You have a saxophone and don't know how to assemble it. Then what's the necessity of having one when you can't use it?
As a saxophone lover when you have this kind of fascination it is obvious to know how to assemble it. This is because without assembling a horn you cannot play.
How can you do this? You may find it difficult to learn about this. Or can’t find the proper way or instruction to do this.
Then this is the exact place for you. Because we are going to give you a guide on assembling a saxophone. So here stay with us!
How To Assemble A Saxophone?
When you find a proper guide to gather a saxophone, then it is no harder for you. Here we are trying to give you a detailed guide on this.
# Step 1:
The first thing to do is moisten the reed. When you are moistening, take the thin side into your mouth.
Because doing in this way is better. Wetting the both sides of the reed will stop the warping or bending.
Reeds have sharp edges so when you are taking it into your mouth be careful.
# Step 2:
Then you can put a neck strap which will be hung from your neck. There is a hook on the belt.
So the hook should hang in the front rather than other sides.
# Step 3:
Apply a little grease to the cork of the saxophone because the mouthpiece has to attach to it.
Take such amount so that mouthpiece won't be detached from the instrument.
You can find grease at any music or musical instrumental store. It is quite like tube chap sticks. Do this step properly.
# Step 4:
The Reed you had taken for moistening remove from the mouth and line it up with the mouthpiece.
Place the flat side of the reed over the flat portion of the mouthpiece.
And the other end, the thin and curved side of the reed place over the tiny part of the mouthpiece.
When doing this, leave a small space between the reed and the mouthpiece.
# Step 5:
In this step, place the ligature onto your prepared mouthpiece. For matching the shape of the mouthpiece, slide the wider part of the rope.
Make sure the screws are on the thick or bottom part of the Reed and tight the ligature.
# Step 6:
Then put the mouthpiece on the neck. It will be difficult but don’t add extra grease. This is because excess grease will cause the stick of the small particles.
Then the neck can start twisting. So use tissue paper for cleaning the both contact points.
# Step 7:
Take the saxophone by holding where there are no keys. Horn picking by the upper body can cause damage.
# Step 8:
As the neck was not attached to the saxophone, attach it to the body and tighten the wing nuts.
Do not create excess pressure on the neck because it will affect the instrument.
# Step 9:
There is a loop on saxophone body, and it is on the back side. The neck strap you have put around your neck, hook into the loop.
It is not necessary to do all the steps in an order like above. You can do this as your wish but do properly.
Here is a video on this topic made by Mr. Selfridge. You can also see this to get clear idea.
Tips & Warnings
+ There have sharp edges of the reed when moistening because this can cut your mouth. Be sincere when working with new ones.
+ Put the flat side of the reed on the mouthpiece's flat side. If you put oppositely, then it will not join correctly.
+ Don't tight the Reed too much. This can cause the less lifetime of the screw.
+ Do not force on the neck when adjusting to the body because it can damage the octave key.
+ Hold the horn correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How to apply cork grease?
Ans: First, put a little grease on your finger. Apply it around the area of the saxophone. Do not take too much grease.
Q: Do you have to tighten the ligature after adding?
Ans: Yes, it is necessary to do so. But over tightening should not be done.
Q: What will you do if there a whip in your Reed?
Ans: It is not a problem to have a whip in Reed. It will not cause much problem. But you can replace it if you want to.
Final Words...
Practice is essential for being a better saxophonist for fun playing.
But with the capability of playing it, this is also necessary to be capable of gather it otherwise it will not be good hearing.
And the thing is you can also tell others how to do assembling from your experience. Here is the whole procedure for you.
So when you have a party in your house, you don't have to take your saxophone to a music store to assemble it.
Because now you can do it by yourself!
Happy Music!