Klarinet Archive - Posting 000139.txt from 1994/02

From: Joshua Proschan <0004839378@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: old clarinets
Date: Sat, 12 Feb 1994 22:15:00 -0500

re: old clarinets

I agree with Dan Leeson on this one. I've played Buffets from the '30s
that were better than anything you can get now.

If there is a real deterioration I suspect that it depends on how the
instrument is stored, used, and maintained. A rough swab can abrade the
bore and change the dimensions, changing the sound and response. Dan
mentions silk; I had one of those years ago, and have never found a
replacement. Most of the commercial ones are polyester, not cotton.
Size is important; the commercial swabs I've tried are so large they get
stuck in the bore. It takes a little time to trim the swab to the right
size, and most players do not seem to bother.

A drop-through swab with an exposed weight can scratch the bore, which
will change the feel of the instrument and its responsiveness. Improper
oiling can damage the bore. Poor or deteriorated pads can make a superb
instrument sound like a piece of garden hose, and so can damage to the
pad seats.

I suspect that the real reason so many believe that clarinets become
"played out" is that there is no Stradivarius clarinet. We still use
the Buffet-Klose model after 150+ years not because it is perfect in
intonation, tone, and fingering but because no one has come up with
anything much better. The same is true of the German styles of
clarinet. Unlike a violinist with a Strad or Amati, a clarinettist is
always ready to try another instrument, another mouthpiece, another reed,
... in the hopes that it will play better.

The only things that matter with an old clarinet is whether it is
cracked or not, and whether it plays well enough to justify expert
repadding and overhaul.

Joshua Proschan Internet: jproschan@-----.com