Klarinet Archive - Posting 001200.txt from 1997/10

From: ROBERT HOWE <arehow@-----.net>
Subj: Re: Prestige bass register mechanism
Date: Sun, 26 Oct 1997 23:37:05 -0500

The register key on the neck of my Prestige bass is opened by a rod that
reaches from the top joint. This rod is very loosely sprung and
generates little force. The key (on the neck) is too short, it has a
pivot in the center rather than on one end and so has little mechanical
advantage. The touch point of the rod onto the key on the neck is too
close to the pivot. So the neck register key does not open if the neck
is in all the way. I do most of my own repairs, and all sorts of
oiling, respringing etc. have not done the trick.

What does, however, is simple physics. Moving the neck out a wee bit
causes the rod from the top jopint to contact the touch on the neck key
farhter fromn the fulcrum, less force is needed to overcome the spring,
voila!, it opens 100%. Since the horn is pitched a wee sharp, I always
have the neck out just a bit, so all is well.

But were I to play in a band at A442, I'd be f---ed. So it is a design
flaw, attributable to a 2 mm carelessness in placing a rod.

Robert Howe

Neil Leupold wrote:
>
> On Thu, 23 Oct 1997, Roger Garrett wrote:
>
> > What exactly goes wrong with your register key?
>
> Well, in my case, nothing, because I have a Selmer 37 instead
> of the Buffet. I was hoping somebody on the list would be
> able to elaborate on Clark's observation that the Buffet
> register mechanism does indeed come out of adjustment.
> He didn't state this on the list, but to me personally
> at the time that I was making a comparison between the
> Selmer and the Buffet. Hopefully Clark will catch the
> subject line and interject his thoughts.
>
> Neil