Klarinet Archive - Posting 000600.txt from 2001/10

From: "Kevin Fay" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Tropical Woods - progress report
Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2001 14:02:36 -0400

Rhea posted:

<<<When I started playing again last year, however, I found that the
original barrel had shrunk to the point that no mouthpiece except the one
I'd used as a kid (which no longer works for me) would fit it.

* * *

I've considered having the socket of the old barrel worked on to accommodate
newer mouthpieces, but I don't know whether the shrinkage would also affect
intonation so that it would be better to find a new un-tapered barrel.>>>

Hi Rhea --

Fortunately, to my knowledge the inside of the socket doesn't have an
acoustic effect. If you open it up a bit to accept a mouthpiece tenon,
there shouldn't be any change in the sound as long as you're careful not to
futz with the interior bore of the barrel.

In order to widen the socket, take a piece of 400 grade sandpaper, drape it
over you thumb and insert it into the socket. Being careful not to touch
the bore, you can rotate the barrel with the other hand to scrape extra wood
from the socket (sort of a slow-motion lathe). Test with the mouthpiece
every so often so you don't go too far.

You may feel nervous at first in doing this, in the fear that you'll take
off too much. Grenadilla is *very* tough wood, however -- you will be
amazed how long you'll have to sand the socket to make any difference.
(Given my experience in doing this maneuver, I seriously question how
swabbing a clarinet -- even over a period of years -- could make any
dimensional difference). Even if you do, it's no big, 'cuz all you'd have
to do to fix the situation is get a fatter cork put on the mouthpiece tenon.

Of course, a repair tech with a lathe could do this in a jiffy.

You may want to try different mouthpieces with the wider bore horn; the
width of the bore of the mouthpiece blank will make a lot of difference in
the intonation. Others on the list can describe that better than me.

Good luck!

kjf

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