The Bassic Sax Blog

Just this morning I uploaded the new Hammerschmidt page on bassic-sax.ca. This page represents a milestone because it is a combination effort between me and German saxophonist, sax historian, and tech Uwe Ladwig.

Uwe regularly writes articles on saxophone brands for the German music journal Sonic: sax & brass. Because Uwe’s articles are based on his original research—many times conducted with the remaining key players of historic brands—his articles provide insights previously not known.

Recently Uwe generously sent me nearly 100 pages of his original research. His wish is that I use the material to get the true facts about some of the European brands out there to the English speaking and reading Internet audience.

Yes, Uwe’s research is in German. So no, it’s not just simply matter of copying and pasting pieces of his work into my site. But because I’m fluent in German, translating Uwe’s research is not problematic for me.

However, as I read his work, I realized how I just blindly believed what I have read over the years. Information that has been perpetuated through reputable websites, and then repeated on forums like SOTW until it has become gospel. Information that is just flat out wrong.

Over the next while I will be at first updating the pages that I already have on my main site—the Hammerschmidt page today is the first of these updates. After that, I will be adding new pages on some of the lesser-known European brands that have little or no information in English available.

There are dedicated sites already for Martin, King, and sites like SaxPics that cover many of the mainstream brands. My vision for bassic-sax.ca has never been to do the same old, same old. I have always wanted my site to be different; to be unique.

With that idea of uniqueness in mind, overtime my site has evolved to cover the more obscure, starting with bass saxophones and their accoutrements, to the lesser known brands like Pierret, and then to the really obscure like Hammerschmidt. Working with Uwe’s research is the next logical step in the evolution of bassic-sax.ca.

Even if you don’t own a Hammerschmidt saxophone, do check out the new page when you get a chance. It is full of pictures and new information about a brand of very unique saxophones. Hammerschmidts may not be the best German saxophones ever built, but they have their own unique place in saxophone history.

© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.

Well I learned something very interesting, and very sobering, yesterday about some of the Hammerschmidt saxophones. This information explains why I could not get my late model, nickel plated Klingsor to play 100% in tune, 100% of the time.

I believed it was a key height issue, so I had my tech try and adjust the heights. But in yesterday’s post I described the frustration that we both faced two days ago when I took the horn in. When playing around with the key heights was unsuccessful, I emailed Uwe Ladwig, a tech in Germany with Hammerschmidt experience.

Uwe has restored a number of Hammerschmidt saxophones, and has also written about the brand—and many others—for the German music magazine SONIC sax & brass. He sent a copy of the Hammerschmidt article he wrote, in which he describes a fundamental design flaw, that can lead to spotty intonation.

According to Uwe, most likely the underlying reason for the Hammerschmidt’s—both alto and tenor—intonation problems, is that the company copied an old version of a neck. This neck had been made of soldered brass. The new Hammerschmidt neck however, was made with brass pipe material that was blown as one piece. Therefore, while the external dimensions were correct, the internal ones weren’t. On the end closest to the mouthpiece, the brass was too thick. While on the horn end of the neck, the material was too thin.

All in all, this was not the news I expected or wanted to hear. However, I thought it was important to mention here as well. I know a number of Hammerschmidt owners are currently in the process of rebuilding their saxophones. Just being aware of this piece of information may save you hours of chasing your tail, in a vain attempt of trying to figure out why things aren’t working the way they should, or the way you expect them to.

Now I should stress, that my Klingsor has been played, and obviously played a lot. The nickel plating has been worn over the thumb rest and hook, and bare brass is showing. This has not been a closet horn.

When I talk about intonation problems specific to my horn, these are issues that many a player could live with. My Klingsor was not out more than 30 cents on any note, and most notes were actually in tune. So you’re probably asking yourself: What’s her problem?

The problem is, I have really high standards. All my horns have to be able to play 100% of their notes in tune, 100% of the time. I’m in the front line of any band that I’m in, and solo a great deal. People hear me. Tuning is not optional.

Some Hammerschmidt saxes may play perfectly in tune. Others may not. When it comes to the Hammerschmidts, there are not absolutes.  

I could think of many settings where my sax would be totally acceptable—I just don’t happen to play in any. I will however continue to enjoy the Klingsor in the privacy of my own home, and will also experiment with necks. Perhaps I’ll hit on the magic formula by accident. I hope so, because I love the unique sound that the Hammerschmidt saxophones have.

© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.

Yesterday I took a couple of my vintage, German tenors to my tech, David Gsponer, who owns Matterhorn Music. Dave is about the kindest, gentlest, and most patient tech that I have ever met.

David did his training in Switzerland as not only a repair tech, but also as a wind instrument maker. That’s right, he his trained in how to make wind instruments from scratch.

If you live in the Vancouver region, and you’re looking for a tech, I highly recommend David. I’m very fussy about who works on my horns. Finding a good, honest tech, is much like finding a good, honest mechanic. With David, honesty and great work go hand in hand—and I don’t make this comment lightly.

     Hammerschmidt-made Klingsor Model Tenor Photo By H. Kahlke

Yesterday David’s patience was put to the test, as he sat down to adjust the key heights on my Klingsor nickel plated tenor. The problem with the sax has been that since I received it from André late last summer, certain notes have always been rather sketchy in the intonation department. The horn had been repadded before André bought it, but never fully set up. This had led to some notes being sharp, and others being rather flat.

I had taken the Klingsor to David once before, and he had tweaked it, but I was not familiar enough with the sax yet to know how much was me, and how much was the horn. Now that I know the sax well, I could take it back to get its final adjustment.  

Yesterday David and I spent a couple of hours together as he painstakingly removed the lower stack keys to lower them. That didn’t work, they needed to be high, so he added shims and I tried it again. We kept on this for a while with David adding to the shims as necessary, until all the key heights were perfect.

Once we had the lower stack keys done, he opened up the left palm keys, and then went to work on the upper stack keys. By now lunch time had come and gone, and I was starting to fade.

Unfortunately every time he worked in one area, the lower stack would no longer be exactly in tune. He had opened the upper stack keys as far as he dared, but it still wasn’t quite right. Intonation was still sketchy. By now what was abundantly clear, was this Klingsor was a very finicky saxophone.

Finally I had a thought. I suggested that I email the tech in Germany who had restored Dave Denton’s silver plated Klingsor with the acrylic key guards, and see if Uwe could shed any light onto the Klingsor’s mysterious key height issue. David agreed that this was the best course of action, because the Klingsor could not be set up like other saxophones.

Last night when I came home from David’s shop after leaving both my Klingsor, and my Hohner President there, I sent a quick email off to Uwe. This morning I was surprised to see that he had already responded, and copied me on his email to David as well.

I am crossing my fingers that with Uwe’s help, David will now be able to crack the code that is the mystery of the Klingsors’ key heights. These horns really are an enigma.

© 2010, The Bassic Sax Blog. All rights reserved.