[Opus7]

Hello!
I wonder if there are any guidelines how to pick up a sax from a stand safe,
so you dont bend anything!Where do you grab the sax! I feel that when I
grab my tenor with my right hand,the rods are affected!
I mean if you are playing a gig and double on guitar, and sometimes have to make fast change from guitar to sax,you could bent something if you squeeze
to hard!
Opus7

 

[saxxsymbol]

i pick it up with the bell and thumb hook. i don't like grabbing the rods either.

 

[Seasax]

yep, same here,i dont touch any keys for fear of them warping

 

[Ruediger Kramer]

i put it by the ring (between bell and body)

 

[martysax]

If you have to grab it with your right hand on the body, go for the area with the most structure. In a hurry, I delicately grab my horns with my right palm opposite the left pinky cluster, with my middle finger through the bow brace and my thumb under the strap hook.

This is done with great precision and deftness for less than a second. I do not squeeze any rods or tubes, contrary to the opinions stated on another thread.

 

[Jolle]

I always grab him by the bell, but you have to be careful. Elder saxes with less material might be bent if you move them to quick when holding the bell. Bueschers are told to have that problem, since the metal is very thin.

 

[JL]

I always grab him by the bell, but you have to be careful. Elder saxes with less material might be bent if you move them to quick when holding the bell. Bueschers are told to have that problem, since the metal is very thin.

Oh man, why do people post things they know nothing about?!

1) "Elder" saxes were not built with less material, if by material you mean the brass body. In fact, in many cases they were built more strongly.

2) Vintage Bueschers are among the sturdiest of all horns. The metal is NOT thinner on them. Wherever did you get that idea?

3) I hope newcomers to the web realize they shouldn't believe, or worse propagate, everything they read on here.

 

[CountSpatula]

If you have to grab it with your right hand on the body, go for the area with the most structure. In a hurry, I delicately grab my horns with my right palm opposite the left pinky cluster, with my middle finger through the bow brace and my thumb under the strap hook.

This is done with great precision and deftness for less than a second. I do not squeeze any rods or tubes, contrary to the opinions stated on another thread.

I'm with Marty on this one

 

[martysax]

I'm with Marty on this one

Careful Kid, don't stand too close, you might get hurt.

I'm too old for it to matter, but you could get scarred.

 

[CountSpatula]

It's okay, I have protection.

 

[Dr G]

Condoms or a pistol?

 

[tjontheroad]

When playing both sax and guitar in the same tune, I'd swing the guitar around my back and then pick up the sax with two hands by the bell and thumb hook. One tune use to play was "Can't You Hear Me Knockin'" by the Rolling Stones with me strumming the chords in the beginning and then I'd switch to tenor for jam solo ending.

 

[CountSpatula]

Condoms or a pistol?

Saran Wrap works best.

 

[martysax]

Saran Wrap works best.

No, No, No!

 

[Reedsplinter]

"Saran Wrap works best" is not a good pickup line, even if your horn is a c-melody.:dazed:

 

[Doghouse Riley]

I pick it up by the rim of the bell with my right hand, cradling the body with my left. I then support the weight on my thumb under the octave key button with my hand round the body, while I attach the harness to the ring. Mine are Yamahas, they are quite sturdy, I'd be concerned about owning any instrument where by picking it up might cause a problem.

 

[Grumps]

Ahhh, good to see we've got fans of the Fugs here...

Anyhow, I grab mine with my right hand, sliding it between the bell and body, lifting it up with my fingers either under or around the bell to body brace and my thumb on the back side of the body of the horn for support. I've got pretty big hands though.

 

[Enviroguy]

I take my right hand and rap my thumb around the strap hook eyehole. The other four figures rap around the rods to the right of the eyehole. Since my 400 has a nickel eyehole and nickel rods, I'm not touching the lacquer very much. You can carry a Buescher tenor sax all day like that. It's very secure and you look cool holding the horn at your side with one hand.

But don't do this regularly with a Yamaha or other horn with softer brass keys and rods. Those rods will bend or come out of regulation way too easily. I learned that the hard way.

 

[RootyTootoot]

I take my right hand and rap my thumb around the strap hook eyehole. The other four figures rap around the rods to the right of the eyehole. Since my 400 has a nickel eyehole and nickel rods, I'm not touching the lacquer very much. You can carry a Buescher tenor sax all day like that. It's very secure and you look cool holding the horn at your side with one hand.

Snap! You beat me to it. I'm probably putting myself in line for a right royal flaming here but does anyone seriously believe that holding a sax by placing one's fingers around the rods and touching the lacquer could actually damage any decently built saxophone in any significant way? This stuff about picking up gently and delicately by the bell with the pinky of the left hand type thing just seems like a recipe for disaster. A proper saxophone doesn't mind being handled, in my opinion.

 

[Cannonball & CmelGuy]

I prefer the "snatch and grab" meathod. It's quite simple really. all you have to do is attach your stap, then put your thumbs on the LH plate and under the thumb hook, them lift and position fingers en route to mouth.