Klarinet Archive - Posting 000934.txt from 1997/08

From: Gary Hopkins <ghopkins@-----.net>
Subj: Re: Pad question
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 1997 12:04:25 -0400

Roger, I'd like to respond to some of what you had to say on the subject of
Bill Brannen's clarinet prep work. I agree with the theory that the tighter
the seal on a clarinet joint the better. However, there usually isn't the
need to use a sealer on the tone holes in order to get a joint tight enough
to pull, and hold, a vacuum, especially on a NEW clarinet. Cork pads, or
some other types of trendy pad, can help to improve the vacuum if the skin
covering the bladder pad is porous. But, the quality of pads being used by
Leblanc, Selmer and Buffet on their top line instruments is about as good as
bladder pads can get. Those three companies have more experience in these
things than you, I, Mr. Brannen and all the other Klarinetters in cyberspace
have all put together.

The teflon on keys that slide on other keys is a good thing to have, but the
teflon is $13 a sheet 4"x6" (enough to do well over a hundred clarinets).
This I know because I just ordered another sheet from my supplier along with
a couple thousand dollars in other supplies.

I won't argue with someone's idea that if they spend a few hundred bucks
getting their instrument "tricked out" it will make them a better clarinet
player. There is a lot to be said for what feeling good about yourself and
your equipment can do for one's playing. It won't make you play any better,
but it will help you to feel more comfortable. I especially won't argue with
someone that wants to make an older instrument play as well as possible, but
a complete refurb is not needed on a new clarinet.

Much more could be said about this, but what it all boils down to is to what
length will a musician go to make he/she a better player. In my humble, but
educated, opinion I think one's money could be better spent on other things.

I would like to add that I just got my new Buffet Vintage clarinet about two
weeks ago. After slightly lowering the rings, leveling a couple of pads and
adjusting the bridge key it played like a dream. It has all bladder pads,
and will hold a vacuum for as long as you want (top or bottom joint). The
bore is smaller than the current R-13. Intonation is good, but the 8va vent
was too long. I made a shorter one with a reversed taper. This improved the
12ths. Overall, the best new clarinet I have played since the mid 70's.

Gary

At 12:33 PM 8/21/97 -0500, you wrote:
>
>If members of the Chicago Symphony, New York Phil., Los Angeles Phil.,
>Cleveland Symphony, Philadelphia Orch., Oregon Symph., Seattle Symph.,
>Illinois Symph., and hundreds of professional clarinetists teaching at the
>university level feel it is worth the money, there must be somthing to it.
>If you haven't had the work done, you will never be in a position to say
>it is not worth it!
>
>In response to the issue of a high quality instrument not needing new
>service work.......compare it to any fine automobile being sold without
>the new car service.......if you just purchased it right off the
>boat.....you wouldn't believe the condition! Check any new car
>invoice...you pay between $200-750 for new car service....just to clean
>and lubricate and align, etc.....
>
>Not trying to say that Mr. Hausmann is wrong for feeling the way he does,
>I just don't think that he is aware of the kinds of changes that such
>service does to a new horn. Of course, one must be able to recognize the
>differences once they are done. I have may students who are not at a
>level of playing who really would notice the differences. That means they
>probably were not ready for an R-13 to begin with.
>
>I hope that this clears up any misconceptions about the services? If you
>want to talk to Bill Brannen personally, he is listed in all of the
>"The Clarinet" magazines, and you could talk to any of the 50 clarinetists
>whose portraits are hanging in his shop who claim his work is fantastic!
>Even Adolph Herseth.....principal trumpeter of the Chicago Symph. left an
>autographed picture in which he says, "I wish you worked on trumpets."

> On Wed, 20 Aug 1997, Bill Hausmann wrote:
>
>> Frankly, I still think some of this is oversold hype. If an instrument of
>> the level of an R-13 needs these fixes immediately after leaving the
>> factory, it should have been rejected! (I'll give you the teflon thing, a
>> $20 fix.) I hate to think these instruments are so shabbily made and
>> poorly designed that they need this kind of attention before they will play
>> properly. I can't believe that more than minute differences can be made.
>> But it's your money, and mine, too (about $.02 worth).