Solid wood palm key risers that bring the palm keys up to your hand and shorten the reach. They're sold in sets of 3, sized for modern horns like Yamaha and Selmer, and because they're solid wood a tech can shape them to fit a vintage horn as well. Side key risers are also available.
These install with a thin layer of epoxy over a lightly scuffed area on the key, so they're fixed to the horn rather than slipped over it the way the rubber ones are. I recommend having your technician do the install; epoxy is sold separately if you want to do it yourself.
The cheap rubber risers most players try first are loose, slip off, and gum up the keys. These solve that at the root — solid wood, dense and smooth under the fingers, and once installed they don't move, keeping the palm keys closer to your hand for a more efficient reach.
And if you move to a different horn one day, a tech can release them with gentle heat and they go on the next one.
Finding Your Perfect Palm Key Riser Height
Palm key risers aren't one-size-fits-all, the right height depends on your saxophone, your key setup, and your hands. Here's how to measure for a perfect fit before you order.
What you'll need: A roll of painters tape and a ruler.
Step 1: Build your shim Stack layers of painters tape directly under your palm key. Play a few notes and adjust, add layers if the key still feels too far, remove them if it feels stiff or cramped. Take your time here. You're looking for the height where your hand feels relaxed and the key responds naturally.
Step 2: Measure the stack Once it feels right, measure the height of your tape stack. That's your number.
Step 3: Order with confidence Match your measurement to the size chart below and order knowing it'll fit.
Small - adds around 6mm (1/4")
Medium - adds around 8mm (5/16")
Large - adds around 10mm (3/8")
Mixed sizes across the three keys are available, write to me.