MusicMedic Saxophone Pearls
Our line of Stainless Steel and hard anodized aircraft aluminum saxophone pearls feel great and look striking! Finally, there are pearls that offer ergonomic options and long lasting alternatives to natural pearl!
Natural pearls wear away on the front side of the pearl where the player touches them. They can develop razor sharp edges and the pearl holders can start to wear away as well. Modern pearls are made from farm raised shells and they degrade quickly from certain players’ body chemistry and are prone to breaking.
We developed our line of pearls to feel great, fit the player’s fingers ergonomically, and last for the life of the instrument. They won’t rust or wear. The finish on the stainless is smooth but grips well! The aircraft aluminum have a satin finish and are hard anodized in blue or black. The blue and black pearls offer a lighter weight option and a finish that gives you even more grip!
When setting up saxophones in the Sax ProShop, we often tilt the pearl holder for a better fit when they are not soldered directly onto pad cups. This results in a better fit to the natural curve of a player’s hands, such as the A and G keys on the top stack. We then add angled pearls to everything else. This changes the feel of the keys from that of a flat keyboard to a comfy old couch! Your fingers will thank you!
Ideal pro set up:
Front F - downward angled pearl
B - angled pearl
Bis Bb - raised bis
A - regular pearl, angle the pearl holder
G - regular pearl, angle the pearl holder
F - angled pearl
E - angled pearl
D - angled pearl
While it may look a little different, it feels incredibly natural and comfortable in the players’ hands. If you have someone hold a saxophone with angled pearls, chances are that they won’t even notice that some pearls are angled, they will just notice that the instrument is comfortable to hold.
Installation is easy! Start by removing the old pearls. Measure the pearl holders, and test the new pearls by using double sided sticky tape to check for feel. When you are happy with the selection of angled and classic pearls, use 2 part epoxy to install.
All pearls are made in-house in Wilmington, NC USA.