Klarinet Archive - Posting 000258.txt from 2001/04

From: "Don Yungkurth" <clarinet@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Straubinger Pads
Date: Fri, 13 Apr 2001 17:04:15 -0400

James Marioneaux wrote:

>I had my clarinet repadded with Strabinger (sp?) pads and it plays great
now
>(a mid-70's Buffet RC). The Srtabinger pads are expensive, but they do seal
>great. The felt that is used in the pads is of the very highest quality
and
>there are some other ways the pads are made (my tech explained it to me)
that
>make these pads very high quality. They also have a much longer life than
>the traditional bladder pads (so they say. I haven't had mine long enough
>check that out. I am impressed with these pads. I am not sure what the
>covering is, but I know it is not fishskin. I don't know if anyone else
had
>has experience with the Starbingers, but I think they are super.

Straubinger pads seem to be the new pad of choice with many flutists, at
least from the stories on "Flute" (the "Klarinet" equivalent for flutists).
I have no personal experience with them and can't comment on construction or
composition.

Apparently Straubinger tries to restrict sale of these pads to people who
have been trained to install them as intended. It is worth while finding if
the technician has the skills as well as the pads before having Straubinger
pads installed on an instrument.

In talking with one flutist who has been trained and does her own repair
work, proper installation of Straubinger pads requires adjusting toneholes
so that they are absolutely flat, i. e., perfect - completely in one plane
and free of nicks or defects. The pad cup must be adjusted to be
absolutely parallel to the seat, since these pads depend on fitting
correctly to seal, rather than by applying pressure or having the pad deform
to match the geometry of the seat. When properly installed these pads allow
sealing with the lightest possible touch.

In my limited experience of repadding clarinets and flutes, flutes are far
more difficult to pad leak-free than clarinets, but I would assume that a
quality job with Straubingers would last longer on either instrument.

Don Yungkurth (clarinet@-----.net)

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