Klarinet Archive - Posting 000383.txt from 2003/01

From: "Keith" <100012.1302@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Re: [k] Boosey and Hawkes
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2003 16:54:56 -0500

Kaitlin

I've just left Denver after living there for 7 years. It drove me dotty
trying to keep the humidity up for the clarinets. I even tried cigar
humidifiers with a cigar humidity meter in the case. It would stay
resolutely at about 40%, I think because for any of these tricks to
work, you need a hermetic seal on the case. It needs a LOT of water to
humidify a whole room adequately (to say 60%), and the
humidifiers/sponges/orange peels/etc dry out in no time.

In the end I gave up and let the wood adjust. Nothing cracked. On a
clarinet coming from a more normal humidity, some of the keys tighten
up, typically the ones with long spindles on the lower joint, especially
on the bass and basset clarinet. Some tenon rings loosened a little. I
let the clarinets stabilise - a few weeks - then either adjusted them
myself or made one visit to the repair shop, and all was well. So don't
panic. And two of mine were Boosey & Hawkes, too (though I don't
recognise your model numbers).

The humidity was a major reason for changing to Legere reeds too. I got
fed up with cane reeds drying out WHILE PLAYING ON THEM! However now I'm
back in Europe I'm not changing back!

After that long, your clarinet is probably pretty dry anyway. I'd just
clean and oil the bore. Oil will shine up the outer surface too, but to
do this properly you need to remove the keys so that you can get at the
wood, and buff the keys to polish them. A routine overhaul is a good
idea. Try Kolacny Music in Broadway, Denver; there are better and dearer
places, but your need is pretty routine.

Keith Bowen

--------------
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2003 06:23:36 -0500
From: "Bill Semple" <wsemple@-----.com>
Subject: Re: [kl] Boosey and Hawkes
Message-ID: <OE141LVBKqwUj9sEFSq000023dd@-----.com>

One suggestion I heard when I lived in Boulder, other than keeing your
room at a decent humidity level with a mist humifider, is to get a small
piece of plastic tubing at the Home Depot, punch a few holes in it, and
stuff it with a moist sponge.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kaitlin Costello" <kecostello@-----.com>
Subject: [kl] Boosey and Hawkes

> Hello,
> I have just moved up to an intermediate wooden clarinet. Specifically
> a Boosey and Hawkes series 2.20 , manufactured sometime during 1966.
> This being my first wooden clarinet, I have a few questions for the
> list.
>
> 1.) It there a process of re-breaking in an older instrument? I
> believe
that
> this instrument has sat in the case for anywhere between 5-20 years.
>
> 2.)Cosmetically, the instrument could use a coat of polish on the body

> and the key work. Any suggestions for doing this, and or brands that
> will protect the wood and metal work?
>
> 3.) It there anything , aside from a humidifier that I can put into
> the clarinet case to make up for our extremely dry climate ( I'm in
> colorado)?
>
> Thank you in advance,
> Kaitlin
>

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