Klarinet Archive - Posting 000307.txt from 2003/02

From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Bass clarinet question - felts
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 11:51:53 -0500

If you have ever played a bass clarinet, you will notice that the fingers of the left hand press down keys that activate another set of keys under them. This is necessary because the distance between the tone hole, and the size of the tone holes are both too large, even for the biggest set of human hands.

Between the "touch pieces" that the fingers actually contact, and the keys below, which have the pad cups and pads, you often find felt spacers.

On my own bass clarinet I have replaced these with cork for two reasons:

1. I can adjust the cork thickness almost infinitely. I cannot adjust the felt.

2. The felt, over time, had compressed so that pads not under direct finger pressure where not sealing perfectly.

My question is, is there a reason that felt was originally used by the manufacturer (Buffet)? Is there something I am missing out on here? It seems to me that the cork is a much better solution.

Anybody? Clark?

Walter Grabner
www.clarinetXpress.com

---------------------------------------------------------------------