Klarinet Archive - Posting 000485.txt from 1996/06

From: Doug MacDonell <dougmac@-----.ORG>
Subj: Re: Choosing Pads
Date: Fri, 28 Jun 1996 21:41:41 -0400

> I recently bought an old French (sans name) clarinet that needs
>a $500 overhaul and that's $150 more than can be gotten for it. Logic says
>trashcan, fingers say fix it. There seems to be three choices in pad
>types, Norbeck, cork and bladder. I'm inclined to use Norbeck. One of my
>sons' former teachers liked using cork in his instruments. Bladder seems
>like it would resolve pad to tone hole misalignment best. Which is the
>best pad? Which is the best compromise?
> The pads I removed measure 3.5-4 mm. thick. I have yet to see any
>reference to thickness other than thin, medium and thick. Which choice
>would the measured thickness equate to? TIA..........
>
Cork top joint, bladder bottom. Cork is hard to work with, but the pads
last almost forever. Cork really seems to clear up the throat tones,
especially G.
Some people are fond of Valentino pads, but they tend to get sticky fairly fast.
(Valentino pads are another synthetic material... useful for band directors
who need a quick fix on the spot.) Most of the major pad suppliers dropped
Valentino pads several years ago, anyhow, although they are still
obtainable. (Sorry if you're reading this, Mr. V.)

My experience with Norbeck pads is that they are a good idea. The problem
with them is that they retain their original shape too well. I can notice
when a piece of lint gets caught between the pad and the tone hole (I tried
them on my R13 just to test them). It seems as though traditional materials
deserve a lot of respect... I think twice before moving away from them!

Some instrument makers are now using Gortex. I think that this may be in
response to the increasing scarcity of mambrane for bladder pads (epithileal
tissue from an animal's intestine, just in case you're interested.) I
haven't personally seen any Gortex pads, but I'm kind of curious about them.

By the way... where do they get $500 for a clarinet overhaul? Maybe I need
to relocate my shop!

Doug MacDonell
Ashland, Oregon, USA