Klarinet Archive - Posting 001154.txt from 1998/04

From: "Brian Catchlove" <bcatch@-----.au>
Subj: Re: Pad Preferences
Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 11:09:02 -0400

Sorry Kevin, but I had many problems with the Valentino pads when I tried
them about 9 years ago. They proved difficult to seat, and because of the
softness of the foam I found that they didn't seal quickly enough (that is
hard to explain, but the response felt somewhat sluggish!?). I also recall
having problems regulating the mechanism. All in all, not a happy
experiment. Previous to the Valentino pads I had been using leather pads and
found that the Valentino pads didn't compare favourably. This is all despite
having the Valentino's professionally attached.
Brian Catchlove

--Original Message-----
From: Kevin Fay <kevinfay@-----.com>
Date: Tuesday, 21 April 1998 8:39am
Subject: Re: Re: Pad Preferences

>Whilst we spend our days wallowing in technologically backward materials
>like leather, cork and (my favorite) sheep intestine stretched over
>felt, the chemical engineers of the world have come up with a great
>solution.
>
>If you folks don't have Valentino pads, try them!! They are plastic
>(really a sort of foam with a somewhat hardened surface towards the tone
>hole). Albert Alphin in Boston put one on my Eb/Ab key about 20 years
>ago; when I had the horn overhauled 10 years later, my repair person
>refused to touch it because it still sealed better than anything he
>could put on.
>
>These things are GREAT. They ALWAYS seal, never leak, repel water,
>last forever and ARE TOTALLY SILENT.
>
>Best of all for you teachers out there, you need not limit their use to
>great repair people--you can buy a kit (throught WEW & BW, of course)
>and do it yourself! It's like a new-style postage stamp--peel the back
>and squish it into the pad cup, done.
>
>Lest Bill and the other repair folks despair, I have a repair tech do my
>own horns to ensure perfect seating, etc. For the odd Bundy throwing up
>pads, though, the teacher kit is also wonderful.
>
>kjf
>