[Nergnor]

Greetings folks.

Hi, I am Ron, from Singapore.
Just received my Antigua SS4290LQ from UPS today bought from a retailer in the UK.

Appreciate your help here, as I do not know if there are even any sax tech in Singapore. Finding a decent store that sells saxophone is hard enough (only Yamahas), let alone finding a sax tech in Singapore.

Have a few problems and hope you can help with. Just a beginner so pardon me for the lack of knowledge.

1) First problem: The G is out of tune and sounds like something is leaking. Turns out that in the neutral position, the G# is not closing properly. Is this a common problem? Or Have I received a sax that is not set up properly? Or damaged during shipping?

What can I do to solve the problem? I am guessing a few possibilities, so let me know whether these are feasible?
a. Duct tape the nut at "A" to make it thicker such that the hole will be closed. I am guessing this will work but its not a pretty solution.
b. Bend the arm at "B" inwards towards the sax?
c. Bend the arm at "C" inwards towards the sax?
Not so confident in the bending options. What would a tech do in this case?

2) Second problem, its actually my first time playing on a soprano. Notice that when I play D or E key, the sound actually "flutters". Is this a problem with the sax? Or is it a problem with my embrochure? Have tried to look for light leakings but i dont see any leaks in the lower notes.

Appreciate any help I can get. Thanks a lot!

 

[Nergnor]

Something to add, theres actually some cork behind "B" in the photo, and if I were to close the hole G#, theres actually a 1-2mm gap between the nut "A" and the cork at "B".

 

[Stephen Howard]

First up - have you removed the shipping corks from the low B/Bb keys? Are the pads off the tone holes or are they held down against them?

It's not an especially common problem - but when it occurs it's either because some of the buffering material between the lever arm (B) and the cup arm (A) has fallen off.
However, on a new horn it's more likely to be due to a knock in transit.
I would have said that it was due to shock damage (the case cops a whack - doesn't put a dent in the horn but the impact works like a slide hammer and bends a few pillars out of line), but there doesn't seem to be any evidence of it on the compound pillar (to which key (C) is attached).
Hold the sax horizontally and look at that pillar - does it stand straight up, or is it leaning backwards towards the mouthpiece?
Check one of the bell keys - does the barrel sit snugly between the compound pillar and the corresponding pillar at the bell?

All the same, the fact that the G# is opening so far certainly points to something having been knocked out of line.

The fix for this would be to bend arm (B) down, though you might also want to check that the pin beneath it hasn't come loose (a common problem) - but in this situation (given the amount the G# is open by) I'm inclined to recommend you have the horn checked over by a repairer.

Regards,

 

[Henry D]

a. Duct tape the nut at "A" to make it thicker such that the hole will be closed. I am guessing this will work but its not a pretty solution.
b. Bend the arm at "B" inwards towards the sax?
c. Bend the arm at "C" inwards towards the sax?
Not so confident in the bending options. What would a tech do in this case?

Probably the simplest fix for you which involves no bending or cork gluing would be to find a bit of vinyl tubing. Cut of a third of a centimeter or so and squeeze it over "A". With any luck it'll put you in the ball park of having the G# cup closed. There's only one rod screw (could be two pivot screws on the ends) of the G# hold down touch/ arm. If you need more adjustment after the tubing a bit of cork on the bottom of this would be a good place to adjust if loosening the hold on screw for "A" doesn't afford an adjustment (usually affects the amount of travel of the G# touch and its leverage in holding down the G# cup but has little effect on the actual hold down.)

You'll want the G# touch to be positioned so that the C# and B touches contact it just after you press on them (the articulated G# feature). The "B" meets "A" is where this adjustment takes place (assuming the G# to the rest of the cluster contacts are still there- which seems likely from your pictures). As you place more material between the "B" and "A" the G# touch will get lower and lower in relation to the other keys. Eventually you'll both get a really irritating double strike when you play C# and B/Bb, potentially won't be able to push down B/Bb far enough to close those two cups, and the G# wil be muffled because it won't open far enough. (Shove a match or something in between "A" and "B" just to test thickness and you'll see what I mean.) A happy medium where it all works is what you're after.

Knowing you don't want to start bending a new horn- if you get very close, a slight adjustment of the arm through bending is probably the way to go.

Note that if you use a thick bit of cork on the arm it's going to get an indentation over time where "B" meets "A" which can become an issue in and of itself. Thinner is better- and with the vinyl tubing you may well get away with none at all- just the metal on the vinyl which will work smoothly and fairly quietly (until the vinyl hardens with age). The metal arm on the metal stub would drive you wild with clicking if there was no tubing or cork inbetween.

Good luck.