Klarinet Archive - Posting 000530.txt from 1998/10

From: <kbowman@-----.com>
Subj: RE: Re: [kl] Professional Clarinetists and Their "Toys"
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1998 10:12:12 -0400

Graeme Cox wrote:
> I'd be very interested in hearing others' experiences with cork.

I've had cork pads on my C#/G# key and side Eb/Bb key for years.
They were professionally installed and I haven't experienced any
problems with sealing. The pads still look brand new. I'm now
tempted to have the entire top joint done in cork because so
many of the tone holes accumulate water (especially the trill
keys and the first finger pad under the A key) but it ain't
cheap! I understand that cork pad have to be specially cut and
the process of "setting" the pad is difficult and time consuming.
BTW - aren't cork pads common on oboes?

I'm also interested in hearing about experiences with cork. My
one concern is that an entirely "corked" top joint might affect
the tone of particular notes. And how might the cost of cork
compare to the cost of some of the new pad materials available
today (e.g. GorTex)?

Kevin Bowman
Clarinet and Saxophone Instructor,
Rochester Conservatory of Music, Rochester, MI

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