Saxophone Care and Maintenance
page 2
Wipe off old grease from the neck cork using an old rag.
Apply fresh grease
to the neck cork.
Wash the inside and outside of the mouthpiece with a mouthpiece brush and liquid dish soap.
Rinse thoroughly, especially if you do not like the taste of soap.
Dry the mouthpiece with a towel. A neck cleaner works well for drying the chamber.
Vacuum the inside of a case with a hose attachment. If your vacuum is too powerful or the case felt is tearing, consider using adhesive tape. The best tape to use for this purpose is masking tape. Scotch tape is too weak and duct tape will rip the case.
This entire process takes about 30 minutes. Half of it can be done in front of the television! Do not neglect the care and maintenance of your saxophone. Remember, it cannot take care of itself. An abused sax will show you no mercy when you are on stage, and you need it to work the most.
Just as we go to the doctor for an annual physical, it is important to take our saxes in to a qualified repair technician once a year for a tune-up. Key adjustments and a check for leaks can improve the ease of play and reduce future frustrations and more costly repair.
Special Thanks goes to my stepdaughter who served as the model in the above pictures!!
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