[SaxPlayerJoe]

I'm in a really horrible situation here.
My tenor sax (YTS-475) is having horrible octave key issues and normally I'm an amazing troubleshooter but I've taken the octave key mechanism apart and back together again around 7 times and I can't find one cause as to why certain things aren't happening the way they should. I'm not a total dumbass when it comes to this stuff either, I've completely taken apart all my saxophones and put them back together again numerous times.
There's obviously something wrong here that is completely beyond my thinking that I'm not seeing with the octave key mechanism.
I'm looking for someone who can help me troubleshoot the problem and fix it... like, right now.
Here's why: all-state jazz auditions are on Saturday and my local repairman takes a week to repair.
Just guide me along and help me fix this, once we Skype I'll go more into detail about what I've noticed is wrong and point it out.
If you don't have Skype just message me and I'll give you my number because right now I'm completely desperate to fix this thing.
Please please please reply.
Thank you[:
-Joe

 

[Gordon (NZ)]

What is it not doing? (I don't have Skype, but what your problem has almost certainly already been covered in this forum.)

Some diagnosis clues: http://www.saxontheweb.net/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=312749&postcount=5

 

[SaxPlayerJoe]

The only info I've got right now that is relevant to anyone that repairs saxophones is that I've taken apart the 3-part octave key mechanism 11 times now and I think I realized that the middle segment (the one that opens the G#-D octave hole) isn't moving along the iron or steel (not sure) rod as smoothly as the other ones.
I think I may have bent the middle segment some how.
I think I can fix it if I can figure a way to straighten it out.
What I'm doing now is screwing the octave key mechanism rod in with only the middle segment and sliding it up and down; hoping to gradually bend it back in place as I do it rapidly.
My problem after that is that when I put it all back together, I'll hold the G key (right ring finger) and then push the octave thumb-key and then the G#-D octave pad reaches its stopping point on the cork on the opposite side of the pad before my thumb finishes reaching the octave thumb-key's cork and felt combo stopping point, so it forces neck octave pad to go up because the top of the octave key mechanism widget (without the neck) is forced to move, because as I continue pressing the thumb key after the G#-D octave pad reaches its stopping point, the mechanism has no other choice but to start moving the only other part available to move; the neck widget, which in turn forces G#-D notes to overtone because the neck pad is forcibly opened.
I want it so that when the G#-D octave reaches its stopping point, the thumb-key felt and cork combo reaches its stopping point as well.
By the way, it's not the neck thing that needs bending, I know how that thing works and that is not the problem, the only thing I haven't tried with the neck that is possibly relevant is making it springier by oppositely bending the spring on it, but I don't think that'd help.
It's complicated but I tried explaining it the best way I could.

 

[bandmommy]

I think if you explain your situation you're local tech can have the horn repaired correctly and back to you in a day.

 

[riFph]

sounds like you need to add material under the felt under the octave lever so it stops moving sooner, or bend the lever closer to the body. Don't worry about making the lower octave hit the G arm, if it's stops a little sooner thats ok. the other easy but not right option would be to bend the neck octave so the rod doesn't hit it as soon, but as I said it's not correct to do this.

 

[abadcliche]

If I am reading this correctly, sounds like you

1) have a binding issue on a key in your octave mechanism. Highly recommend taking this to a repairman. Lots of variables here, could be super simple, could be something that needs a practiced eye to figure out exactly why it is doing what it is doing and make it better without causing damage.
2) have an octave key that has too much travel. You can fix this easily, just look at the mechanism and figure out whether you need to give your G key more travel/higher key height which will give the octave key more room to travel or whether you should put a thicker adjustment material on to stop the key from moving too far.

 

[SaxPlayerJoe]

I sat and analyzed this thing for like an hour before I finally realized that I either needed something to stop it sooner or needed something to make it so it was already pushed down a little farther so that the natural stoppers would work fine as I bent the neck octave key mechanism.
I would have added more cork to the original thumb-key stopper but that took too much time and precision, one of those things being something that I don't have.
I basically took one of those neon glow light connectors (http://img.alibaba.com/img/pb/283/651/238/img_1121398.jpg (the things holding the circles together) and put it on the little top widget that contacts the neck mechanism, and by doing that it forced the thumb key to already be down a little and I started and kept on wrapping it with electrical tape until it was thick enough to the point where the moment the force from the neck mechanism (which was right as I pressed it without delay, because I made it so the gap between the neck mechanism and the widget was about a dime's width) touched the top widget it had just enough to make it so that the G#-D octave pad opened all the way to the slightest degree not touching the G arm cork, so that the A-High F# notes had maximum lift from the neck pad without that disgusting airy tone.
So basically I made it so they both were at their maximum without effecting the other, the only problem with adding to the top widget rather than the thumb-key mechanism itself is that the thumb key is pushed down a little bit which causes my thumb not to be used to that feeling, even though it's extremely slight, but I'm not worried. I'll take it to my repair guy after auditions.
I'm kinda laughing at myself now because I fixed it before you guys added that info, but thanks for the help.
I know my ****[:
I want to be a sax repairman and maker when I grow up anyway, troubleshooting is my best skill[:
The balance between every key on the saxophone being in a specific place is a total bitch though. Makes me wish I played a brass instrument.
LOLJK.
Time to fix my alto~

 

[hornfixer]

Keep up the good work.

 

[clarnibass]

Just to comment on the idea of using Skype, it can be a good idea sometimes. A player from another country couldn't find someone to fix a problem they had with their instrument, so I sort of walked them through it on Skype. I spoke with them a bit first to understand what their mechanical sense is like (pretty good) and made sure everything was clear before they attempted anything. It worked great.

 

[Gordon (NZ)]

Perhaps it could have saved a lot of time between you and I.