Week 20- Saxophone Cleaning

Preparing my saxophone for cleaning was a bit more intricate than I had originally thought.  All adjustment screws need to be removed.  Additionally, the screws from bell braces are also removed.  Any acid from the pickle that could potentially get caught in the spaces between the threads needs to be removed or it will damage the instrument and potentially get transferred to the player.  While you clean and pickle all the parts in the same way, technicians must take care when dealing with real pearls.

But how do you know if a pearl is real?

• Look for a purple-green iridescent color to the pearl.  This should be an inconsistent sheen, but definitive to a real pearl.
• There should me wave-like patterns in the pearl.  This should look like the sand on the bottom of the ocean taking the impression of the tide.  The waves are not consistent and each pearl will be different.
• Fake pearls are exact and have a "stock white color".  However, there are some pretty good imitations.  If it is a real pearl, be sure to tape it off before you put it in the pickle.  Phosphoric and muriatic acids eat away at pearls and leave a pitted and rough surface.

Looking at the inside of the bell, it was obvious my horn needed some cleaning.  The buildup of "gunk" and fluids had caused discoloration.

 It was also easy to spot previous repair work.  The grease left over from a dent ball was visible in the instrument, as well as burnishing marks.  However, the instrument needed to be cleaned regardless of past work.  The tone holes were corroded slightly, and the horn simply needed to be cleaned!

The end result was a step in the right direction.  The body was much cleaner and all corrosion was removed from the neck, body, and key cups!