle caps won't - and stay away from screw tops ...

 

[JayeLID]

Morgan Mouthpieces makes a wood end plug with a cork seal like on a clarinet tenon. If one of these was loose, you could just put a thicker cork on it:

https://www.morganmouthpieces.com/products/morgan-grenadilla-alto-saxophone-end-plug

I would probably just find a champagne cork that fits and use that but may take a few bottles to find the right one.:wink:

One could just buy a $4 cheapie plastic endplug on eBay and then wrap some sheet cork (instrumentclinic sells 4x3 sheets various thickness for $4) around it as well, adhere with contact cement....another budget alternative....

 

[1saxman]

That's it - cork it. You probably won't be able to fully wrap it and you don't need to - just put three vertical strips on it and sand to fit.

 

[Homely Saxman]

Well, at least I have a proper excuse to make a liquor store run now

 

[Kritavi]

I have some unusually wide plastic tenor end plugs, if you want to send me your address I'd be happy to mail you one.

 

[lostcircuits]

If you want to go the wrapping route, you can use almost anything. I prefer the green frog tape, it doesn't ooze out glue and dries out relatively quickly. And you start off with a slightly larger diameter and just peel back until it is an exact fit.

 

[Kritavi]

It'll mail out tomorrow, its too big for any of the Mark VI's I've tried it with so hopefully the right fit.

 

[littlewailer]

I would honestly go the actual champagne cork route as opposed to putting strips of cork on another end plug. I used the same champagne cork for 5 years until I sold the horn with the champagne cork as the stopper. It'll probably last another 20 years. It was a wide bore horn too. An Amati that had at least as large a bore as a Keilwerth. And it looks classy AF.

 

[Homely Saxman]

It'll mail out tomorrow, its too big for any of the Mark VI's I've tried it with so hopefully the right fit.

thanks so much!

 

[1saxman]

I would honestly go the actual champagne cork route as opposed to putting strips of cork on another end plug. I used the same champagne cork for 5 years until I sold the horn with the champagne cork as the stopper. It'll probably last another 20 years. It was a wide bore horn too. An Amati that had at least as large a bore as a Keilwerth. And it looks classy AF.

Corking a loose end plug is common and is actually a feature of 'high-end' sax maintenance/overhauls where a loose end plug is noticed. The only thing I don't like about a cork stopper is it may not be long enough. The only purposes of the end plug are to take up space in the case to prevent excessive movement and to protect the octave rod that extends past the end of the sax, so you really need one of the same length as the original. I also like to drill a large hole in the end of the plastic ones for ventilation/drying, and this is also something not likely to be done with a cork stopper. Some saxes had open brass end plugs, like 'The Martin'. On my alto and tenors, I use stuffers with a rubber knob on the end that replaces the end plug. The ventilation/drying aspect with the stuffers is moot because inserting it from the top completely dries out the upper half of the sax, plus the normally-open pads allow drying in the lower section.

 

[Hassles]

For those of you with a lathe, mini lathe or a friend with either it's quite simple to purchase a rod of Acetal, nylon or acrylic etc and machine exactly what you require. I myself have champagne corks in (too many) saxes and recently decided to - machine up a few 'nice' end plugs on my mini lathe. Quite a bit of fun too, takes about as long as drinkin' a beer or listening to a CD. Personally I chose Acetal (aka delrin). For those with a wood lathe OR friends with a wood lathe, some very nice end plugs can be machined with any decent timber. Some attach cork to these, not unlike a clarinet mouthpieces, to very good effect. I'm thinkin' about machining a couple of grooves for a couple of rubber seals or O-rings within the Acetal etc

 

[turf3]

I'm lazy, I just wrap some Scotch tape around it. In ten or twenty years I'll probably need to re-do it. Maybe.

Sorry, can't get interested in end plugs, as long as there is one. I'm the same way about cases.