Klarinet Archive - Posting 000901.txt from 1998/09

From: "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] C clarinet barrels
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1998 11:38:49 -0400

Hey JE--

I am one of those that would definitely leave brain surgery to a brain
surgeon. I don't do my own repads, and half the time will take my horn and
a six-pack to my good friend repairman just to have the fishskin replaced in
my left-hand pinky keys. I am *not* a do-it-yourselfer.

But I did open up a barrel on a brand-new R13 (with my teacher watching)
that was sticking to the top tenon too tightly. It's really very easy. The
"secret" is simple--sandpaper.

Take a 3/4" square of #400 sandpaper, insert it in the socket, and apply a
little pressure with your thumb so that the paper touches the wall socket
evenly. Start rotating the barrel with your other hand, so that you take
wood off the entire wall of the socket. #400 is a fairly benign
grade--you'll be taking very little wood off. Keep at it for a short time,
and test (put the mouthpiece on). The slower you go (and the more you test)
the less likely you will be to go too far.

While you may end up with a socket that is not a perfect circle
(microscopically), do not fear--you are not touching the bore, only the
receptacle for the cork. If you go too fast (and go too far), you'll just
have to get your mouthpiece recorked, not replace the whole thing. Go slow
and this won't happen.

Good Luck!!

kjf
-----Original Message-----
From: Jacqueline Eastwood [mailto:eastwooj@-----.EDU]
Subject: [kl] C clarinet barrels

I'd appreciate a response from any C clarinet owners or repair persons who
have had experience with this problem. Thanks!

The upper barrel socket on my C clarinet is a bit on the tight side for my
mouthpiece. Sometimes when the horn gets all warmed up, the mouthpiece
tends to stick, even when well-greased (I grease before every performance
when I'm switching horns a lot). Once last year, during Traviata, I went
to pull the mouthpiece and ended up with, yes, a ligature and reed in my
hand. I found that covering my bare hand with a swab helped provide some
traction when pulling. I consider myself to be very adept at quick
switches, and feel that the problem lies with the tight barrel socket.

So my question is, has anyone ever had the barrel socket sanded or reamed?
Is this a job that pretty much any repair person could handle (we don't
have a woodwind specialist in town any more) or should it be done only by
very qualified techs? I hesitate to thin down the cork on the mouthpiece
since it is fine for my Bb and A clarinets. I'm going to be starting
Lucia di Lammermoor rehearsals on 10/3 and there are a lot of changes,
with extended periods on the C clarinet, which could mean trouble if I
don't try to fix this problem! On the other hand, I don't want someone to
destroy the only C clarinet barrel I have by not knowing what they are
doing! Thanks!

Jacqueline Eastwood
University of Arizona/Arizona Opera Orchestra
*and now* Double Ring Cycle Survivor
eastwooj@-----.edu

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