If You’re Not Doing This Already… Please Start.
- By Jay Metcalf
- BetterSax How To's, Saxophone Repair and Maintenance
Level up your saxophone playing today!
BetterSax Ultimate Sax Swab Kits
Ultimate Sax Swab Kits are now available in the BetterSax Store. If you aren’t swabbing your saxophone out every time (you know who you are) please start doing so now.As a repair technician, this is the number one thing you can do to prolong the life of your pads and keep your horn in good working condition. You’ll save money, your horn will play (and smell) better, not to mention retaining more value over time.
Instructions:
The large swab takes care of the main body tube. Pass the weighted end through the bell and out the neck tenon receiver. Pull the swab through 3 times or until it’s dry inside. The smaller swab takes care of the neck and mouthpiece. Same procedure, pass the weight through the larger hole and out the smaller end then pull it through until dry inside. If you purchased the BetterSax Ultimate Sax Swab Kit, you also receive a pad dryer that can be used to absorb moisture on the pads. Check pads from G and above on your instrument. These are usually the ones getting wet. You may also want to check low Eb and C#. Close the pad dryer between the pad and the tone hole and gently pull out. This will remove moisture and clean off the surface of the pad and tone hole gently.
These swabs are the best I’ve ever used and I’ve used them all! Each kit comes with 1 neck/mouthpiece swab, one body swab, and one pad dryer. Alto kit is $29 and tenor is $32.
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Jay Metcalf
As the founder of BetterSax.com Jay’s mission is to help developing saxophone players break away from traditional music learning methods and discover a more efficient, practical and fun way to become a Better Sax player.
The BetterSax YouTube channel’s videos have been watched by millions and thousands of students have made meaningful progress on their instrument thanks to BetterSax courses.
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2 thoughts on “If You’re Not Doing This Already… Please Start.”
How often should you wash the swabs if you play/practice every day?
That’s up to you. To be honest I wash mine rather infrequently. I suggest allowing them to dry out before putting them into a case. If you have an outside pocket on your case that’s a better place to store the slightly damp swabs. Leave the pocket partly open to let air in if you store them there.