Klarinet Archive - Posting 001248.txt from 1999/05

From: "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] Old clarinets and intonation
Date: Thu, 27 May 1999 12:30:39 -0400

Sebastien Duguet asked:

<<<I have a set of Buffet Prestige that is about 10 years old. Recently, I
have observed that the throat register is difficult to keep in tune. It
usually plays flat. How does the age of a clarinet affect the intonation of
this register?
Is this a common problem encountered on all the makes, or is that more of a
"Buffet issue"?>>>

Your clarinets may be "blown out." Or there could be a molecular
deterioration of the wood stemming from the chemical differences between the
wood in the grain pattern . . .

. . . or you could have some crud built up in your register key tube.

The alternatives here are (a) get a pipe cleaner and some vinegar or rubbing
alcohol and clean the inside of the tubes, or (b) get new clarinets and sell
me the old ones for a pittance, since they're obviously not worth anything
anymore. I vote (b), but there is obviously some self-interest here. I
will note that pipe cleaners are much less expensive than new clarinets.

If your problem is indeed the build-up of the dreaded green ick in your
register key tube, my guess is that other brands of clarinets could suffer a
similar malady.

kjf

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