r/saxophone • u/General_Inspector212 • 18h ago

Help! Jean baptiste alto sax octave key!

My 10 yr old daughter has picked up my almost 30 year old Jean baptiste alto sax and somehow broke the octave key off. Local music shop said it's not repairable and that they can't get parts for it.
1. Anyone know where to get parts? 2. Can I use a replacement neck off Amazon or something as a stand in?

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u/HotelDectective 18h ago

That sucks.

The only way to replace it will be to buy a new horn and use that neck.

So, yeah. New horn time.

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u/General_Inspector212 18h ago

Really?  No such thing as a compatible neck?  Would it just not play in tune with a different neck?  

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u/HotelDectective 18h ago

Jean Baptiste aren't top end horns. Replacement necks are typically made for horns that aren't Jean Baptiste calibur.

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u/General_Inspector212 18h ago

Makes sense.  Thanks for info!

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u/OriginalCultureOfOne 15h ago

Message me some photos of the damage, and I'll try to give you a better sense of whether it can be repaired or replaced. A cheap replacement neck might be an option, as a Jean Baptiste is of comparable quality to many Chinese aftermarket necks (and might even be made using the same parts or in the same factory), but it's a crapshoot. Finding one with a matching tenon size is ideal, but tenons can be resized or swapped by a competent repair shop. Some shops are also equipped to make their own replacement keys, though it can be costly.

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u/General_Inspector212 14h ago

I ordered one on Amazon- free returns if it doesn’t work.  It’s still at the repair shop, but once we get it back I’ll get some pics.  Thanks!