Saxophone Care

Saxophone Care

Thank you for purchasing/renting your instrument from Ackerman Music. Right now, it is in good working order having been checked by our specialist repairers, but it will need a little TLC to keep it that way.

Assembling Your Saxophone

Place the crook of your saxophone into the tube at the top of your instrument.The mouthpiece goes on to the corked part of the crook, which should be greased first.

When putting a reed on your saxophone dampen it slightly then place it on the mouthpiece so that a small, curved section at the top of the mouthpiece can be seen, as in the photograph.

Saxophone Maintenance

As the saxophone is a larger instrument there is more chance of it being knocked or dropped, please take care.

Do not allow your saxophone to hang freely on its strap, it should be held at all times.

Never pick your saxophone up by its neck (by the top of the tube).

Your saxophone will need cleaning as when it is played moisture will collect on the inside of the instrument.Wipe the instrument out with a pull through to remove this moisture and ensure it is dry.The crook needs be cleaned separately with a smaller pull through.It is essential that this is done as moisture can affect the pads and lead to rusting.

Keep the tenon cork greased, but the other end of the crook should always be kept clean and dry.

Wipe the outside of your saxophone with a soft cloth to remove finger marks as the acid in your hands can affect the lacquer.

When not in use your instrument should ideally be put away in its case, if this is not possible place it on a saxophone stand or on it’s left side (as you hold it).

Please make sure that your saxophone case is locked properly before you pick it up.

Saxophones should be seen by a professional repairer every 12 months for regulation, but it may need to be seen earlier if mishandling has occurred.

Do not expose your instrument to extremes in temperature, like a radiator or cold garage, as this can damage the pads and the body of the instrument.

If at any point your instrument needs servicing, cleaning or repairing please bring it back to us and one of our qualified repairers will be happy to do it for you.

These are guidelines, your teachers may have other suggestions.