When I played what is now my Couf bass for the first time in February, I recognized immediately that it had not been in the shop for years. (The clicking and clanking of keys was a dead giveaway 😉 ) Once I heard the story of the horn—more about that another day, since its history really does deserve its own article—I came to realize this horn had likely never been in the shop for more than minor adjustments.
Suffice to say here, the owner of this sax died over 20 years ago. Since then the sax has been in the possession of the estate and not touched. The Brass and Woodwind Shop in Victoria where the horn was located, did do some minor adjustments and ordered it a new Vandoren bass sax MP and reeds, but that’s where this horn’s maintenance ended.
When I was in Victoria in February I mentioned to Don that whoever bought it, whether it be me or someone else, would likely want their own tech to do all the work on it. I advised him to leave the horn as it is, wait for the right buyer to come along, and let them make a decision of what to do.
The Couf bass gets an overhaul light
When I brought the horn home a few weeks ago, it was exactly in the condition I last played it. Therefore, I didn’t want to play the horn all that much before I took it into the shop and have David do the same work he did on my Blackgold Superba II bari when I first got it.
The Blackgold bari was also a closet horn, and what David did in the course of a Saturday a.m. was nothing short of remarkable. The overhaul light as I’ve called it, returned the horn to factory, or better, playing condition. I knew that the Couf bass would leave the shop in the same like-new condition.
A partial listing of what David did on this Couf Superba I bass included:
- Disassembled the entire instrument
- Replaced any of the corks and felts that needed it
- Removed all the fog from the mirrored resos
- Cleaned all the pads
- Greased and oiled all the springs, screws, rods, etc;
- Reassembled it with no new scratches on this rather large beastie
When I took it to the shop a couple of weeks ago the plan was that it would be done during the day. However, due to customers coming in, and me not wanting to rush David, I told him I’d come back the following day to pick it up. For that reason I don’t have as many photos as I do of my Blackgold bari while it is in pieces.
Why Keilwerth basses play D2 better, and cleaner over the break
While I was there David took off the horn’s keys and found something interesting, which explains why the Couf bass is able to play D2 so much easier and with a cleaner sound than the vintage American basses it is modeled after.
Despite what you may read online, Keilwerth bass saxophones have only 2 octave vents. They DO NOT have 3. Not sure how or where that rumor started, but it is not true.
However, these 2 octave vents are different from each other. The one nearest the upper bow has a much larger opening than the one nearest the socket.
This added venting for the first octave pip explains the Couf bass’s ability to play D2 so cleanly, and the horn’s ability to go over the break with such ease.
And how does it play now?
Now that David did this work on the Couf bass, it is like playing a brand-new saxophone. It was fast before, but it is now lightning quick. I am playing technical exercises and etudes, like those found in the Universal Method and Klosé’s 25 Daily Exercises, at almost the same speed I do on any of my smaller horns.
I am still amazed at how little air the bass requires. Although I am working on technical stuff, I am really working more on my long tones—particularly the Pivot Around Middle C Exercise that works on your relative pitch—as well as a bit on my altissimo.
Currently I am juggling bass and C soprano, since I also have to get my C soprano chops back in shape for some summer stuff I have going with my oboe-playing buddy. Bb bass and C soprano are quite the combo to get your face in shape for. No need to ask which is harder. 😉 The littler horn wins hands down every time. 😛
