Several beginner's questions.....
LeepinCat
It's condition is like new (or so it appears), but I have no reeds.
This newsgroup has recommended I just use Rico reeds.
Now that I'm looking,.... there are 2, 2 1/2, and 3
What is this? Some kind of thickness gauging?
Which [size] do I want?
As long as I'm asking simple questions.....
With all that humidity and SPIT flowing through my Sax,
Is there some kind of protective lubricant?
Or is this a very dumb question?
Finally, does anyone recommend a POLISH to clean/protect the finish?
Thanks!
Rj
LeepinCat
Now that I'm looking, they come in various.....what.... [sizes?]
2, 2 1/2, and 3 WHICH ones should I get ?
Perhaps someone can recommend a good mouthpiece?
Forgive the cliche' but, "money is no object".
Thanks for all the help.
Sincerely, Rj
you can write me direct at:
nulladd...@gmail.com
www.guitarsandkeys.com
BK
There are answers to most of your questions here:
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk/index.htm
and here:
Dont go anywhere near your sax with a metal/brasso type polish!
I take it you have never played the sax - so do yourself a big favour and
get some professional lessons. Your teacher can recommend a reed size for
you - what mouthpiece does your sax have? If you are just starting out I
recommend you get a Yamaha 4C mp.They are not expensive and will suit your
needs for quite a while until you have the confidence to start venturing out
a bit. The 4C will lookafter you as a beginner/intermediate player..As for a
reed - Suggest maybe a 1.5, 2 or 2.5 ( get one of each and try them)..You
can buy a box once you settle on a size. Again - go to a teacher for this
advice..
I hope your sax did not arrive with the spit running through it!! Take it to
a sax technician had maybe have it cleaned and leak checked etc ...
Good luck
Bill K
"LeepinCat" <nulladd...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1171074914.4...@q2g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Robert
Be aware that the strength of reed that you need depends upon the
mouthpiece that you have. If you have the mouthpiece that came with the
saxophone, then a strength of 2.5 is a good starting point. A beginner
can start with the Rico reed since it is very inexpensive and OK for a
beginner,but as you progress you might need to find a better kind --
Rico offers better reeds as do other manufacturers.
Keep in mind that there is no "one size fits all" concept for strength
of reeds. Maybe you need a softer reed than 2.5 or maybe a harder one.
You need a teacher to help you find this out. If your mouthpiece is
not the usual beginners mouthpiece, you might need some other strength.
For example, I use a strength 4 reed on my mouthpiece and this is
frequently too soft for me ( I like a narrow tip mouthpiece).
Unfortunately, there is no standard for the strength of reeds between
brands. Some brands are soft when rated as a 2.5, some are hard for the
same rating. There are comparison ratings of strength for the brands
readily available at many places on the web. Perhaps they are accurate;
perhaps not.
The size that you want is an alto sax reed.
As for the humidity in your saxophone, I recommend a swab that removes
some of this moisture. I think that the better swab is the kind that
you pull thru the sax once you finish playing, and store outside the sax
case to dry. The kind that you push inside and leave there is not so
good an idea, IMHO.
There is a lubricant that some saxophonists spray down the saxophone
before playing, and these people say that the sax plays better because
of it. I haven't tried it nor will I.
Other than this, I know of no internal lubricant. But the saxophone is
a mechanical instrument, and for time-to-time (say, every 6 months) it
might be beneficial to put a VERY SMALL drop of oil on the places
between the posts and the rods, as well as on the roller pivots. A
heavier oil than the thin oil sold in music stores is better in my
opinion. When you do this, try to remove as much of the black gunk at
these points using broad dental floss or Q-tips.
Nick Jones
horses for courses. I prefer Rico/Lavoz reeds, others prefer Vandoren -
the two brands tend to play differently.
Don't polish your sax - just carefully dust it down with a soft cloth
occasionally, and keep it in its case. Try not to get bits on lint on
the pads or mechanism.
Forget about any 'internal lubricant', but do use a pull-through to
clean your sax after playing, and wash out your mouthpiece regularly.
See Stephen Howard's website for advice on lubrication - but do this
with care, and use very little oil!!!!
nick