Entretien
How to maintain a saxophone
A saxophone is an instrument that must be maintained with care to avoid mould, oxidation and other deterioration that could cause technical problems. Henri SELMER Paris gives you some advice.
The neck and the mouthpiece
After each playing session, the mouthpiece should be taken off the neck and wiped with a mouthpiece/neck swab. The neck slide should be cleaned with a soft cloth (1).
The saxophone
To avoid any oxidation, the interior of the saxophone (2) should be wiped after each use with a pull-through swab: take care never to leave a wet swab in the tube of the instrument. Regularly wipe the outside of the instrument with a soft cloth. Never use solvents. In order to preserve the imprint of the pads, the open-ended keys of the instrument can be wedged backwards for transport. There are many clamping devices available. Caution ! The instrument should be placed on adequate support, or failing this on the key guards, but never on the keyboard’s side (left-hand little finger).
The choice of the case is important, because after a while a badly moulded shape can create technical problems such as key damage or air leakage. Never leave the instrument for a long time in a closed case, as residual moisture can swell the pads and accelerate the deterioration of the lacquer.
