Klarinet Archive - Posting 000245.txt from 2003/11

From: "Christy Erickson" <perickso@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Bass Clarinet mouthpieces
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 19:00:39 -0500

Bill, I happened to be at the local shop today and mentioned the =
problem
with the clarinet. The person at the counter had no clue-he wondered if =
it
was a clarinet they've had for over a year but perhaps haven't used yet. =
He
said the school bought several last year and to his knowledge, they had =
not
purchased any new ones this year. Interestingly, he said they rely on =
the
company to make certain the instruments are in working order when they =
sell
them. Isn't it standard procedure (or ought to be) for a store to have =
a
technician go over a new instrument to make certain everything is in =
working
order when they sell it? The shop we have here is NOT good. I caught =
them
last year when I borrowed an A clarinet from the local high school that =
they
had supposedly "overhauled." The clarinet was in exactly the same shape =
and
had the exact same pads it had when I had had problems with it in a =
previous
use. The owner was very defensive and rather red-faced to learn that =
the
clarinet was being borrowed by a professional player in the community =
and
that I knew he hadn't touched it. I can't figure out why the school =
keeps
doing business with him but he's the only guy in town. A friend of mine
(professional oboe player) checked out the school's oboes, which are =
also
maintained by the same shop. She informed the band director that the
problems the students were having were with the instruments-not the =
players.
The school sent all of those to another town for repairs and regulation. =
=20
If the clarinet did sit unused for over a year and they gave it to Em
without checking it out first, I fault the band directors. In either =
case,
it's not a good way to encourage their students to play that bass. My
daughter is VERY careful with her instruments-I'm sure that's one reason
they entrusted a new instrument to her but I still wouldn't be surprised =
if
something got knocked out of whack. The clarinet is bigger than she is =
and
a bit hard for her to handle. =20

Christy

At 08:22 AM 11/17/2003 -0600, Christy Erickson wrote:
>Bill, Thanks. I tried it out and couldn't get over the break either. =
It
>isn't sealing properly so I'll let our band director know. Our school
>system deals with the local shop (I NEVER take anything there for =
repair)
so
>I'm not surprised at all that its out of whack.

Don't automatically blame the local shop. Some of them (like ours) are=20
very good! It does not take much to knock a bass clarinet out of whack =
--=20
just one careless smack against a music stand, or less-than-careful =
placing=20
in the case is all it takes. Or even lack of grease on the bell tenon,=20
causing the student to place undue pressure on the keys when attaching =
or=20
removing the bell. Make sure your students are WELL briefed on the=20
DELICACY of this seemingly large and sturdy instrument.

Bill Hausmann

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

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