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Saxophone leak light.

14K views 41 replies 21 participants last post by  milandro 
#1 ·
#6 ·
Hi,
I am looking at the ebay and it has this leak light for $12.99 plus $2.99 shipping.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Clarinet-Saxoph...835?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c28c4c23
Any of you have this leak light and what do you think of it?
NP
I would use it on a small christmas tree and nothing else - the light is just not bright enough IMHO.

If you searcj the forum for leak lights there are plenty of opinions, and suggestions on how to make your own or the popular type of light to use.

I prefer to use a localised bright light ( a 12 Volt 4 Watt car indicator bulb attached to a transformer) and then follow up any work using a feeler gauge as a leak light will not be able to indicate whether you have equal pressure all round when the pad is closed IMHO.
 
#7 ·
Buy one online and support one of the forums sponsors, Music medic's, his are about $10 delivered to your door. The time it takes you to get away to home depot, modify a big light to fit and then go to use it, you will have one sitting in a pretty little box on your door step.

The rope lights are sufficient for DIY or for use in darkened enviroments, most techs use a Fluoro or as griff mentions an localised bright light

If your interested in these, votaw is a good starting point, with a complete lighting system, but your up for a couple of hundred bucks
 
#14 ·
Buy one online and support one of the forums sponsors, Music medic's, his are about $10 delivered to your door.
Actually the price is almost double that, $17 according to their website, excluding shipping (which might be free inside USA, I don't know).

The time it takes you to get away to home depot, modify a big light to fit and then go to use it, you will have one sitting in a pretty little box on your door step.
Does it really need "modification" to be the same? Was Grumps wrong when he wrote:
If you go to Home Depot and find something referred to as a "rope light", you can buy it for around three bucks and it's the exact same thing.
"The exact same thing" being the important issue I guess? Is it not really exactly the same? How is it different and what modifications are necessary to make it the same?
I also like to support good suppliers. I like a lot of Music Medic's products so I buy from them and recommend them when I think they are good. Eventhough it's in a different country, I sometimes order from them instead of buying locally. But I don't really recommend this rope light if the same thing is available for so much less at local stores.

I would use it on a small christmas tree and nothing else - the light is just not bright enough IMHO.
I agree, at least the rope light I have tried, assuming it's the same as that and the other ones.

I have both the newer LED leak lights and a couple of the old rope lights specials.

The LED lights still require dim lighting for optimal results but truly do make it easier to work on areas where the pad seat at issue is concealed by posts. rods, ETC.

You could certainly get by with a rope light but the extra few bucks (and maybe very few) are probably worth the improvement to go LED. I have the MusicMedic model.
I use the Kraus LED leak light and have seen Music Medic's too. I didn't have them side by side so it's hard to comapre, but my impression (and I consider that I might be wrong) was that the Kraus light is brighter. Judging simply from how easy/difficult it seemed to look directly at it. I almost never feel like I need to turn off the lights to work with the Kraus LED light, so I almost never do.
The disadvantages of the Kraus light are a somewhat higher price and that it's two ways and not 360. However the lower light sides are still pretty good and in many situations work fine. If I want it brighter I slightly turn the light inside the instrument. I'm considering getting the Music Medic LED leak light(s) too for the 360 light, the possibility that my impression of it being not as bright was wrong and because the smaller one might be usefull to get into some tight areas, through keys, etc.
Since getting the LED light I almost never use any of my other leak lights.

Have never used (because I could never justify the cost and was afraid the bulb would get broken on my fairly crowded bench environment) the longer flourescents though I've always wanted to try one.
I've tried some fluorescent lights. I also didn't like how fragile they are in comparison with the LED, which I just put on the table next to me and never have to worry about it breaking really. It's much heavier than the LED so more annoying to handle IMO. I also don't like how there is light everywhere, I found the 6" LED to be exactly perfect for not having light from everywhere you don't want but long enough for those linkages you want to (with some excepetions). Just fits what I like best.
It's also thinner and can get into detachable neck sopranos from above and possible to check the palm keys from above even on most one piece neck sopranos.
 
#8 ·
I agree. The Music Medic option not only supports the sponsors of this forum, but it saves you the time of jigging it up yourself.

I used Curt's rope light for a long while and you can get just as good results with it as with something more expensive.

I finally went to the LED option and made it up myself and although it is certainly a better option, it ain't cheap if you want a long strip of super bright LED's.

Imagine my reaction when not long after I went to all the hassle, Curt came out with an LED leak light. D'OH!!!
 
#25 ·
I agree. The Music Medic option not only supports the sponsors of this forum, but it saves you the time of jigging it up yourself.

I used Curt's rope light for a long while and you can get just as good results with it as with something more expensive.

I finally went to the LED option and made it up myself and although it is certainly a better option, it ain't cheap if you want a long strip of super bright LED's.

Imagine my reaction when not long after I went to all the hassle, Curt came out with an LED leak light. D'OH!!!
Ha...I was going to market a flexible, waterproof LED light for this, but you can't get the actual light strips made well enough that they don't break after a few jobs. The flexible LEDs are the best lights I've ever used for work, though, so I just make them in bunches, and then remake bunches. The time saved makes the time/modest-expense lost worth it. Still trying different options and looking for one that won't break.

About a month after I gave up the idea, and decided not to apply for a patent, someone started offering a minimally rigged up version of my light (mine has switch, interchangeable lengths, etc. etc. etc.) on eBay, so now there'd be no point. I guarantee 100% that person's lights will break under normal repair applications in under 20 hrs of use on average.

Kraus Music offers an LED light constructed inside a protective tube, along with hardware, but it's fairly expensive last time I saw a price ($100+).
 
#10 ·
I agree that ropelights are not the brightest leak lights and you definitely need to dim any ambient lights if you want to see any really small leaks.
I use a fluorescent tube and it is also not very bright. I am thinking of using a USB LED light like this



think it will be brighter than both rope light and fluorescent tub and will be fitting a curved soprano which both these lights won't fit.
 
#15 ·
.... I am thinking of using a USB LED light like this



think it will be brighter than both rope light and fluorescent tub and will be fitting a curved soprano which both these lights won't fit.
Brilliant idea, need one for the little curvies as well - thanks milandro
 
#11 ·
I have both the newer LED leak lights and a couple of the old rope lights specials.

The LED lights still require dim lighting for optimal results but truly do make it easier to work on areas where the pad seat at issue is concealed by posts. rods, ETC.

I actually still use the rope lights. They are only really useable for detailed work when the lights are out. I actually changed the on off switch for my bench lighting to a big in line on/off button (originally designed for Christmas tree lights...) right on the wall so I can swat it on and off while using the light and adjusting. The "too dark to work with adjusting tools" angle is really irritating.

The rope lights do still have one advantage though; they are generally much longer and so for some of the upper/lower stack synching adjustments they are still my light of choice to check up on things. Anyone who uses a LeBlanc system horn will appreciate "synching issues"...

You could certainly get by with a rope light but the extra few bucks (and maybe very few) are probably worth the improvement to go LED. I have the MusicMedic model.

Have never used (because I could never justify the cost and was afraid the bulb would get broken on my fairly crowded bench environment) the longer flourescents though I've always wanted to try one.
 
#17 ·
I actually still use the rope lights. They are only really useable for detailed work when the lights are out. I actually changed the on off switch for my bench lighting to a big in line on/off button (originally designed for Christmas tree lights...) right on the wall so I can swat it on and off while using the light and adjusting. The "too dark to work with adjusting tools" angle is really irritating.
Good to see im not the only one, I have the complete votaw lighting system, specially made led's, localised lights etc, but I use 90 percent oof the time a simple rope light with dimmed lighting. Makes it really simple to check top to bottom through to bell with just one light in a singular position.

Have never missed a leak.
 
#18 ·
My self made LED light strip is about 2 foot long, so it's great for individual and timing leaks but as has been said, the brighter you want your LED's the more you pay. Also, the longer the LED strip, the more you pay.

That said, I think Curt's rope light is good value for money. His new LED light however is way overpriced even compared to the cost in time and hassle of going to Jaycar Electronics and making your own. Mine cost about $60 bucks in parts and maybe 20 minutes to solder up and insulate etc.
 
#24 ·
I find a long light source more trouble than it is worth. For me it splatters too much light out of nearby tone holes that are still open. Personal preference. I opt for a single bright light source.
 
#29 ·
dogpants, another way is to secure two strips side by side, with the bulbs pointed in opposite directions (with the small, slim zip ties, whatever) and rig the wiring as a parallel circuit (i.e., connect same polarity wiring together as one wire, into each appropriate connection from the power source). You need to make sure your amperage in the transformer/plug is OK for the added bulbs.

That actually seems to hold up longer, without the light strip failing, than a single strip. I have no idea whether that's because two strips don't get as hot while you're working, or because there's less flexion happening while you work, but that type of rig does seem to hold up a lot longer.

If you have a source for strips that are lasting you a long while, I'd appreciate a PM with info for it. If I don't make a point of continually turning my strip off while I work, I generally only get 2-3 overhauls out of each strip before they fail. Still worth it, overall, because of the time saved, and the low price of the strips, but it'd be a lot more fun to not have to keep making new rigs.
 
#30 ·
Are you guys using the ones with the bulbs (i.e. individually encapsulated LEDs) or the ones with the SMDs (Surface Mount Devices). I'm still using rope lights, but thinking of doing the back-to-back with the SMDs and give it a try.
 
#31 ·
I used a standard home use rope light for a long time and it sufficed for catching the bigger leaks. About a year or so ago I got a Votaw flourescent setup which is magnitudes brighter making it much more effective for highlighting the smaller leaks which still affect the way the horn plays but are overlooked by the dimmer rope light. The brighter lights are a faster, more effective way to diagnose and you can still work with moderate ambient light and not have to flip the room lights on and off to find your tools. The fluorescent setups do cost a bit, so the value proposition has to be considered on an individual basis. I find the significantly improved time and effectiveness to be worth it.

If you have nothing to check your horn with currently, a rope light is definitely going to be of benefit and it won't cost much. It's at least a good way to do some self-diagnosis before taking it to a tech or going on an expensive rampage buying up mouthpieces and reeds unnecessarily because the horn just isn't playing right.
 
#32 ·
And I found that I missed small leaks with a flouro light even. So I went back to a simple torchbulb at the end of a wire, that had even greater local brightness, and very little light spilling out of neighbouring tone holes to confuse what was being seen. Yes, I do have to move it up and down the sax, but that is very little problem.

Horses for courses. :)
 
#34 ·
Indeed.

And the brighter they get, the more unwanted light we have dripping out of tone holes from a strip light.

If I got around to it, I would probably replace my incandescent, with a single, very bright Cree LED, and work in less darkness.
 
#36 ·
"gice time the LEDs will get a lot more powerful anyway "

Those Cree LEDs already are. I have a tiny Fenix torch with one in, adn it is far brighter than any police torch with an incandescent bulb of a few years ago.

"it doesn't bother me if it is a long light since I close the other holes too"

Curious: As just one example... How do you check how well F & F# close together if you have E and D both operating the F# as well?
 
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