Klarinet Archive - Posting 000278.txt from 1994/02

From: "Dan Leeson: LEESON@-----.EDU>
Subj: Clarinet hygiene
Date: Sat, 19 Feb 1994 18:50:58 -0500

Tom Ascher asks about keeping the clarinet assembled for long
periods of time, but cleaning out the mouthpiece after each
day's playing.

Tom, my experience has been that there is no significant problem
in doing this but the corks on the tenon joints will begin to
fit loosely after a while. Since they don't breathe or expand
(or whatever they do when the instrument is not assembled), they
loose their umph.

But should the corks be a tight fit to begin with, make sure you
have lots of cork grease on the tenons to begin with or you may
have a hell of a time getting the instrument apart.

Right now, I have both a bass clarinet and a basset horn assembled
in my living room and they will remain that way for at least a week.

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Dan Leeson, Los Altos, California
(leeson@-----.edu)
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