Pipe cleaner.

[Hardbopjazz]

Can somebody tell me what the purpose of a pipe cleaner is for a saxophone? This is a George Coleman from Sunday night. He took out this long, what looks to be a pipe cleaner from the bellow of his saxophone  

[JSngry]

It's to absorb/remove saliva.

https://www.starvingstudentsmusic.com/products/hwp-pad-saver-tenor-sax-care-complete-set

[Hardbopjazz]

Ah. That's what I thought it was for. 

[felser]

Great to see him playing at 86 years old.

[JSngry]

and salivating!

[bogdan101]

I think it's mostly breath condensation.

[JSngry]

You'd be surprised how often the bottom of the horn gets spitty during the course of a normal set.

[Hardbopjazz]

I saw him empty his spit valve and there was a lot of saliva. 

[JSngry]

Spit valve on a tenor? Most people just tilt it downward just a bit. It runs right out.

[Hardbopjazz]

George titles his horn. I assumed there was a valve that it came out of. It was more like you said. 

[JSngry]

No valve, it just collects at the bottom of the horn and you pour it out.

The bottom of the horn is a "U" shape, same as a plumbing trap. The physics is the same, too. Water/saliva collects there.

It's good to pour it out frequently, because if you play a hard, long set, there's sometimes  a LOT of accumulation, and, you know, turn your back when you do that...it can be pretty gross if somebody's not expecting it.