Klarinet Archive - Posting 000202.txt from 1994/05

From: Steven Popper <Steven_Popper@-----.ORG>
Subj: Pad Savers
Date: Tue, 10 May 1994 22:29:40 -0400

What is the collective wisdom of the group on the subject of pad
savers? Will they cause unintended problems or will they stabilize the
moisture changes in the joints?

Originally developed for saxophones, pad savers resemble the heads
of wire brushes. The "bristles" in this case are soft, absorbant material
and the wire ends are capped in plastic. The idea is that after swabbing
you place them into the joints where they run the full length and remain
until you next play. They will wick residual moisture away from the pads
(and the inner joint surface) while, possibly, also stabilizing the
moisture change in the vicinity of the instrument.

Possible drawbacks include the possibility of accidently scoring
the inner surface of the joint (difficult to see how this could occur,
though,) or knocking the speaker tube in the upper joint.

Possible benefits:
Reducing wear on pads by reducing the "spit glued" problem when
first fingering the keys and raising the pads;
Reducing the range of humidity change to which the instrument is
subjected, presumably thereby reducing wear and tear as well as
susceptibility to cracking.

Any thoughts? Any users of pad savers out there?

Steven Popper
RAND Corporation