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wikiHow to Know What to Keep in a Saxophone Case

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As a saxophonist (or player of any instrument, for that matter), it's important to make sure your case contains everything necessary to play and maintain your instrument of choice. Saxophone cases are particularly nice to carry things around in, as they're very roomy, unlike the cases of smaller instruments. While some things should be obvious, there are other items that you might find yourself needing and never even thought about...


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    Stock the case, first, with the necessities to make noise come out of the instrument.
    • Reeds - it's best to have several on hand at any time as they don't last very long and can break or chip suddenly. They are best stored in a sturdy reed case with several reeds in it, as opposed to the individual plastic cases the reeds come in. To keep them in really good shape, you can even buy a nice case with a humidity insert to help your reeds last longer.
    • A ligature - You will most likely keep this on your mouthpiece when the instrument is stored, but you definitely need to make sure you always have it with you.
    • A neck strap - Unless you play the soprano sax (or something even smaller), or your saxophone is so tall that it sits on the floor, you will need a neck strap to be able to play comfortably. These are fairly cheap and attach to a hook on the back of the horn, and you will not be able to play the instrument without one.
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    Be sure to have the basic necessities to care for your saxophone.
    • Cork grease - This comes in many forms, most commonly in a tube that looks like chapstick. It's used to grease the cork on the end of the neck of the saxophone so that the mouthpiece goes on easily and is secure.
    • A swab - This is a piece of cloth, probably colored silk, with a string attached to it that has a weight at the end. It is pulled through the instrument in order to remove spit. An alternative to a swab would be "pad savers", which look like big pipe cleaners. They are stored inside the saxophone instead of in the little storage compartment. You would have one for the body of the sax and smaller ones for the neck and mouthpiece, if you wish.
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    Be sure to be prepared for anything you may have to fix or replace on a moment's notice. Big problems should be dealt with by a repair shop, but sometimes simply fixing one screw can keep your instrument playable.
    • A screwdriver - Depending on the size of your sax, you will need either an extremely small one (made especially to fix your instrument, or you can use one that comes in an eyeglass repair kit), or a relatively small one that would be available at a hardware store. While you shouldn't try to do large-scale adjustments on your horn unless you've had the proper training, if you see a screw falling out, you can fix it yourself no matter where you are.
    • Teflon tape - This is usually used in plumbing, but it can also be useful for keeping the neck attached to the body of your saxophone if either piece is somehow damaged, a huge temperature difference causes the metal to change slightly and make the connection less snug, or if something happens to the screw that's supposed to keep them together. Some instruments can just be "weird", too, and have never quite fit together right. Now there's a fix for it. Teflon tape is not actually tape at all, and is easily applied and removed without leaving a residue.
    • Cigarette filter paper - Woodwind instruments, including saxophones, can not get wet. If the pads that seal the keys get wet, they can be seriously damaged to the point where they no longer seal the keys, which is expensive to fix. The best way to absorb water in the event that the sax does get wet is to use filter paper on each of the pads. A decent alternative to filter paper would be a (relatively clean) dollar bill, but many people feel that chemicals in them can harm your pads. Some places also sell paper that is specially designed to remove moisture from instruments.
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    If you wish, you can also keep a tuner/metronome in your case; you never know when you'll need one.

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    • It can never hurt to have extras of some things, in case you lose or break something important.
    • Use Vaseline Lip therapy in the small tube for cork grease. Way cheaper than cork grease and much better. Also good on the metal part of the neck that inserts in the saxophone body.
    • Even if you have pad-savers, keep a swab on hand, especially if you play in a marching band or other outdoor group. If your pads get wet from playing in the rain, you shouldn't put pad-savers in the instrument until they fully dry out, so you'll need to use a swab.
    • Keep a used wine cork on hand and a sharp razor blade. It's handy if you need to replace a cork under a key. You'll need a small amount of glue. Elmer's is a good brand to use for this purpose.
    • Keep a small crochet hook (#10) to hook onto a spring that may come off occasionally. As an alternative or in an emergency, bend the end of a paper clip, but a crochet hook is easier to maneuver.
    • A single edge razor blade is handy to shave a reed, especially if it is a bit hard..
    • An old sock is good to place the neck in to protect it.


    • Don't keep music in your case. It'll get wrinkled, dirty, mixed up, and eventually lost. In addition to damaging the sheet music, the sheet music or music book(s) can be forced against the key rods and pivot points of the saxophone's key mechanisms and bend them. This can force a change in the position of a pad that is set to precisely cover a tone hole, cause it to fail to seal properly and negatively affect how your horn plays or the intonation of the horn. In some cases the pressure of added materials pushing on the key mechanisms can cause a soldering point to be broken loose resulting in costly repairs.

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