[AndyB1970]

Can any techs please tell me whether it is possible for a Tenor sax to have a specific issue where it is slightly difficult getting out a low E and D. I have tried another sax and they come out much easier. If I play a long E it sort of stops and starts like I'm not giving it enough air support (but I'm 99% sure I am). On a friend's borrowed sax it comes out with no effort at all. My sax is a Yanagisawa 9932J and my friend's is a Keilwerth SX90R if that makes any difference. Interestingly the problem goes away on the low F as well as the low C, B and Bb.

Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Sounds like you have a leak somewhere, I'd get it off to be looked at.

 

[abadcliche]

Either that or the height of your low C key is a bit low, although that would usually affect D more than E. Possibly the key heights on the entire lower stack are too low, but those horns usually come from the factory (as most makes do) with a fairly open setup.

I'd take it to get checked out by a repairman. Yanagisawa's are not known for having inbuilt acoustic problems. You've probably got a fixable issue somewhere. And yes, leaks can sometimes affect specific areas.

 

[Stephen Howard]

It sounds like a 'holding off' leak centred on the low E key - the Aux.F bar will be poorly regulated and will be preventing the E key from closing properly.
The D probably suffers from the same problem - but when you close it it takes up some of the misregulation and helps the E to close.
When you press the C key it tends to make you press the F, E and D keys slightly harder - so this helps the stack to seal slightly better.

You most likely need a couple of the right hand stack pads reset and the key group properly regulated.

Regards,

 

[AndyB1970]

Thank you so much for all the replies. Good to get confirmation it could be the sax that needs an adjustment as opposed to me just blaming my tools

Steve - Sent you an email mate, let me know if you're about this week to check it over for me.

 

[ptung]

You're probably covered above, but even if you have a leak opening the C (as abad above suggests) may solve your problem. You can adust yourself if you have bumpers that turn by counting the quarter or half turns and then resetting them to where they were if you find opening the venting doesn't help.

 

[AndyB1970]

Thanks for the additional info, I managed to get up today to see Steven Howard, who checked and adjusted the sax for me. I know he said there was at least 1 large leak on the B key as well as poor regulation relating (I think) to the lower F. It certainly seemed a more fiddly job than Steve and I had anticipated, hardly any adjustment screws on the horn, and Steve said he could see how it was causing me some issues. Anyway sax seems on top form now, and very grateful to Steve for seeing me at such short notice.

 

[ptung]

Outstanding -- I think if you have SH nearby, there likely aren't any problems you can't solve by putting your horn in his hands.

 

[Stephen Howard]

Cheers Palo!

 

[ptung]

 

[shootingstar]

If you are still having problems after you have checked for leaks and proper key height, try kicking the C# open when playing low D. It will speak much better. On some older horns a linkage can be made to do this automatically.