Joined
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139 Posts
Hi All;
I am a new player who started about 5 months ago. The sax I bought was used but overhauled and very clean. The keywork was smooth and all the pads sealed. I made a swab with a piece of string tied to a cloth with a pencil erasor for a weight on the other end of the string to help pass the string through the horn. After I play I slowly pull the swab through the horn three or four times to remove moisture. (Or at least I thought I was). I do not use one of those pad saver loofa things as I seem to recall reading that they actually retain moisture and contribute to pad degradation.
About a month ago I noticed my C sharp key sticking to the point where I thought the pad was going to get pulled right out of the cup. When I finally got it open there was a deposit of really sticky gunk on the pad and in the tone hole. I used some WD 40 on a swab to clean it out but I have not figured out what it was or how it go there.
Additionally last week I was getting a lot of squeeking so I started to look to see if any keys were no longer sealing. What I found was that one of my left hand palm keys had a deposit of smudge which almost looked like mildew on the key pad. I wiped that out with a piece of cloth and the horn now plays fine.
Clearly whatever I am doing before I put the horn away is not enough. What kind of cleaning regimen or technique should I follow?
I am a new player who started about 5 months ago. The sax I bought was used but overhauled and very clean. The keywork was smooth and all the pads sealed. I made a swab with a piece of string tied to a cloth with a pencil erasor for a weight on the other end of the string to help pass the string through the horn. After I play I slowly pull the swab through the horn three or four times to remove moisture. (Or at least I thought I was). I do not use one of those pad saver loofa things as I seem to recall reading that they actually retain moisture and contribute to pad degradation.
About a month ago I noticed my C sharp key sticking to the point where I thought the pad was going to get pulled right out of the cup. When I finally got it open there was a deposit of really sticky gunk on the pad and in the tone hole. I used some WD 40 on a swab to clean it out but I have not figured out what it was or how it go there.
Additionally last week I was getting a lot of squeeking so I started to look to see if any keys were no longer sealing. What I found was that one of my left hand palm keys had a deposit of smudge which almost looked like mildew on the key pad. I wiped that out with a piece of cloth and the horn now plays fine.
Clearly whatever I am doing before I put the horn away is not enough. What kind of cleaning regimen or technique should I follow?