Okubo Gakki has been operating in Shin-Okubo—the mecca of wind instruments—for 35 years.
As one of Tokyo’s largest specialty stores for used musical instruments, we have handled countless instruments from all eras and regions.
At our store, we have strived to ensure the highest quality for every instrument in our inventory by assigning specialized technicians to repair flutes, clarinets, saxophones, and brass instruments.
A while back, there were concerns that used instruments might have a short lifespan or be difficult to play because they were shaped to the previous owner’s playing style. However, in recent years, people have come to recognize the value of “properly maintained used instruments.” Combined with rising living costs, demand for used instruments as a viable option has been on the rise.
Still, there may be some who feel a bit uneasy about buying a used instrument…
So in this post,
I’d like to walk you through, step by step, the process of how a saxophone that arrives at our store actually makes its way onto the sales floor!
Without further ado, here’s the instrument we’ll be featuring ↓
The Journey of a Used Saxophone to the Store Shelf
— The Disassembly Process —
Every saxophonist dreams of owning a Selmer at least once. Among Selmer’s lineup, this is a well-known, long-standing best-seller.
This particular instrument has serial number 395××× and was manufactured in 1986. It’s an early model of the SERIE 2 line, which continues to this day.
It looks like it’s been played quite a bit, so I have a feeling this is going to be a bit of a challenge…
To start, I’ll take it completely apart.
Since I’m starting with the instrument fully assembled, it’s essentially the “reverse” Diag⚪︎tini method.
First, to make it easier to remove the keys, I’ll take out the springs holding them in place.
Both the open and close keys rely on the force of this spring to move the key.
The needle spring is secured in a hole drilled into the key post; the thicker the diameter, the greater the force required to move the key.
Condition before installing the “needle spring” ↓
However, for the palm key (and, depending on the model, the Low C# key), a plate-shaped spring is screwed onto the back of the key itself.
This force is what keeps the key in the closed position.
I hope you now understand that there are two types of springs.
Let’s continue disassembling it.
Next, let’s look at how these countless keys are mounted. There are two patterns.
The first is a mounting method using “set screws.”
A set screw screwed into the post clamps the key from both ends to secure it.
The other is the “core rod” mounting method.
The post has a hole through which the core rod passes; this rod is threaded through the tubular key, and the core rod itself is secured by being screwed into the end post.
The post has a hole through which the core rod passes; it is threaded through the key tube. The end post has a threaded hole, and the core rod itself is secured there.
Here is the core wire used in this single instrument.
The core wires that run through multiple keys, such as those for the right and left hands, are long, while those for keys like the palm, tC, and tA—which have a separate core wire assigned to each key—are shorter.
I disassembled all the keys in this manner!
Next, I removed the key guards and thumb hooks, and began taking off the bell support and body rings to disassemble the body—but...
Whoops! It wasn’t glued in place, so the bell support popped right off the moment I removed it.
Perhaps because Selmer uses rubber gaskets, they’re almost never glued in place. In later models, there was a period when they were wrapped in vinyl tape.
And with that, I’ve finally finished disassembling everything!
Next, after removing the consumable parts, I’ll clean the instrument, remove any rust, install new consumables, and reassemble it.
I wonder how it will turn out!
Since there’s so much to cover, I’ll be posting this as a series over several installments.
(I’ll be sharing a wealth of detailed insights into the instrument’s inner workings and specialized knowledge that you don’t usually get to see! I highly recommend bookmarking this series, especially if you’re a fan of mechanics.)
Stay tuned for the next installment!
Author: Takechi (Saxophone Repair Specialist at Okubo Gakki)
Baritone saxophonist. His favorite instrument is the Selmer Paris SERIE 2.
Biography:
Born in Kanagawa Prefecture. Graduate of the Global Wind Instrument Technical Academy. Currently a member of an adult wind ensemble.
Qualifications and Experience:
He is solely responsible for saxophone repairs at Okubo Gakki and has completed over 500 overhauls to date.
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