Klarinet Archive - Posting 000004.txt from 2002/11

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Strange clarinet
Date: Fri, 1 Nov 2002 06:05:42 -0500

At 10:42 PM 10/31/2002 -0600, James Hobby wrote:
>One of my flute students brought in his younger brother's clarinet today. I
>think this is his first year playing. He claimed that he was unable to get
>several notes in tune and couldn't play a C1, at all.
>
>It was quickly apparent what the problem was -- or this set of problems.
>The Eb trill key was bent over so that it opened the F# trill key. The
>bridge keys were bent so that the pad right below the joint wouldn't close
>all the way. The pad between left 1 & 2 was about 1/2" too open.
>
>I don't know where or when they bought the instrument. (I plan on asking
>the mother.) Someone has made some fairly brutal adjustments to the
>keywork, because there are equipment (pliers?) marks on several of the
>rings. I don't think that the family tried to adjust the instrument. The
>father is a computer specialist and is very demanding on his service techs.
>I think the mother is a nurse. My student has a very nice midrange flute
>and is fanatical about taking care of it. (There's a third brother who
>doesn't like "band nerds", so I suppose he might have bounced it off the
>wall a few times. <g>)
>
>What puzzled me is that there's absolutely no marking anywhere on the
>instrument. No indicia of manufacturer, no serial number. Nothing! It
>looks like some type of composition material. The side trill keys have the
>"boxy" look similiar to the old (1960ish) Leblanc student models. The sides
>of several of the keys look like they have smears of glue or something on
>them. I did what I could to make the instrument playable (or reasonably
>playable) and gave them the name of a good clarinet repairman -- who may
>never speak to me again. <g>
>
>Not counting for the abuse the instrument appears to have taken, has anyone
>ever seen one made like this, with no markings? (None on the case, either,
>BTW.) It has me stumped.

Probably one of those wonderful Chinese imports. You would have recognized
an old Bundy from the days when they were using decals (which often
disappear over time), and it still would have had a serial number. The
damaged Eb trill key is VERY common -- usually occurs when the upper joint
is dropped on the floor. Let them know they have a fine lamp base there.

Bill Hausmann

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

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