YPYAJ said:
I purchased a Soprano a year or two ago. I've never got around to taking it to get fixed, but in that amount of time I think I have gained the knowledge to get the horn into adjustment, and fix the leaks that it has. My question is when there are many keywork adjustments that need to be made, what is he best order to go in, to ensure that the things you adjust stay pretty close to how they were.
Everybody probably has a different approach. This is mine, approximately:
No special approach is needed for the keys that are not linked to others.
My approach for the other keys, bears in mind appropriate diagnosis
before removing stack keys, to avoid repeatedly taking them off and putting them on. My approach is also based on almost exclusively re-aligning key cups to to tone holes to achieve pad sealing, rather than messing about heating glue and moving pads around. Therefore I do not my adhesive to double as a filler.
Of course order can change depending on how certain keys are mounted, e.g G# being a stack key on some instruments.
What follows does not go into the intricacies of changing relative venting of top and bottom stack clusters, nor addressing any other venting issues for tuning purposes, which complicate the operation somewhat.
I do most adjustments by bending. It needs experience, because for any adjustment, the metal needs to be
overbent, and then returned a little to restore the metal to a stable state. Every adjustment that is made by bending is annotated with *.
I typically check previous adjustment frequently as I move through the sequence, especially when forces applied have the possibility of altering previous adjustments.
What follows assumes that appropriate materials have already been installed to silence feet and linkages.
What follows is a superficial summary.
1.* Adjust sealing of G, followed by small C key, B, Bb A, making sure linkages do not obstruct adjustments. Then remove these if needed for replacing any pads where sealing is not otherwise viable. Replace keys (leaving off G and high E in the mean time, because later adjustment of linkages is easier with them off.)
2.* Adjust sealing of G# (closing if from where the F# arm pushes it), F# (operating it by lifting the bar at the back), F, E, D, making sure that linkages do not obstruct adjustments. Then remove these if needed for replacing any pads where sealing is not otherwise viable. If this is done, then adjust sealing of Low Bb, B, C# first, in case these pads need changing also, because these keys will have to be removed.)
3.* Adjust the opening of F.
4. Ensure the F# bar sits level on the F,E,D key stops. (Usually cork thickness adjustment under feet)
5. Adjust linkage from F# to G#, (
always operating F# form the bar at the back) Then adjust linkage from F# to Bb (same again), so it only just closes,
lightly (because closing pressure is more important for G# than for Bb).Then check F# to G# again. Keep checking these two until a good compromise is reached. This is by far the most tricky part of sax adjustment, and depends on excellent sealing achieved earlier, and some resilience in the pads. (Hopefully there are adjusting screws. Otherwise by bending or altering thickness of composite cork)
6.* Ensure that front F allows Small C key to fully rise.
7.* (This can be tricky!) Adjust the relative geometry (i.e key cup, pealed arm, and foot) of the A key so that:
- There is no play before it operates Bb.
- There is no play before F# operates Bb
- A and Bb pads close together.
8. Front F links to Small C key via the felt under it's pearl to B, and form there via B's foot to Small C. So if there is any cork between Front F's foot linking directly to Small C, then get rid of it. It only confuses the adjustment. De-activate this linkage if there is a connection. The front F foot simply does not need to operate the small C key directly. Do not adjust the front F yet.
9. Ensure that the Small C key's linkage bar bar sits evenly on B and A feet. (Make sure that front F does interfere with this by preventing the full opening of B.) (By bending, or adjusting cork under B or A foot)
10.* Adjust the geometry between the Small C key's key cup arm and the key's linkage bar, so that Small C and A close together.
11.* Adjust the geometry between B key cup arm and B foot, until B and small C close together.
12.* Adjust any play from under the Front F pearl, so it just sits on the B key, while at the same time it is about to operate High F. Make sure High F opens far enough for B to fully close. Sometime sometimes geometry of the linkage needs to be altered so that front F does not open too high, especially with altos. (linkage materials may be significant here, even capitalising on a degree of squishiness!)
13.* Recheck 5, then adjust the geometry between F key cup arm and F foot, until F and F# close together. Recheck 4. Recheck 5, but this time, operating form the F key rather than the F# bar.
14.* Adjust the geometry between E key cup arm and E foot, until E and F# close together. Recheck 4.
15.* Adjust the geometry between D key cup arm and D foot, until E and F# close together. Recheck 4.
16.* Check sealing of Low C#, then Low B.
17.* If Low C# & Low B are linked... While Low C# lever is pressed (i.e pad open), operate Low B and ensure that the C# pad only just touches the tone hole. If it is adjusted to close Low C#
equally then because of the flexing of metal, it Will interfere with 19 which is far more important.
18.* Adjust sealing of Low Bb.
19.*Adjust linkage between Low B & Bb, so both pads close together.
20. Adjust the B or Bb bumper felts for appropriate venting, and so that these keys both begin travelling together.
* At this point I am leaving out some of the complications of adjusting the ergonomics of the little finger touch pieces, which can involve a lot of analysis and complicated correction, especially if some previous person (or the manufacturer!) has mucked it up.
21* Adjust the geometry of the Low C# lever &/or key, (bending &/or slot adjuster), such that the C# touch piece opens a sensible amount relative to the B touch piece - on some saxes it is appropriate to be higher, bearing in mind how far the C# pad is opening. Consider also that Low C# should really open all the way to the link (if it exists) from Low B.
Carry out 22 to 25 cyclically, until all objectives are achieved. If they cannot be met, because of poor design, or being thoroughly messed up, then other alterations to the geometry, or adjustment to the G# lever's foot's cork thickness may be required, case by case, to correct the situation or reach the best compromise.
22.* Adjust the geometry of the G# touch piece &/or the Low C & B linkage tabs under it, so that there is the same gap between the underside of the G# touch piece and each tab.
23* Adjust the geometry between the the G# lever's touch piece arm and linkage arm to G#key, until there is a very slight gap between the underside of the G# touch piece and the linkage tabs to Low C# and B. This is necessary for G# to fully close. (This will alter 24.)
24. Use the slotted adjuster between G# lever and key such that G# opens to just contact the linkage from F#. (This will alter 23.)
25. Ensure that when Low B is pressed down, the G# lever does not go quite all the way down, otherwise Low B will not fully close.
26. Adjust the octave mechanism, in conjunction with G key opening. This can be complicated, and depends a lot on the type of mechanism. If you cannot it confidently, then you probably should not be doing the rest!
However my first post in the following thread may help
http://www.saxontheweb.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=312749#post312749
