Klarinet Archive - Posting 000418.txt from 2002/12

From: Gary Van Cott <gary@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] mysterious alto clarinet problems
Date: Mon, 16 Dec 2002 22:36:39 -0500

Do a leak test on the neck. Remove it from the instrument, cover the end
with your hand and blow into the other. That should tell you.

If it does leak, see if you can seal up the area temporarily. Maybe some
clinging wrap and rubber bands would do it.

And find a repair tech who cares enough about their work not to stop until
they find the problem.

Gary
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+ Gary Van Cott - Van Cott Information Services, Inc.
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At 07:02 PM 12/16/02, you wrote:
>I remember saying something about a crack on my alto clarinet a while
>back. According to every teacher I have shown, that is not what is wrong
>with it. Nobody has been able to figure it out either, not even the repair
>technician I took it too, and it isn't me because everyone else seems to
>have trouble playing it too.
>
>I decided today that I would just have to find a way to make it work for
>me and I think I figured out what is wrong with it. It first occured to me
>that it was my mouthpiece/reed/ligature, but it didn't matter what setup I
>used, I had the same problem. Then I noticed that The neck was leaking...
>
>My alto clarinet is a Noblet 55 that has one of those necks with the screw
>and slide on it for tuning. I pulled it apart and I had no problem at all
>doing so. The part that you pull out to tune was really loose. I don't
>think it fit, and the main part of the neck was dented at the end, which I
>would have never noticed if I wouldn't have taken the neck apart.
>
>Could the leaking neck be the problem, because the body has been looked at
>several times and nobody thinks there is a problem.
>

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