Conn 18M Alto Sax Plugged Bore Mystery Solved.

[ghostler]

A month ago I bought a used project Conn 18M alto sax in very clean condition to include its case. Total turnkey including tax and shipping was $130.

Recently I started to work on this sax. First thing I did was install 2 missing key pearls and reglued the loose ones. Then I straightened all the bell and bow key guards. One was missing a felt bumper so replaced that.

Lo and behold there was an unknown plastic piece about 4 inches long, stuch in the sax's smaller end of the bore about 5 inches from the neck tenon socket. Even with a bright light I couldn't make out its shape. I removed a right hand trill key, the easiest (one screw). The plastic piece wouldn't budge using a screw driver tip. Then took one end of my pipe pliers handle, inserted it in the neck tenon socket area down the bore.

A pat with the palm of my hand on the pliers, it broke free and dropped in the lower sax bow.

Well I'll be, it is a like new Rico Metalite M7 alto sax mouthpiece. My using a screwdriver put a small burr in a non-critical area of the facing. Using a fine file, removed the burr.

I gained an extra mouthpiece!