Some maintenance ideas.....Sticky pads

Unless you are really lonely, and the only companionship you can find is your saxophone repairman, you probably ought to think more about maintaining your horn. Leave repairs to someone who knows what they're doing: you'll probably only make the damage worse if you attempt to fix it yourself. However, there's a number of things that almost nobody does that can make your horn last longer and play better. As you have probably figured out by now, I've developed a few products that will help you out in your quest for good horn health....

STICKY PADS
Don't you hate it when you're blowin' your brains out on a solo, eyeing the cute girl at the front table with bad intent, and your G# pad sticks? This embarassment is easily avoided. All it takes is a little preventive maintenance. First and foremost, clean the top of the tone hole. Think about it: the G# (and the low C# and low Eb) pad stays closed most of the time. It accumulates moisture as you play, and this moisture reacts with the brass body of the horn. This forms that yucky green stuff on the top of the tone hole chimney, which is mildly adhesive. Voila! A sticking pad! You gotta clean the top of the chimney well, so put that fresh twenty dollar bill back in your wallet and get some 1500 grit emery paper at your favorite local hardware emporium. Cut the emery paper into a strip about an inch wide and four inches long. Place the strip with the abraisive side (the dark side) on the tone hole and close the key cup with a fairly firm pressure using your other hand. Pull the strip out and examine it. See that gunk? That's the problem! Now, repeat until you've cleaned the entire perimeter of the tone hole. While you're at it, you might as well do the same thing to every tone hole on your horn. You will be amazed at how cleaning all the tone holes quiets down the action. Now, clean the pad. Contrary to what you've read on the internet (if you're listening to those knuckleheads at SOTW then you are obviously too stupid to play the saxophone and I strongly suggest you consider taking up the accordian), don't use lighter fluid, Windex, WD40, Old English Oil, or anything whatsoever that will break down the leather, dry it out, or leave an oily film. Use saddle soap. Let the pad dry completely. Then, apply some Mojo's Never Stick Pad Powder to the entire pad surface using a small brush or a Q-Tip. Try to rub the Mojo's into the pores of the leather. Now, place your face close to the pad you just treated and inhale. Smells good, doesn't it? A familiar scent? Yep, it smells like hippie girls. All of my maintenance products are scented to smell like hippie girls. Why? I'll tell you why: my research has shown that the regular use of Mojo's actually attracts hippie girls. Hippie girls are well known friends of saxophonists, and having plenty of them around will make you play consistantly better. You can buy Mojo's at my online store located at www.nationofmusic.com