[BarioAndretti]

I'm wondering if anyone makes alternate neck pieces. When I play, I stand. The new sax I just got (Jupiter) is a little tigher and has a little different dimensions than my old horn. I had to bring up my harness a lot to get the mouthpiece at the right place, and now my left arm feels like a little T-rex arm in an awkward (for me) position/angle. I'd like to drop the sax harness down. Though if I do, I have to bend my neck down and can't look straight ahead. So obviously the neck piece for the horn should be angled up more, instead of a 90 degree angle.

Does anyone make alternate neck pieces in different heights/angles?

Could I just find an alto neck (they usually appear angled upward), if the junction diameter matches?

Thanks.

 

[Reet McVouty]

So I need to ask, did you try this horn before you bought it? If so, didn't you feel that it was uncomfortable then? If you didn't try it, then that was a big mistake all the way around. How would you know if it was a suitable instrument? Intonation, ergonomics and the build quality all being important. Personally, I've owned at least one alto of every major brand of saxophone over the years and I've never had an issue with the neck angle. Jupiter is one brand I haven't tried, but I would assume that like most modern brands it's design is based on the MK VI. But that's just an assumption not a fact. You may want to take it to a tech to make sure it's not bent.

 

[milandro]

First, it is possible to bend a neck, like these, up, a good tech would be able to do it, just use a cheap chinese baritone neck.

There are lots for cheap on ebay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Barito...661522?hash=item23da05b152:g:18QAAMXQxj1R6-j1

However

I'd suggest a different approach.

If when sitting you angle the horn to the right , then you twist the neck towards you and turn the mouthpiece to be " flat" you may be reaching a more comfortable playing position.

 

[KeithL]

I often feel this way when I'm playing alto but I play so little alto these days I figure it just feels strange compared to tenor and bari which I play almost daily. I don't know that I could play bari with the mouthpiece at that kind of angle though I've seen folks play the horn (mostly seated) with the mouthpiece entry angle almost like that of a clarinet. Seems like this might create as many problems as it solves.

Before I went to all of that trouble, just for trial purposes, I would try a regular neck strap to see if that makes a difference in how the horn feels based upon how it hangs. I still use a regular neck strap with alto but I've been using a harness with tenor and bari for over 20 years now. I own 7-8 harnesses and they aren't all created equal as they feel quite different with some being more comfortable while playing standing and others when seated. Because of the way some of them work as you raise them the horn doesn't just move up but comes closer to your body as well which is one of the reasons I still use a regular neck strap with alto.

Point is, before going to all that trouble to get something customized I'd check to see if the horn can be brought into a more comfortable playing position the way it is using a different method of support. If it can, a different harness or something like a Jazzlabs SaxHolder might be a better solution. Repositioning the strap ring may also be an option to consider.

 

[1saxman]

Modern baritones mostly are in the Selmer/Yanagisawa pattern which features a large loop and short neck compared to many vintage baris with small loop and long neck. This forces the bari to ride higher and be closer to your body. This was a big improvement for me coming from a Martin to a modern low A horn. The sax rides much higher so it improved my right hand and arm angles but does make the left hand and arm draw in and up. I think you probably should just get used to it - you could spend a few hundred $ on re-manufacturing a neck to do what you want and ultimately find that unsatisfactory.

 

[turf3]

Also, you want the mouthpiece to enter your mouth more or less horizontally. What you're proposing will alter that.

 

[Guto]

altering the neck is a risky proposition. best to buy cheap replacement ones like milandro proposed to try out on first.

another suggestion: if you feel comfortable playing with the Bari angled forward (bottom of the sax further closer to your body then the top), but the horn doesn't want to stay in that position, I'd look at relocating the neck strap hook (or adding a new one). if the hook is placed too high, it'll tend to push the neck towards your face, trying to keep the horn more vertical (e.g. old Conn tenors typically suffer from this). if you feel comfortable playing with the Bari angled forward (it'll tilt the neck towards the angle you are looking for), but the horn doesn't want to stay in that position, I'd look at relocating the neck strap hook (or adding a new one) instead of mocking with the neck angle. this is a very simple soldering job any tech should be able to do in 5 minutes, and these hooks are available on eBay for close to nothing.

 

[Oric Muso]

Sometimes you need to get used to horn before contemplating adjusting it. I think as others have suggested, the horn is as it should be and is just different to what you're used to. Adjust the harness until the mouthpiece is in the right place, then check your alignment to the sax body. You should be able to get a Jupiter in a good position, but a harness can bring the sax in a bit close to the body.
I've found the Sax Holder works well with bari. I don't like them so much on other saxophones, but it works well with a bari and allows the horn to sit in a comfortable position.

 

[BarioAndretti]

Good ideas. Thanks all for the tips!