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C Melody Saxophone Forum / Repairs and Refurbishing / Moving the strap ring /C-mel

Soybean User ID: 9844073	Nov 21st 3:03 PM (2007) Someone mentioned moving the strap ring or adding a new ring on their C-melody. I can't find that old post, so maybe someone here can refresh my memory. The point of doing this is to create a better balance on the horn. It also might prevent some chips in your teeth! (by the way, anyone know why the strap ring were put in such a bad place? At least on my Buesher.) So, where did you put the new ring and was there some experimentation to find the best placemnt?
alan (uk) User ID: 0651814	Nov 22nd 5:31 AM I've commented on saxonttheweb, about my Mecanno trials... General consensus about lowering seems to be by about 1.5" Why that original position ? Well, I measured a handy Martin alto, and a King C-Mel, and guess what ? Both rings were ten inches down from the neck socket ! As the C-mel was effectively a 'stretched alto', maybe they just put it the same distance down as on an alto, conveniently forgetting that the longer C-mel body would alter the centre of gravity ? Such a basic explanation that it could be right... Jazzbug1, you were around at the time, was that how it was ? 8-))
jazzbug1 User ID: 1626994	Nov 22nd 10:32 AM I helped Adolph Saxe design his first horns. At that time, most Belgians had a very high navel, probably due to genetic isolation. I designed a navel plug which supported the horn without a strap. It worked well. The strap ring continued to be located in that position on C Melodys, as they still followed the original design, whereas the other saxophones evolved to fit most people using a strap. Sadly, you will not find a C Melody with the original navel plug, as the were all changed to strap rings by the 1870s as the saxophone was being used out of Belgium by this time.
bruce bailey User ID: 9690803	Nov 23rd 12:23 AM I didn't know they had a Navy. I would not remove the original ring, just add another. Easier and cleaner for the future buyer.
alan (uk) User ID: 0651814	Nov 23rd 5:43 AM As some of you guys here sdon'teem to get out much (on the internet, that is), this is part of what I posted on the parallel sotw thread - "....it's interesting that pictures from the 20's often show a more formal playing posture than the one(s) we adopt today. So, did the 20's players influence the design, were they merely adapting to it, or a bit of both ?"
Captain Beeflat User ID: 1738604	Nov 23rd 9:38 AM soybean. Simply solder on another ring...about 1.5 inches down from the original. This is how I mod. all my C Mels. Completely eliminates all the problems that you mention. ie. it then feels like any normal horn.
alan (uk) User ID: 0651814	Nov 23rd 10:19 AM Bb - where do you get the extra rings ?
Captain Beeflat User ID: 1738604	Nov 23rd 11:38 AM Windcraft at Maidenhead. They have choices too, differing flanges and radii, of course, for the various sizes. Alto curvature for C Mel.
alan (uk) User ID: 0651814	Nov 23rd 3:35 PM Thanks Bb - and just to get your 'slant' on the fixing. If it's bare brass. I'd just mark, clean, and pre-tin the fixing point (and obviously remove lacquer if present on lacquered finish). Always found toothpaste useful for stopping solder 'runs' outside the area (peppermint anti-flux !). But how about soldering onto silver plate ? Take it back to the brass, or just roughen/tin ? You can tell I'm an old electronics techie, as I talk about 'tinning the joints'...8-)) With the large contact area, is soft soldering OK, no need to silver solder if we don't have the kit ? There are some good modern lead-free 'softs' around.
jazzbug1 User ID: 1626994	Nov 23rd 9:00 PM Oh, I forgot to add. Usually in April, the religiously inclined Belgians stiill celebrate Navel Lent, which can be traced back to this forgotten mutation.
CRM User ID: 9725373	Nov 23rd 10:47 PM Arrrrrrrrgh!
soybean User ID: 9844073	Nov 24th 2:30 PM One more thing about the Codera Addjust balancer. I just got a email from the distributer and they say the balancers were designed for modern saxes and some vintage saxophone's strap rings are too large to fit. I know this to be the case… on my Buescher the product barely fits and may be too tight. So, it is best to have a new ring soldered on the horn,
Captain Beeflat User ID: 1738604	Nov 24th 2:46 PM Alan. Yes, silver plate has the same treatment as bare brass...soft solder works well; but, on completion, I always give it a good hard tug; far more load than the weight of the saxophone.
Paul (UK) User ID: 0471064	Nov 27th 12:53 PM In order to solder on to a nickel finish would I need to reveal the brass for the solder to take. Also if I were to use a hard solder how could I protect the adjacent posts etc; from the high heat required.
Captain Beeflat User ID: 1738604	Nov 27th 1:41 PM Paul. No problem soft soldering to nickel. You would not be able to protect the post solder were you to use a high fusion point solder. However, if it is simply the extra strap ring being soldered then soft solder is perfectly adequate. Just use your common sense really, there are no posts etc. in the immediate vicinity of the lower strap ring position
Paul (UK) User ID: 0471064	Nov 27th 2:08 PM Thank you Bb. Paul
alan (uk) User ID: 0651814	Nov 27th 6:17 PM Paul, as an inconspicuous safety measure you could link the old ring to the new ring (always have been a 'belt and braces' man..) Fishing shops sell flexible and strong 'conger (or pike) trace wire', usually comes with some natty little crimps. Easy to make a very short safety link between the two rings. In the very unlikely event that the new one failed, the old one would then stop the sax falling. Realistic pessimism, or pessimistic reality ? Never be needed, but might give peace of mind for the first few gigs.