Saxophone Repair Topic: Sizing Sax Pads (And Why I Don't Use Pad Sets)

Saxophone repairman Matt Stohrer of www.StohrerMusi... gets asked about pad sets and pad sizes all the time and finally has a better answer to give in the form of this video where he shows how to size a saxophone pad for a saxophone key cup.
If you would like to see another video on saxophone pads, check out "The Best Saxophone Pads" here: • Saxophone Repair Topic...
If you like my content and would like to see more, you can support me on Patreon or by "buying me a coffee"!
Patreon: / mattstohrer
Buy Me a Coffee: www.buymeacoff...

[@freestylemusic8778]

thank you

[@jamestobler8473]

Balance in all things

[@jackdolphy8965]

As always, great presentation Matt, Thank You! Any chance you could review and compare MusicMedic's "self leveling" pads?

[@Trevayne4]

Thanks for the video! When you say it will "iron" out, that sounds like a video itself. How does one iron a pad?

[@ericsax8353]

Thank you !

[@jazzroom]

Great video Matt! I am learning to repad and maintain two of my own saxophones ( Buescher True Tone & Selmer balanced Action ) and so far has done one complete repad - find it very tough to get pads seated well in a key cup for along time. have to re float few of them every few days of playing as most pads don't keep the seat well :( I know , It's been requested few times before - but, is there any chance for you to do a special video on how you actually install and seat - float the pads using shellac and pad slick and pad pricks so that they keep the seat well? thanks a lot in advance . Keep up good work , Dimitri

[@johnpiettro4644]

That's really something strange that you describe: How come do your pads move once you have seated them? Floating the pads is a method to get in trouble. You don't have to float them, you need to press them firmly into the key cup so that the shellac is distributed evenly at the back of the pad. Then once the pads are glued firmly you manipulate the key lever and find the best fit of the pad to the tone hole surface. However before fitting the pads to the tone holes you have to level the tone holes. Otherwise you'll be making them fit forever.

[@alexandermazurenko2380]

I think manipulating the key lever is a really old-school way of doing it that isn't so popular anymore. I have a Buescher I'm working on, on which some of the keys are bent up presumably because of that. Because pads need to be replaced eventually I think almost everyone floats them now

[@elpidioventura9522]

how much you charge to change all pads on alto sax

[@Jm8126-5]

I feel really comfy with the snug pad but not as snug as that first one. More like the second one.

[@michaelgreenberg3569]

Matt GREAT set of videos Quick question I know a lot of people who repad by applying glue/shellac to thekey cup I see you do it to the pad back Your thoughts?

[@jessesheehan4051]

The sax Restohrer

[@doronkoz]

Hey...i wanted to ask you...what it the change of the sound after changing the pads to iron resonators from plastics. I live michael lington sound on his yamaha yas82z...i have also the same sax and same mp but there is no buzzing sound out of my sax like in his...maybe he has metal resonators?? What donyou say?

[@raphater13]

so how are you supposed to get pads that fit? buy 2 or 3 sets of pads and compare the fit for each cup?

[@MeccaVideoPro]

Matt when you were showing the pads at the beginning why is that one resonator appear smaller in diameter than the ones on either side of it?

[@StohrerMusic]

They are sized to their toneholes, and the E tonehole on a VI tenor is relatively small compared to the surrounding ones- and much smaller than normal relative to its key cup & pad. The F and D are more normal. These are the original reusable plastic resonators that came with the horn from the factory.

[@leonellecezar3233]

Hey matt, what will happen if i spray paint the neck of my alto sax?does that make any difference in the tone quality of the horn?

[@tooties545]

It will just make it look cheap.

[@derycktrahair8108]

Thank you Matt Stoher. My tnr has plastic resonators. When I replaced some pads in the L-hand stack I used a metal resonator on the pad above the C. It gives a more open sound for C on this horn. I am happy with it but have I missed something? What problems are there with mixing and matching?

[@smudar47]

How to cleaning sticking keys on the saxophone?