Klarinet Archive - Posting 000125.txt from 1994/06

From: NICK WINKLER <winkler@-----.US>
Subj: Re: Straubinger Pads
Date: Mon, 27 Jun 1994 01:25:08 -0400

To: REEDMAN@-----.COM
Subject: Re: Straubinger Pads

R>Sorry! I did not mean to be cryptic, I just had limited time to write
R>this AM.

Thanks for the more complete reply, Clark. I can see I have some
studying to do.

I'm new to this conference, and was surprised and delighted to find one
inhabited by clarinet players. I'm a rank amateur clarinetist who
retired from science teaching two years ago. I'd like to improve my
skills, both in playing and in caring for my instrument.

The last time I reconditioned a clarinet was about forty years ago. It
was done through sheer despair, since I didn't have the money to get
someone to do the job. So I just bought a set of white pads and some
pad glue and set about it. Fortunately, the clarinet worked when I
finished.

Once I started working full time, I always hired someone else to do that
job. Living in a small town, as I still do, that person was often a
moonlighting music teacher.

About five years ago, I finally replaced my 1930s Horst Moennig
large-bore band clarinet (from Baxter-Northup in L.A.) with a Buffet
R-13 (from R.G. Gilbert). That made an immediate difference in both
tone quality and intonation. I found myself playing in tune for the
first time in my life. What a wonderful feeling!

Now that I have a little more time, I'd like to delve into this clarinet
thing a bit more. Is there a readable book on clarinet maintenance that
someone can recommend? Could I expect to do a good repad on my own, or
are there good reasons for turning the job over to an experienced repair
person? How often should I expect to repad my instrument? Can someone
out there give me some pointers?

-Nick-

* QMPro 1.52 * Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians.
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Views expressed by this individual are not necessarily
those of the Tulare County Office of Education
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