Klarinet Archive - Posting 000642.txt from 1998/05

From: "line ringuette" <lringuet@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] tarnish on keys
Date: Tue, 12 May 1998 19:28:12 -0400

Hi everyone!

I have an update - and another question regarding a previous post of mine
(about 2 months ago).

I had originally posted about my student's new clarinet, a Buffet E12 with
silver keys that was tarnishing quite severely and rapidly. Many keys,
posts and rods were becoming black/blue. The family has been to the
WW&BW
three times in the past 6 months (a 4.5 hour drive from Windsor, with 3
kids!) and the clarinet has been cleaned up there, and anti-tarnish strips
put into the case. He was given a new case (in case it was reacting to
materials in that), has taken out the Dampit, no erasers (rubber was
suggested as the most likely culprit for the tarnish).
Now, he has been told by people at Boosey that it is probably his Vandoren
B45 mouthpiece that is causing this tarnish!!!!! (!!!!! is exactly my
reaction).

1) have any of you on this list ever heard of this before?
My student said the rep. from Boosey said they had a problem with this
before when they used to include a B45 with each new clarinet (I didn't
know they did this, but does anyone remember this?)
2) do hard-rubber mouthpieces differ significantly in materials from one
brand to another ie: Vandoren v.s. Fobes v.s. L. Combs? They are going
back to the WW&BW to get another mouthpiece, and another clean-up on the
instrument. I would really hate for them to keep on doing this..... What
if they pick another mouthpiece that does the same thing?

If anyone has any comments to make on this situation, I would greatly
appreciate any input - as I now am at a loss. The tarnish is really not
like anything I have seen before, and my student keeps on getting
different
answers from the WW&BW, and now Boosey....we just don't know who to
believe
any more. Also, my student wants to keep this clarinet - he likes it for
the sound, but the tarnish looks bad; also, when the darkening starts to
get really severe, he does notice that the key action gets slower and more
difficult.

Thanks for your collective wisdom........
Line Ringuette
lringuet@-----.net

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