Klarinet Archive - Posting 000645.txt from 1997/04

From: Gary Hopkins <ghopkins@-----.net>
Subj: Re: Spring Tension/Action???
Date: Mon, 21 Apr 1997 21:18:10 -0400

Steve,

I believe you'll find the problem is that the pad is not level. That is that
it is not hitting the tonehole evenly all the way around. I'd have the
repairman either use a feeler-guage or leaklight to recheck that pad. Most
likely the pad is hitting the tonehole in the back before it is hitting in
the front. This makes it very easy for the key to be blown open or the
slightest touch cause the key to blow open. Some repairmen try to use
excessive amounts of spring tension so that they don't have to take the time
to make sure the pads are level.

Gary Hopkins

At 10:06 PM 4/20/97 -0400, you wrote:
>How is the spring tension, and thus the heavy/light nature of key action
>regulated??? Is it a matter of personal preference, or do clarinet models
>have characteristic actions, like guitars (e.g martin vs taylor)???
>
>The reason I ask, is that after a recent overhaul, I seem to be bumping the
>left hand Bb-Eb sliver key open and squaking more than usual (which was
>very rarely...)
>
>
>regards, steve
>
>
>
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