I've got a, possibly 70's-era, Bundy by Selmer. It's been great to start learning on again, but I'd like to jazz it up a bit. I had it set up 10 or 11 months ago with all new pads and corks and etc. It still is nearly a half-step off on many notes, so I'm wondering if there's a different neck and/or mouthpiece or reeds I could buy (maybe not $400 for a mouthpiece, but something) to help with the tones being off. Or, iffn anyone knows if good exercises to correct the bad tones. (I'm 100% willing to accept user error on the bad tonality.)
Thanks all. I appreciate you.
I am by no means an expert, but my understanding is that saxophone manufacturing got a lot better by the 80s, and lots of the older horns are known for shifting more and more out of tune at the ends of their range. Players often use tuning apps or just their ear to compensate by lipping it up or dropping the jaw a bit to make individual notes sharper or flatter. I grew up using a vintage horn and when my son's saxophone teacher mentioned that, I realised that is exactly what I had always been doing without thinking about it.
If you are finding that you are consistently flat or sharp across the entire range, that may be something you can correct with practice. If you haven't been playing for the whole 10 or 11 months since you set it up, it may just be taking you time to adjust to the changes. My son was advised to play for 2 to 3 months before taking any big swings at his, and sure enough it became easier and easier to get it into tune without pushing the mouthpiece to the end of the cork. And some horns need more frequent adjustments than others no matter what. Best of luck with figuring things out!
Whelp, looks like I've got a lot of practice in my schedule ahead!
I appreciate your time and help.