Klarinet Archive - Posting 000433.txt from 2003/05

From: Karl Krelove <karlkrelove@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Quick survey on "Clarinet Overhaul"
Date: Mon, 19 May 2003 22:25:10 -0400

Walter,

I may be the odd one out on this, but I just don't have my instruments
"overhauled." I do bring them to an excellent technician (Mike Hammer in
Philadelphia) once every couple of years unless I'm prompted to do it sooner
by some specific need - a torn pad or cork, usually, or some tuning problem
I need to solve. While it's there, whatever the initial reason, I ask Mike
to show me anything else he thinks the instrument needs. He may well find
some pads that are wearing, key action that he can spruce up, tone holes
that have become uneven, etc.. We discuss it and I usually have him do
whatever he thinks is needed. When I bring it in just for a "checkup," he
does disassemble and clean everything, but it's still a matter of finding
what's in need of doing and doing it. I've never had a complete re-pad or
re-cork, never had the wood oiled or anything else, for that matter, done to
the bore, never replaced all the springs, swedging only as needed, etc....

Hans Moennig, from whom I think most of the current repair techs in this
area have taken their basic cues, made a point of doing only what was
needed. I was much too young when he worked on my instruments ever to have
discussed his position from a philosophical direction, but I imagine his
rationale was a combination of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," and "I'm
just too busy to replace pads that still seal."

The other part of my sacrilege is that I don't have an expectation of what I
will pay for the work Mike does. He tells me what it will cost up front, and
the choice I make is whether or not to OK the work. I simply trust that his
charges for the time and skill it takes to do the work are fair. And I know
from experience that what I will end up with is a better-playing instrument.
That peace of mind is in many ways priceless.

My way. Your mileage may differ.

Karl

> -----Original Message-----
> From: GrabnerWG@-----.com]
> Sent: Monday, May 19, 2003 3:55 PM
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: [kl] Quick survey on "Clarinet Overhaul"
>
>
> I get approached frequently with requests from clarinetists to
> have their clarinets "overhauled". When I get into a discussion
> with them, I find that each person has a slightly different
> definition of what an overhaul is.
>
> I thought I'd do a quick survey of what we on the list think an
> overhaul should be. Maybe some questions with yes or no answers
> would help clarify. For this discussion, let's assume a pro
> quality R-13, separately we can do student model horns.
>
> An overhaul should consist of:
>
> Thorough cleaning of bore?
> Thorough cleaning of tone holes?
> Thorough cleaning or all hinge rods and hinge rod tubing?
> Thorough cleaning of all pivot screws?
> Oiling or oil immersion of the wood portions?
> All new tenon corks?
> All new key corks?
> All new pads?
> What quality Pads?
> All new springs?
> Re-surfacing tone holes?
> Swedging loose keys?
> Easing tight keys?
> Fixing loose key posts?
> Adjusting spring tension?
> Tuning work?
> Play test?
>
> Any other services?
>
> For the things that you said yes to, what would you expect to pay?
>
> What should the turn around time be, in a less than emergency repair?
>
> Thanks in advance, I for one can profit from any and all answers
> shared. I also think as a community, we can collectively learn
> something here.
>
> Walter Grabner
> www.clarinetXpress.com
> clarinet mouthpieces and repairs
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> Klarinet is supported by Woodwind.Org, http://www.woodwind.org/
>
>

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