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My 43 8XXX tenor from 1987 has a peculiarity that I always wanted to inquire about: When looking inside the tube, one can see a tiny tube protuberance (see photo). This is what is holding the venting hole that opens when playing G with the octave key. For 30 years or so that piece of tube was soldered to the body of the saxophone . Now it is only holding because of the spring from the octave key pushing the pad against it. The second photo shows me pressing the tube from the inside, You can see the pads being raised as a result of that. I was hoping to get answers to the following questions:

1) why would Selmer design the sax with that tube inside? I am sure there is a reason. It does not seem to affect the sound as far as I can tell...

2) Do other Super Action II Tenors or Alto have the same characteristic? could someone at the factory have missed a step in the production process?

3) Should I take the horn to a shop to have it soldered again? that newly moving piece is not going anywhere but I am worried about a possible leak

Thank you!

 

[Bkenes]

1) why would Selmer design the sax with that tube inside? I am sure there is a reason. It does not seem to affect the sound as far as I can tell...

2) Do other Super Action II Tenors or Alto have the same characteristic? could someone at the factory have missed a step in the production process?

3) Should I take the horn to a shop to have it soldered again? that newly moving piece is not going anywhere but I am worried about a possible leak

1. All saxophones has a protuding tube for the octave pip. Some tubes are longer and some are shorter.

2. What do you mean?

3. Definitely have it soldered! It is a probable place for leaks and you also don't want it to fall off.

 

[[email protected]]

1. All saxophones has a protuding tube for the octave pip. Some tubes are longer and some are shorter.

2. What do you mean?

3. Definitely have it soldered! It is a probable place for leaks and you also don't want it to fall off.

Thank you. I love your web site. I did ask as my Dolnet M70 does not have that protruding tube.

For 2) you did answered in 1).

Thanks for taking the time. Very much appreciated.

 

[Bkenes]

Thanks
Are you sure it's not protuding at all on your M70? There should be at least a bit of tube that protudes into the body...

 

[Bottle Opener]

It protrudes to prevent water running down the inside of the bore from seeping into the small tube and making it gurgle. If loose it means you have a leak and need to get it re-soldered.

 

[Bkenes]

It protrudes to prevent water running down the inside of the bore from seeping into the small tube and making it gurgle.

The reason for the protrusion is much more complicated than that...
It's a crucial part of the saxophones acoustical design.
Here's an old thread with some interesting thoughts regarding this:
Relationship between octave pip location, diameter, and...

 

[polemonium]

The reason for the protrusion is much more complicated than that...
It's a crucial part of the saxophones acoustical design.
Here's an old thread with some interesting thoughts regarding this:
Relationship between octave pip location, diameter, and...

Interesting information in that thread. Curt did later write up his experiments with different sizes and locations of octave pips, at Multi-Pip Saxophone Neck Experiment

 

[sp991]

You should get it soldered. Just out of curiosity I looked inside my 500,xxx tenor. The tube is firmly soldered in place.