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C Melody Overtone Problem

2K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Dave Dolson 
#1 ·
I have a 1923 Beuscher C Melody that I love. I love it because of the tone. It is also just the right size for me.

I use a Jody Jazz Jet MP on it. I have a drawer full of mouthpieces, alto, c melody and tenor, but this JJ Jet is the one I like.

I have one big problem with this horn that no one seems to be able to fix.... When playing the G2, 90% of the time a D# overtone will ring out quite dominant. So much so that you cannot even hear a G note. Also, the C2 always wants to play the octave above itself as well. This happens with every mouthpiece I try.

Please note: I am not a good horn player. I am a professional guitar player. Played sax off and on for 30 years when needed. Also note, I do not have this problem with a tenor or alto at all.

I have taken it to two different repairmen. New pads and new setup. The instrument handles wonderfully other than these two notes.

Is this a problem with the horn itself or is this common with C Melodys? I don't want to keep chasing my tail if it is just a characteristic. If it indeed is, then I can see why they are not so popular.

Other than that, I much prefer the sound of this saxophone over the Alto.

I hope someone has some ideas for me to try...

PS, in case it means anything, Altisimo G and A are very easy to play on this horn and they are very in tune.
 
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#3 ·
Vinny: I have a 1925 Buescher C-Melody. Mine does not do what yours is doing.

I suspect you have a slight leak somewhere OR a mechanical maladjustment that is allowing some isolated pad to open when it should remain closed. What I do when one of my saxophones exhibits weird response is to take the thing into good light and closely examine every tone hole from top to bottom as I slowly go over the fingering while watching from the side and other angles.

It could be as simple as a hair or other debris stuck on a tone-hole. It could be that some of the material used between the mechanisms has crushed down to a create a smaller gap or smaller buffer, thus allowing something to open ever so slightly.

I always pay attention to the side keys (both left and right), the octave mechanism's action when the upper and lower octaves switch open and closed, the bisBb, the G# and the pads involved when you play Bb with R1 and L1 or 2.

Recently, my '27 Conn soprano was not responding well at F#1 and below. I soon discovered that a piece of material in the lower octave mechanism was not thick enough to keep the lower octave vent solidly closed. It was lifting ever so slightly. My repair-tech was able to easily solve that and the horn is a wonderful player once again. He'd missed it the first time I took it back after an overhaul.

Something isn't right with your C-Mel and I'll bet you'll be able to identify the problem if you take your time to look at it. DAVE
 
#4 ·
It sounds like the neck octave pad is opening when only the body octave should open. G#2 down to D2 should open the body octave (when the octave key is pressed) and when you play A2 and up, only the neck key should open. I can't explain C2 jumping the octave. Make sure the neck to body tenon is tight. I really suspect a problem with the changeover of octave keys. When NOT pressing the octave lever, is the neck pad closing firmly?
 
#5 ·
SO, You guys are right. I did find the octave key thing messing up. This old horn has a very complicated octave key indeed. I fixed it and it corrected the D problem. However the G2 still has a problem but not as bad. I am looking for a another possible leak.

Thank you very much!

Bruce, what is a body octave?
 
#6 ·
I'll answer that because I'm here now . . . there are two octave vents on saxophones, the lower one is often called the "body octave" and the upper one is the . . . ready? Upper-octave or neck-octave if we are talking about saxophones with a removable neck (as opposed to fixed-neck sopranos). DAVE
 
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