Klarinet Archive - Posting 000860.txt from 1995/05

From: Luuk van Buul <vanbuul@-----.NL>
Subj: Re: Articulated C#/G#
Date: Wed, 31 May 1995 03:46:16 -0400

Maybe I was wrong about the loss of forked Eb/Bb when having the articulated
C#/G# mechanism.
I don't have this mechanism myself, but my experience is based on clarinets of
some of my students. There were several which used old (about 25 years) LeBlanc
clarinets (type LL) with extended mechanisms, including low Eb/Bb extension, a
seventh ring, left hand Ab/Eb, right hand C#/G# (between the first and second
ring of the lower half), and the articulated C#/G#. They could definitely not
play the forked Eb/Bb on these clarinets. Maybe this was due to the seventh ring
then? However, because of this ring they gained the possibility of playing Eb/Bb
with left hand 1 and 3 which is nice, too.

I have to say that these (amateur) student clarinets with this intricate
mechanism and of this age needed adjustment almost every month, especially the
C#/G# key, which is not moved by the force you apply when depressing the key,
but by a little spring which pushes it open. Also the LH 1/3 Eb/Bb was often not
working properly, because the seventh ring is coupled to the normal upper two
rings by means of a small screw. Also there was a little hole with key soldered
to the first or second ring (I don't remember exactly) which leaked frequently.

Some of these problems may be due to the specific LeBlanc setup of these times,
and maybe on a new and adjusted clarinet there is little need for excess
service, but I don't believe this complicated mechanism lasts as long as the
standard type and surely you have to be very careful when using such a clarinet.
But I'm sure we all already take extreme care of our instruments and never one
falls over because some brass player stumbles over it while passing. ;)

Luuk van Buul
vanbuul@-----.nl