Saxophone Neck - replacing and caring for it.

The saxophone neck is the small piece that fits between the body of the horn and the mouthpiece. Sometimes it is possible to find a used saxophone with the neck missing. It may seem like you’ve found a lucky bargain, but unfortunately, it may be very difficult to find a replacement neck for such a saxophone. For one thing, necks are not one size fits all, so you will have to locate a neck of the right brand and type.

Second, most saxophone repairmen are not willing to part with their spare parts cheaply. Having the right neck on hand can make a neck-less used sax into a salable instrument, so the dealer tends to hang onto every saxophone neck he has on hand.

If your saxophone has a neck already, you probably want to know the best way to take care of it. The neck is integral to tuning the saxophone, so the cork that holds it tight has to have cork grease applied frequently. One tip for making these joints fit tightly and smoothly is to wrap the cork with the Teflon tape used by plumbers. This is a slick thin tape that stretches around a plumbing joint to help the threads turn smoothly while making the joint water tight. The tape can do the same thing for a saxophone neck, making it easy to turn and air tight.

When a repairman restores a vintage sax, he sometimes has to straighten a bend in the neck. Over time it is possible for the neck to bend some because of the stress of the embouchure and the pull of the neck strap. Restoration usually also involves replacing the cork on the neck, sometimes with synthentic substitutes for natural cork.

Related info: Alto Saxophone parts

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