Make your neck play better!

I've spent a lot of time designing necks for saxophones. The neck is the heart of the sound, and is the absolute most critical component in how your horn plays. If you've got the coin available, and we manufacture one to fit your horn, you should stop reading this now and order one of my Saxgourmet necks. If you don't meet the above referenced qualifications, here's some things you can do to your existing neck that I guarantee will change your sax life:

Before we start this process, let me warn you that if you don't understand how to do any of the procedures described, don't attempt them. You will ruin your neck. It's on you to decide if you have a comfort level that permits these actions. Now, take the octave key off the neck, and let's get started.....

First, insert the neck (without the octave key) into the body of the horn, and with a light finger pressure, rotate it 360 degrees. Feel the resistance carefully. If it's more resistant somewhere, your tenon or your receiver (or both) are out of round. The fix is easy. Lubricate the neck and receiver liberally with Steve's Bourbon Street Key Oil, and take a VERY small amount of ultra fine lapping compound and apply it evenly to the neck tenon. If you don't have lapping compound available, get some polishing compound from an auto parts store. It's essentially the same stuff. Now, rotate the neck, using a light pressure, for a few minutes, so the compound cuts down the high spots. Remove the neck and wipe it off. The shiny spots that are visible are where the high spots were. Continue this process until the resistance of the neck in the receiver is totally even all the way around. You may need to wipe it off and re-lubricate from time to time. The high spots we're removing cause leaks. They've got to go. When you're done, clean the neck tenon and the receiver completely.

Now, you have to make a decision: are we going to replace the pips? You'll get far better response and improve intonation significantly if you remove the neck (and body) pip and replace them with Saxgourmet Power Pips. The downside is that y0u're most likely going to damage the lacquer or plating as you remove the old pips and solder in the new ones. If you decide to go ahead, and have the necessary soldering chops, it's a straight swap out. We sell Power Pips for pretty much every horn out there.
They're not "one size fits all".

If you're going to keep the existing pips, drill out the one on the neck to a #38 drill size, and the one on the body to a #42 drill size. If you don't know what this means, then you have no business doing it. Now, take an appropriate sized tap and "thread" the pips. This will eliminate the "whisper" often heard in the second octave.

Take a metal expander and enlarge the opening in the neck (mouthpiece end) about 5% for the first inch of length. I typically open up Mk VI tenor necks to around .505, for example. Now, take a coarse metal tap, and thread this area. This will virtually eliminate the burble often heard around low C and low B. Expanding the neck at this point decreases resistance. Take a fine jeweler's file and taper the ring at the end of the neck to create a venturi, and polish this area with #600 emery paper. Better yet, buy a Saxgourmet Neck Enhancer.

Before you put the octave key back on your neck, replace the pad with a cork clarinet pad. They never cut, and they don't bounce and flutter.

It's important that the neck fit the horn tightly and evenly. The neck tenon may need to be expanded or re-rounded. The equipment needed to do this is very expensive and only used occasionally, so take your horn to someone who owns the equipment and has the skills necessary to do this for you. If they don't have BOTH a neck expander (I prefer the "can opener" type) AND a neck tenon shrinker with multiple collets, put your horn back in the case and find someone who does. You can't do the job right with an expander alone.

Prepping A Pad For Installation

Pads aren't museum quality items. They have to be replaced from time to time. If you do it right, your horn will feel better, perform better, and the pads will last longer. If you omit any of these steps, you'll be condemned to reading SOTW for eternity....

First, use the best pad you can buy. There's a huge difference in quality. Shop very carefully, since the pads you select will be in your horn a long time. Kangaroo leather is the best, hands down. It's strong, quiet, and doesn't stick. Goatskin is very durable. Beware of soft felt, silicone treatments (causes sticking), and flexible cardboard backs.

Now you've got to select and size the resonator. Remember that a resonator is nothing but a mirror that reflects the sound. The bigger the mirror, the more the reflection. The closer the resonator material is to the material your horn is made from, the more accurate the reflection. You can alter, to a small degree, the sound of your horn through the choice of resonator material and the amount of leather exposed after resonator installation. Plastic resonators and exposed pad leather will take the edge off your horn and deaden the sound.

Measure the tone hole and select the largest resonator that will clear. You weren't stupid enough to buy pads with resonators already installed, were you? We usually use screws to install resonators so they can be re-used, but rivets work just fine for holding the resonator tightly in place.

Before you install the resonator, take some Mojo's Never Stick Pad Powder and spread a light coat over the leather. Apply a couple of drops of water. Then heat your pad slick or pad irons (Ferree sells great ones) with your bench burner and iron the pad, taking care to (1) not scorch the leather because the pad iron was too hot and (2) work the Mojo's into the pores of the leather. The leather should be as tight as......well, you know. It should also be perfectly smooth with no wrinkles. Brush off any excess pad powder.

Now install the resonator. It must fit tightly no matter what mechanism you use to attach it to the pad. No excuses!

Turn the pad over, and liberally apply only genuine shellac never never never hot glue. I use a shellac gun from MusicMedic. QUICKLY, while the shellac is still soft, rub the shellac on a smooth, hard surface (I have a granite block for this purpose. A bench anvil works well, as does a piece of glass) so you get an absolutely smooth even coating of shellac over the entire back of the pad, right up to the edges. THE ENTIRE BACK MUST BE COMPLETELY SEALED AND PERFECTLY FLAT. You can reheat the shellac on the back of the pad with a heat gun if you need to touch up your work. You're now ready to install the pad into the cup, a process that will be discussed in a later post.

You can get Mojo's Never Stick Pad Powder at www.nationofmusic.com.

DO THE TIGHTEN UP......

Nothing feels as good in the hands as a brand new, well adjusted horn, right? Like anything mechanical, your horn loses that feel as soon as you start playing it. The good news is you can easily restore it to like new condition. The bad news is you're going to have to buy some tools you don't have, although they're not expensive.

Every time a key rubs against another key, a minuscule amount of metal rubs off. Over time, this constant wear causes a gap in the keywork. The key then moves from side to side, and the pad doesn't sit down on the tone hole at the same location every time. You can minimize this wear by keeping your horn well oiled, but you can't totally stop it. It's time to swedge the horn.

Most, but not all, of the keys on your saxophone are hung on the horn via a steel rod which runs through a hollow tube. It's the hollow tube (made of brass, which is pretty soft and wears quickly) that causes the problem. It gets progressively shorter as metal comes off through friction. Our goal is to make it longer.

Carefully examine the horn. Move every key up and down and from side to side. Note any small gaps in the keywork between keys or post, and mark them clearly with a felt tipped marker. Don't worry, the ink from the marker will rub right off with your fingers. Remember, the keys should fit tightly against each other and against the posts. No gap should be visible to the unaided eye.

Call Ferree Tool and order some swedging pliers, some good screwdrivers, a hinge tube file, and some sax posts countersinking tools. Stop by your local jewelry supply store and pick up some fine tooth small flat files. Don't cheap out. Good tools get the job done right.

When the brownshirts deliver the tools to your door, take your horn completely apart. Now, insert the rods into their corresponding keys. This is essential. Do not under any circumstances or for any reason proceed without having the rods in the keys!!!!

Here's the plan: we're going to squeeze the key tubes over the rods and extrude the metal a bit and make it longer. This is going to make the tubes a little thinner at the point of extrusion, but nothing in this life is free. To minimize the effect of this thinning, we're going to apply pressure along the length of the tube, not just at one point.

Now clean the tubes you're going to swedge. Then clean them again. And again. Any small grit you leave will scar the tube. Now polish the contact surface of the swedging pliers until it has a mirror finish. Clean it again and again.

WITH THE ROD INSERTED IN THE TUBE SO IT DOES NOT COLLAPSE, and with the surface of the pliers and the tube lubricated with Teflon grease, squeeze along the end of tube and rotate the pliers, moving up and down the length of the tube. Keep a close eye on your work. The marks made by the pliers (yes, this is not a scar free process), should be somewhat even. If the tube is beginning to look thinner at some points, it should also be getting a little longer. Don't expect the end of the tube to remain even and squared up. It's not a perfect world. That's what the fine toothed flat jeweler's file is for.

Now, put the key back on the horn and check the fit. Still some play in the key? Then repeat the process described above. Too long? Get the flat file back out and take a little off the ends. Be certain that the ends of the tube are even and smooth as a baby's behind. Expect to have to repeat the process several times in order to get a perfect fit.

Take the key off the horn, and lubricate the tube interior and the rod, using Steve's Bourbon Street Key Oil. Now, using a very light touch with the fingers, spin the key on the rod. It should move absolutely freely. It probably doesn't at this point. Don't worry, this is easy. Take the hinge tube file you got from Ferree Tool and clear up the interior of the tube. Cut a little, and then test with the rod. Remember that once you remove metal, it's gone forever.

If the key is hung between two posts using pivot screws, the fix is easy: you simply take the countersink tools you got from Ferree and carefully deepen the hole in the top of the post so the screw head can go a little further in, allowing the point of the screw to go down into the key a bit more. If this doesn't do it, and it almost always does, you may have to use your swedging pliers and the same technique previously described to lengthen the rod. Remember that on keys hung with pivots, the rods are solid, and may take a little more persuasion.

Of course, this is the perfect time to replace the key corks and felts which have become compressed over time, and as you put the horn back together, even out the relative spring tension. These are topics for another post.

If you want to see how this swedging is done, get my saxophone repair DVD, which is available at www.nationofmusic.com.

WHY WE NEEDED A NEW BARITONE SAX MODEL

I fancy myself to be primarily a bari player. I used Selmers for years (all Mk VI's, most of the low Bb) and switched to a 1955 The Martin in 1996. I've also owned pretty much one of everything at one time or another, and what I haven't actually owned, I've overhauled a couple of examples. I think I know baris pretty well. Honestly, I was never very happy with any of them.

The problem, IMHO, is that saxophone companies have always treated the bari as an "afterthought" due to its low unit sales. I don't believe any company sat down and tried to solve the problems inherent with this instrument. I decided to do so.

As with all saxophones, the heart of the sound and the definer of all things accoustic is the neck. With the bari, of course, you have to re-think exactly what constitutes the neck. It's far more than just the "removeable" part. You have to include the "pigtail", and that's where most manufacturers have let us down. Making the pigtail is expensive and complicated, and I think that most companies just "cheap out". I re-thought the taper and curl of the pigtail, and Voila! I was able to vastly improve the intonation and response. Try one of my horns and you'll see what I mean. Changing the pigtail neccessitated altering the upper bow configuration, and by increasing the diameter and altering the taper, I was able to greatly improve the response and voice of the palm key notes.

It's always bothered me that the bari was uncomfortable to hold and play. The finger touches for the upper and lower stacks were simply too far apart, so you always had too much muscle tension in the fingers to be able to play fast and smoothly. I took some measurements from various tenors I had lying around my studio, and set up the bari key touches to tenor specifications. This was not rocket science, and it amazes me that it hadn't been done before. The results will astound you: the horn fits your hands like a glove, with no finger stretching necessary!

To increase comfort, I added a three position strap ring so you can hook up in a fashion that suits your physique and your choice of strap. I also added an extra large thumb hook for the right hand, that supports the last digit of the thumb as well as the first digit.

I've worked on enough baritones to know that these big horns tend to get knocked around. With this in mind, I did a couple of things to decrease the income of saxophone repair technicians worldwide: We use TWO bell to body braces, because the long bell of the low A baritone is forever getting twisted. We also used a new configuration of brace in the middle of the body tube around the LH pinky table whcih greatly strengthens it. My precious new pigtail and upper bow also got a new brace design (with my name engraved on them!) so alignment of this critical area is guaranteed.

All of my signature series horns use my Saxgourmet black kangaroo leather pads and solid brass Noyek resonators. The resonators are huge. We had to tool up for some special sizes for this model. The extra firm felt of the pads gives the horn a very precise feel, and of course, the kangaroo leather is not only durable, but it virtually eliminates pad noise and absolutely positively does not stick to the tone holes!

These are the most elaborately and extensively hand engraved baritones of all time. The engraving (each one is a little different) covers the bell flare, the bell, the bow, the body tube, and the neck. Available finishes are gold plate, silver plate, black nickel with black nickel keys (spectacular!) and vintage lacquer.

There are lots of other features that are unique to this horn, and you'll just have to check one out in person to appreciate them. We've had a problem with this series: we ordered what we thought was a six month supply, and sold them one and all in less than thirty days! We've corrected that situation, which was a nice problem to have and a total surprise to us. Plenty of Steve Goodson Model baritonew will be availaboe on an ongoing basis in around 30 days.

IT JUST AIN'T SO!!!!

I was contacted over the weekend by a very good friend and long time business associate who happens to own a large saxophone company. The P. Mauriat saxophone company, to be specific. He had been contacted by his USA distributor concerning allegations that our Saxgourmet series saxophones are the same as a certain model of the P. Mauriat saxophone. This is not true. Our horns are totally and radically different, and are not the same in any way as any other saxophone on the market anywhere in the world.

I was hired by Orpheus Music a couple of years ago to be a saxophone DESIGNER, not a saxophone copier. All (100%) of our horns are my unique designs. We buy absolutely nothing off the shelf.

This is not the first time this sort of thing has happened. That well known saxophone "expert", Pete Hales, who posts under the name of "saxprick" or something like that on SOTW, stated that our Steve Goodson Model horns were the same as the current models offered by Buffet. Several people stepped up and pointed out the many, substantial differences, yet this "expert" never corrected himself. You can read all about this sordid incident here:

http://www.saxnation.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=119

You gotta wonder what the agenda of those who attack our products is. Particularly those who attack us without so much as even playing our product.

Why we are now offering horns for the "beginner" market

In the past, our company has confined itself to offering horns for the advancing student and for professional player. I'm changing that. I'll be honest with you: the future of the music business depends on what we do to make learning to play an instrument a pleasant, affordable, and trouble free experience. We took a look at what was available for beginning players, and quite frankly, we were aghast at what we saw. We knew we could do better, so after a series of meetings in which budgets were closely examined and a lot of strong language was used, we made the corporate committment to enter the lower price point market. We don't realistically expect to make a huge amount of money right away on this venture: the margins are razor thin. What we do expect to do is to make high quality instruments affordable again, and hence "sow the seed" for the musicians of tomorrow.

The lower end of the saxophone market is a quagmire of marginal quality Asian imports and antiquated designs. First time buyers, who have limited product knowlege at best, can't help but be confused. If they make their purchase decision based on price and price alone (and those $300 Chinese horns do quite often look just like real saxophones), they often find themselves confronted with intonation and durability issues. If they choose a horn named after their favorite motorcycle company, they (1) pay a lot, (2) get a design that has been in continuous production for well over 30 years, and (3) when they closely examine their high priced new horn, they see it is clearly stamped "Made in China". Something is badly wrong with this picture!

We have been manufacturing and distributing the Vespro saxophones for many years. The brand is exclusive to us. It has never been a huge seller for our company, most likely because we never really got behind it and promoted it. Sales were always steady, particularly in the Northeastern United States. Maybe we became complacent.

About a year ago, as we were beginning to consider the entry level market, we made a list of what was good and bad about the various offerings in the marketplace. We played most of the most readily available models, and took them apart to see how they were manufactured. We didn't like what we found.

Our new line (designed by me, of course) of Vespro saxophones offer some features you won't find at this price point: they have full rib construction, metal resonator pads, a full floating LH pinky table, and a high F# key. They are robustly made, and available in a variety of finishes: lacquer, black lacquer with silver plated keys, and silver plate. We've got the Vespro in alto, tenor, and straight soprano versions, and although I'm not going to answer questions about our manufacturing, I will absolutely assure you that the Vespro saxophones are not made in China.

If you are buying your first saxophone, or looking for a back up horn or just want to expand your arsenal, this may be the horn for you. We've got them in stock, and are beginning initial shipments to our dealer network.

Saxophone Endorsers......

Several times a week, I receive an unsolicited promo pack from players who wish to become endorsing artists for our products. I try to listen to all the enclosed CD's, and want to assure you that there are some very talented but as yet unknown players out there. It's a tough business, and there are thousands of people trying everthing that they can dream up in order to gain some recognition and further their career. I don't blame them in the least: I did the very same thing myself thoroughout my career, and currently have been known to fire up the old propaganda machine myself in order to promote my products and my agenda.

These promo packs are invariably accompanied by a letter explaining how the artist in question will do wonders for introducing our product and promoting it. They usually expect us to give them horns and feature them in our advertising in exchange for their efforts. Well, I'm not sure that's the way it works.

I've had many, many endorsement deals myself. I've been affiliated with horn companies, reed companies, mouthpiece companies, stand companies, microphone companies, etc. etc. etc. I've even endorsed a line of stage clothing. I honestly used all the products I endorsed, and never made a secret of the fact that I was invariably compensated one way or another for the use of my name. I never endorsed a product I didn't actually use myself. Some of these deals are still current, and if you look around the web, you will find my smiling likeness shilling various saxophone products.

After you read this post, take just a moment to look at the various saxophone manufacturer's websites and make a list of which one(s) of their endorsing artists you would actually pay money to see in live performance, or that you have actually ever even heard of. Not many, huh? That's the problem. IMHO, endorsements by unknowns are meaningless. I would respectfully submit that if a manufacturer could obtain the endorsement of a big name player, they would. Most of them can't. They fill their web sites with pictures of people holding saxophones. Who are these guys? I don't know the vast majority of them, and I make it my business all day every day to get to know saxophone players of prominence.

At Orpheus, I have a rule for our saxophone endorsing artists: No Grammy, no endorsement. This means a Grammy in your name, not a recording you appeared on as a sideman. I believe the Grammy award to be the recognized standard of achievement for a player. I don't know of any other yardstick I would consider significant.

We have two endorsing artists at present: Tom Scott and Jay Beckenstein. These men both have a record of solid acomplishment for a very long time, and have millions of fans worldwide. They are also both very, very nice people, and frequently appear on our behalf at trade shows, where they are friendly, grateful and humble with their fans, and extremely articulate in explaining why they chose to endorse our product rather than another brand. We are all too aware that any instrument maker on the planet would be all over them to obtain their endorsement, and we are quite happy that they both chose to use and promote our products. Yes, I see to it that Tom and Jay are well taken care of, and yes, I provide them with instruments and other products that we sell. Tom and Jay could play any saxophone in the world, but they choose to play Saxgourmet horns. To me, this is the greatest possible honor they could ever bestow on a humble saxophone designer.

I'm not sure you should ever make a saxophone purchase decision based on the use of the instrument in question by somebody else. I do think that if you are going to consider an endorsement, make sure it's an endorsement that actually means something, from somebody who has an infinite choice and for whom the choice of an instrument is a critical decision.

Orpheo Saxophones.....An Explanation

Another saxophone brand, just what we need? Actually, I think we do, and since I get paid to act on what I think is best for the saxophone community, Orpheo saxophones are being manufactured as we speak.

Saxophones are getting pretty expensive these days. The concept behind the Orpheo line is that the advancing student and "weekend pro player" needed an option that both played well and was affordable.

The Orpheo line (alto, tenor, and straight soprano) brings features found only on "professional" horns down to Earth in price. They've got double arms on the lower keys, our exclusive speaker key system for upper octave intonation improvement, a Saxgourmet thumbrest, MusicMedic kangaroo leather pads with Pisoni seamless domed resonators, and keywork to high G. Most importantly, they come with two different necks, for two different sounds. You wouldn't go to the golf course with only one club in your bag, now would you?

When I was designing the Orpheo, I tried to keep my favorite nephew, Zack Goodson, in mind. Like all the Goodson boys who played the saxophone (this includes my father and Zack's father and my brother, Dave), Zack soon had needs that you just couldn't get in a plain vanilla student model. Zack has been playing one of the early prototype Orpheo's for about six months now, and I'm pleased to report that he sits firmly in the first chair of his school band and the jazz band.

The Orpheo horns will be heavily engraved, and will be available in a variety of finishes: lacquer, black, silver plate, kamelion ("switchback" finish that appears to be a different color when viewed from different directions), and burnished brass. We hope to begin shipments to dealers in around 60 days.

Setting Intonation With Key Heights

I read a lot about this topic on the web. Many of the "experts", including a few who are actually old enough to shave, insist that the way to set intonation is through adjusting the key heights. This is simply not true.

Proper key height does affect the way the note speaks. If a key is not open enough, the voice of that note will be stuffy. True, lowering a key over a tone hole will tend to decrease the pitch, but very much at the expense of "voice"

The reality is that the only way to set intonation that is resonable for most saxophonists to try themselves is through moving the effective center of the tone holes through the use of "tuning crescents". Place a tuning crescent in the top of the tonehole (nearest the mouthpiece) if you wish to flatten a note. Put one away from the mouthpiece is you wish to raise the pitch.

I make these crescents using Devco brand Marine Epoxy. Cork absorbs moisture and encourages the growth of stuff you don't want living in your horn.

Of course, you can also adjust intonation through changing the diameter and taper of the neck (you get a total of one chance: once the neck is altered, it's pretty much altered forever, so if you're wrong...) but this requires a complete understanding of where the nodes are located and some tools that most of us don't have in our inventory.

It's also possible to alter intonation through the use of inserts in the body, but I've got to tell you that this seems to be a black art and my results doing this have been spotty at best.

The key should open 30% of the diameter of the tone hole. Any more makes no difference. Any less, and the note will sound stuffy. It is true that opening some adjacent toneholes up a bit may help certain notes (open the low C# to bring the D2 up), but generally at the expense of intonation.

Vintage Horn Reviews

At one time or another, I've owned multiple examples of just about every "vintage" horn you're likely to run into. I was in the vintage horn business from 1972 - 2005, and literally thousands of horns passed through my hands. Here's my thoughts on some of them:

CONN

Pre- Chu Berry horns: Make excellent lamps. If you're going to buy a C melody, only buy the straight neck variety. If you want anything besides a
C melody, save your money and buy a later edition.

Chu Berry Series: bad ergonomics, but nice sound.

6M: nice horn, serious over-supply. Don't pay too much.

10M: great tenor. Rolled hole models play the same as straight hole models. The last ones (nickel keys and underslung octave keys) are seriously underpriced.

26M and 30M: buy all you can. If you don't buy them, I will.

28M: best of the vintage altos. Don't worry about the plastic keyguard.

BUESCHER

True-Tones: buy them by the pound only. There are too many out there. They have no real redeeming value.

400: The Top Hat and Cane models are fabulous. Buy all you can find. The later 400's are undervalued.

Aristocrat: sweet players. The older ones seem to be a little better. Don't buy any made after 1960.

MARTIN

Committee II: one of my favorites. The ergonomics are not the absolute best, but the low end sound can't be beat. Don't buy any Martin made before this model.

The Martin: A real saxophone. Undervalued for sure. The baritones are the best of the vintage horns, even if they don't have a chromatic F# key.

KING

Zephyr: Don't buy the bari, but if you can live with the quirky intonation, the Zephyrs are a great sounding horn.

Super 20: they got better as this model evolved. I always like the later ones. The ergonomics are not the best, but that tone.......

BUFFET

Superdynaction: really undervalued.

S-1: buy all you can find before I beat you to them. One of the greatest designs of all time.

I'll deal with some other horns in a later edition. I plan to devote a seperate edition to vintage Selmers.

Saxophone Import Figures

Here's some interesting numbers on saxophone imports. Only the top 3 nations were given (source: Music Trades Annual Industry Census), and I note with interest that none of the European makers made it to the finals!

NATION 2006 2005 change

Taiwan 47,642 48,846 -2.5%
China 34,640 31,726 +9.2%
Japan 11,011 7,829 +40.6%

Keeping Your Horn Clean......

Proper saxophone hygene is important! Your horn will play better, smell better, and most definately look better if you will take a few quick and easy steps each week to remove the stuff that doesn't belong inside or on the outside of your horn.

(1) GET SOME GOOD SWABS
I use several different ones: a "shove it" type brush swab for the body, and a couple of weighted string type swabs. The brush type swab is good for wiping out the body interior. Be hereby on notice that they tend to shed fibers and these fibers can accumulate on your toneholes and cause small leaks. Be further notified that you should wash your swab from time to time to remove the stuff that formerly resided inside your horn. I use Woolite to wash mine. I follow the use of this swab up with a weighted string cloth on a brush type swab. Mine has a chamois cloth, but I think the silk ones work just as well. Warning! Don't leave the "shove it" type swab inside your horn when it's in the case. You wouldn't leave a damp sponge inside your horn, now would you? For the neck, the procedure is the same: I use the "neck saver" brush type swab first, then followed by an ordinary clarinet type string swab.

(2) YOU'RE GONNA NEED SOME BRUSHES
Get a sax neck cleaner brush and a sax body brush from Ferree Tool. There's nothing better on the market. Use them from time to time, first spraying them with a little KaBoom bathroom cleaner. Use the string swabs after applying the Kaboom. I'm pretty sure that KaBoom couldn't possibly be good for your health. Get some very soft artists brushes small enough to fit between the keys and use them to remove the accumulated dust.

(3) MAKE IT SHINE
If you've got a silver or gold plated horn WITHOUT A CLEARCOAT OVER THE PLATING, use nothing else but Flitz brand polish. This is a great product, and it's less abraisive than toothpaste so it won't remove metal from your horn. Use a little Flitz on the neck tenon and the neck reciever interior as well. Do not under any circumstances apply any form of lubricant to the tenon or reciever after they have been cleaned! This would only attract dust and grit. If your horn has a lacquer finish or a clearcoat over plating, use a good quality automotive polish to clean and protect. It is very important that you absolutely not get any type of cleaner or polish on the pads!

(4) DON'T FORGET THE CASE
I use powdered carpet deoderizer that I can suck out with the old vaccum cleaner on the interior. From time to time I also shoot the interior with Fabreeze. I use Armorall on the exteriors.

Everything You Could Possibly Ever Want To Know About ALL The Different Saxophones From Orpheus Music But Were Afraid To Ask....

Here's a link to a podcast that will soon be on the new and improved Orpheus Music website. This link (below) takes you directly to the MP3 file that you can download. It takes a minute or two for the file to download.

This podcast is a lengthy interview with me in which I discuss each and every model and all the features of the various brands we manufacture. It's lengthy and very comprehensive.

Turn your speakers up and click here:

http://media23a.libsyn.com/podcasts/88c1ead7b2b4a41f41662a6eba1bd7e1/461e6bf2/rfenno/Steve_Goodson_Introduces_Orpheus_Saxophones.mp3

Airline Travel With Your Horn

Don't kid yourself: you're at the mercy of the airline. You have to abide by their rules. They are under absolutely no obligation of any form or fashion to allow you to carry your horn onto the plane yourself unless it meets each and every one of their requirements.

The problem usually arises when your case won't fit in that little box that is always located by the boarding gate. It either fits or it doesn't, and if you can't make it fit, they have every right to make you check it as baggage. It's their plane, and they make the rules.

There's a letter circulating from the Musicians Union requesting special consideration. The letter has no legal standing. Realistically, they will usually let you bring an alto, tenor, or soprano on with you, but always remember they don't have to do so. If your flight is full, you can count on the airlines to try to keep as much space in the overhead baggage lockers available as possible, so any oversized items may be required to go under the plane. On a recent flight from Chicago (on Delta), I was forced to check an alto I had with me in a ProTec contour case, which is about as small as an alto case gets. I had been allowed to carry it on on the flight up to Chicago, but was forced to check it as baggage going back to New Orleans. It could happen to you.

Whenever I fly with a horn, I always assume I'm going to have to check it. My tenor and bari always go in an Anvil case which holds the horn inside a Walt Johnson case. The important thing to keep in mind is to use a case that absolutely does not flex in any direction. Flexing bends the body of the horn. Take your horn out of the case, and with all the strength you can muster, try to get the case to bend. If it bends at all, imagine what this would do if your horn was inside the case. Again, you've been warned.....

If your case doesn't pass the flex test, here's a couple of things you can do:

(1) keep your horn in key clamps. You don't want the keys flapping as the baggage handlers throw your horn around.

(2) Use an end plug that extends beyond the octave key actuator bar.

(3) Fill the case as tightly as possible with bubble wrap. The horn must not move at all when it's in the case.

(4) If you have any doubt at all about the integrity of your case latches, use bungee cords to make sure it doesn't pop open at an inopportune moment.

(5) Never underestimate the power of prayer.....

Stuff Sax Players Need.....

It's not enough to own a good horn(s). Your sax life will be considerably better if you accessorize. A lot of the little problems and inconveniences are easily and cheaply resolved with some of the following items, all of which should be found in your case no later than day after tomorrow:

REED RESURFACER
Almost nobody I know has one of these, and they're crazy not to go out and buy one. The back side of your reeds is almost never flat, so getting that perfect seal on the table of your expensive mouthpiece is impossible. I use one made by Vandoren, and you can easily make one using a piece of glass with some emery paper glued onto the surface. I guarantee you will be amazed at the difference a few quick strokes makes.

REED RUSH, OR SOMETHING LIKE IT
I don't use the hard to find "Dutch Rush". It doesn't last. I use a single edge razor blade and a very light touch to balance my reeds. When I'm trying to impress somebody with my stash of exotic saxophone accoutrements, I whip out my "Santy's Permanent Reed Rush", which works a little better.

MUSIC MEDIC LEAK LIGHT
This is a "rope" type light that rolls up and fits easily in the case and requires no transformer. It's bright enough to let you spot most leaks, although you'll get far better results in a dark room. Once you spot the offending leak during a break, heat the cup using a butane "crack pipe type" lighter to float the pad back into position for the last set. You can buy these leak lights at www.nationofmusic.com

FOLD UP ALL IN ONE TOOL KIT
You know these: pliers, screwdrivers, saws, bottle openers etc. all in a fold up thingie in a little leather pouch. After the roadies knock over your horn while it's sitting on the stage after sound check, you're going to need all these tools.

A REALLY GOOD SCREWDRIVER
Throw away that set of "jeweler screwdrivers" that you bought at the flea market. Get a real one (Ferree Tool sells the best ones) with a nice big handle so you can torque out that stuck rod screw.

A BAG OF CORK AND FELT
Next time you're at the repair shop, get a small bag of cork scraps and key felts. Keep it in your case, along with a tube of Super Glue. Throw in a few rubber bands as well, because I've got it on good authority that you're gonna break a spring next week....You'll need some single edge razor blades to trim the cork.

A GOOD STAND
Throw away your old stand. Get a SaxRax. Accept no substitute. They're much cheaper than a trip to the repair shop.

THE BEST CASE YOU CAN AFFORD
When I travel, I use a top of the line Anvil, which holds my horn securely nestled in a Walt Johnson case. This is the only baggage handler/roadie proof set up I know of. Yes, it's expensive, but not nearly as expensive as my horn.....the choice is yours. Get a thickly padded bag for your neck. A really thick one, not a Crown Royal bag. I'm tired of taking the dents out of your neck.

A SOFT CLOTH SHOULD LIVE IN YOUR CASE
Use it to blot your pads off after you finish the gig. Remove all the moisture and they'll last practically forever. Wipe your horn down to keep the lacquer intact. Saliva, beer, and whiskey all attack lacquer.

EXTRA 9 VOLTS FOR YOUR WIRELESS
Don't count on the crew to have these for you. They forget. That's why they're roadies, not musicians.

PLENTY OF BUSINESS CARDS
Keep these in your case. You meet all sorts of interesting people back stage. Put your email address on the cards. Don't give your cell number to girls you meet back stage.

What's My Old Horn Worth?

I think I'm still the only one on the net who publishes a saxophone value guide. A couple of times a week, I hear from somebody who tells me one (or more) of my values is wrong. They should do their own research and publish their own guide. I promise not to try to stop them.

Old horn prices are all over the place, mainly because the marketplace has so many different aspects. Here's a couple of things you can count on:

(1) a horn is worth what a willing buyer and willing seller can agree upon

(2) "old" does not necessarily mean "valuable"

(3) the number of collectors buying really obscure and historic horns can
be counted on the fingers of both hands

(4) condition is everything. This means cosmetic as well as playing shape

(5) the eBay market is not a reliable indicator of value

(6) "stencil" horns have almost no value to anybody

(7) old student model horns have almost no value

(8) some horns are in serious oversupply: 6M's, for example

(9) a horn owned by a famous player must be incredibly well documented

(10) old C melodies generally have no real value

(11) the cost of repair or overhaul may well exceed the value

(12) necks and other parts are not available for old horns, at any price!

(13) anecdotal price information is generally just that

(14) you should learn "what's what" and "who's who" before buying

Saxophone Projects I Want to Pursue....

Several times each and every week, I get suggestions about products we should offer and questions like "why don't you build a modern C melody?" or "can't you build a low A tenor?".

Anyone who has visited my prototype shop will assure you that I rarely have a shortage of new projects under development. Most of them never see the light of day, because they either didn't work like I had hoped or because they don't offer a significant improvement or advance over existing saxophones. That's how I learn: I try different stuff. I've always believed that it is equally important to learn what doesn't work as well as what does work. My shop is littered with my failures. We bring to market the successful designs.

A lot of the suggestions and requests that I get have limited market appeal or demand, and that's why I don't pursue them. For example, I don't think we could ever sell enough C melodies with modern keywork and good intonation to justify the development and tooling costs. Here's some things I'm either working on now or want to pursue:

ALL OPEN TONE HOLE SAXOPHONE
Well, not exactly all of them, but most of them! Think about this (and look at your horn): the G#, Eb, and low C# pads all stay closed most of the time. This causes dead spots on the horn, and also affects intonation (you have to change the surrounding tone holes to get the horn to play in tune) so the horn can never really play up to its full potential. There have been several attempts over the years to correct this problem, some good, some not so good. The Leblanc Rationale was brilliant, played great, and solved the problems but the mechanism was far too complex for mere mortals to own.
The Kings with the double G pads and forked Eb key were a good start, but they don't appear to have completely thought through the intonation issues. I've seen some Conns with a similar system to the one used by King, but I don't recall that it worked any better. Martin occasionally added some speaker keys which seemed to help, and the Holton "Rudy Weidoft" model was pretty far down the road on the right track. I plan to keep plugging away on this project.

A MOTHER, MARY, AND JOSEPH COST IS NO OBJECT HORN
This one may happen next year. I've got the design finalized and am about to have a "pre-production" prototype built. Mulitple octave vents (I'm not gonna tell you how many!), high note compensator mechanism, altissimo key, upper stack speaker system, solid silver bell and neck with a high copper content body (it works better if you use different materials in different places) plus features too numerous to mention. I'm not sure if the "traffic will bear" what this is going to cost......

CLASSICAL MUSIC SPECIFIC SAXOPHONE
There are thousands of people studying classical saxophone, and nobody builds a horn specifically for this market, which has very different needs. I think it would be pretty easy to do, and plan to pursue it. There are lots of horns out there that are adapted for classical playing, but so far, nobody has come up with a model that exactly meets the requirements of these players. I've gotten some most excellent advice so far from a couple of very famous classical players, and would appreciate any input as to specific improvements along these lines.

MORE NECKS
The Saxgourmet tenor neck has gotten rave reviews, and I've got prototypes of quite a few new models. This neck business is a serious "black art", and I'm still experimenting. I'm not going to offer necks for the "replacement" market, but only necks which make a significant improvement in the intonation, voice, and response of existing horns.

REEDS
Saxgourmet N'Awlins Cut reeds have a very steady and loyal following now, but they're expensive and limited in availability due to the "one at a time" manufacturing process. I've been acquiring samples of cane from all over the world, and hope to introduce a more moderatly priced reed in the near future. We'll make 'em ourselves rather than contracting this out. We bought some reed machines!