playing in tune better with C Melody with new neck?

[saximum]

I have heard that you can get a C-Melody saxophone
to play better in tune with a new neck. I heard this is
especially true with a Buescher True Tone. Has anyone
heard anything like this? If so, I would like to know what
kind of neck to get. I was told the high register goes sharp
and changing the neck can help a lot.



William Smith

[Roger Aldridge]

William,

With due respect to whomever is giving you this advice, it sounds half-baked to me. First, Buescher c-melodies tend to have very good intonation. Second, where would you get a new neck for a c-melody that's at least 70+ years old? This approach makes no sense to me.

Does your c-melody go sharp in the high register? If so, there are several things to check. One of the first is to see if you might be biting too much on your reed when you go high. This could result in the palm keys (high D -- F) going sharp. Another thing to check is the type of mouthpiece you're using. It's possible that the mouthpiece may not be a good acoustic match for your particular horn. So, you see, there are a number of things that could cause the sharpness that you're describing.

Let's see if other folks have additional suggestions.

[saximum]

The information was from a manufacturer of saxophones,
name withheld.

I got more info:
It would be a custom neck made to fit
modern mouthpieces. Doesn't sound like somthing I could
afford.

William

[Roger Aldridge]

William,

Do you already have a Buescher c-melody and you're having this problem with it?

If so, there's a number of players on this Forum who have Buescher c-melodies. They can offer some good advice to you about your horn. A custom made neck for a 1920's c-melody sounds way over the top. It seems to me that for the cost of a custom made neck you could buy another c-melody!!! At least, that's my personal opinion.

Please understand that many people -- myself included -- use modern mouthpieces on a vintage c-melody. It may take some trial & error to find a mouthpiece for your horn that gives you both good intonation and the type of sound you're looking for. This is what many of us have had to do. It's my impression that a wider selection of mouthpieces can work on a Buescher c-melody than my early model Conn. Therefore, unless there is something physically wrong with your horn, I'd suggest that you try a selection of mouthpieces and see if you can find one that gives you better intonation.

Two of the best modern c-melody mouthpieces are Morgan (my favorite) and Runyon. Others include Beechler, Bill Street, Meyer, and LeBlanc. Some c-melody players use tenor or alto mouthpieces. Personally, I've never been able to have good intonation on my c-melody with a tenor or alto mpc. But, others report having good results. So, it's pretty much a matter of seeing what works for you.

It would be helpful to read a number of the threads posted on the Forum about the c-melody and the various kinds of mouthpieces that people are using. In addition, Wade Walker has a C-Melody Forum that is outstanding. It was a HUGE help to me when I first got my c-melody and it continues to be valuable. Links to Wade's site can be found in various messages posted under this section of the SOTW Forum.

Please let us know how you're coming along and if there are other ways that we can be of help. Good luck!

[Wade2]

A custom neck for a C-Melody will run you about US$500!

Usually, when people complain to me about their intonation problems it turns out to be the mouthpiece. Check out my mouthpiece comparison on a Buescher True-Tone C-Melody at http://home1.gte.net/wwalker/tuning.htm

As you can see from that page I had the most problems with an Alto mouthpiece. The best intonation was a 1919 Conn mouthpiece refaced by Ralph Morgan (Thanks to Roger Aldridge for lending me this piece).

I settled on keeping the Beechler refaced by Van Wei (God rest his soul). Thanks again to Roger!

Without knowing about your mouthpiece, I would make the following assumptions:

1. You are probably playing on a Bb-Tenor saxophone mouthpiece with a large chamber.
2. To tune C2 you must push the mouthpiece fairly far onto the cork.

Because of these factors, your high register, especially the palm keys, will be sharp. Your low register, especially the bell keys will be flat.

Mouthpieces are less expensive than a new neck. ALWAYS test a mouthpiece against a tuner BEFORE you buy it. Not all mouthpieces are the same.

The C-Melody site Roger mentioned is at http://home1.gte.net/wwalker/cmelody.htm

By the way, this is not a problem limited to C-Melody or Vintage saxophones. My daughter has bought two Jupiter Tenor Saxophones in the last two years. The first was a model 589 student model and the second was an 889 Artist model. Both played terribly out of tune with the included Jupiter mouthpiece. We shelved these mouthpieces and put a 1970's vintage large chamber Bb-Tenor mouthpiece on these horns and they play beautifully in tune. So, don't even trust the manufacturer's mouthpiece!

Good luck, and happy experimenting! :D

[David Schottle]

My suggestion is to have the instrument serviced. Pads leaks and cup heights will alter intonation. If that doesn't cure it, get a real C-Melody mouthpiece. Alto and tenor mouthpieces are made just for that, Eb alto and Bb tenor. Morgan makesa fine C-Melody mouthpiece (I know there are others). If you look around a bit, you might find a vintage one that matches your horn.

No, unless the neck is made for your brand C-Melody, it will only lighten your wallet and cause other intonation problems.

[michaelbaird]

I would like to get a new neck for TT because the original one had been pulled down. I bought a TT for parts and used that neck which was in good shape. I tried alto and tenor mouthpieces and haven't had any problems with intonation as long as I check it with a tuner. Pitch is relative. The piano is the only acoustic intrument tuned to a tempered scale. Just because a note isn't freezing the tuner doesn't necessarily mean it isn't in tune.

[barijerry]

In 2005, I´ve got a custom made straigth neck for my Buescher C-TT. The 15 years before that date, seriously spoken, the horn was out of tune. Repairs and different mouthpieces did not really help to get it in tune. Now it is ok.

The maker of this neck would make some more of it, if he gets about 25 pre-orders. Price would be about 250. Somewhat less if purchased without finish.

Of course: the TTs have a very good intonation even with the original curved neck - as long as You compare them with the other C-Mels.