Klarinet Archive - Posting 000311.txt from 2001/06

From: DGross1226@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Re: Tuning rings
Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2001 16:38:12 -0400

In a message dated 01-06-07 16:16:45 EDT, you write:

<<I'm curious; has anyone else had this problem with tuning rings? >>

Indeed, but on a 1950 low Eb Selmer Paris bass clarinet. The original owner
played with Voorhees and the Bell Telephone Hour Orchestra. When he retired
as a studio player in Los Angeles and sold me the horn, he included three
mouthpieces of which one (which appears to be a Chedeville blank) was far and
away the best. However, because of the sharpness of the orchestra, he had
about 1/8" machined off the end of the mpc and shoulder. At that time,
Selmer did not provide a tunable neck.

To lower the pitch, I found fibre washers at my local plumbing supply store
that were perfect as far as the outside diameter goes. After playing the
horn for almost 10 years and living with certain notes being really stuffy,
last month I needed to have it adjusted and showed my repair tech my
wonderful plumbing washer "tuning rings." He replied, "Did you notice that
the inside diameter of your tuning rings is at least 1/16" smaller than the
bore of your mouthpiece. You've had some really stuffy notes, haven't you?"

Removing the washers eliminated all the stuffiness. Subsequent hand sanding
of the ID of the fiber washers solved the problem. Never underestimate the
need for smooth air flow.

Don Gross
La Canada, California

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