Klarinet Archive - Posting 001182.txt from 1999/05

From: Sfdr@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] clarinet choice? Comparing Old and New
Date: Wed, 26 May 1999 17:47:00 -0400

In a message dated 5/26/99 8:49:08 AM EST, kissingerjn@-----.EDU writes:

<< In a discussion of vintage instruments at the website for his stores, Bob
Ackerman mentions that R13s with serial numbers from 70000 to 100000 (made
between 1962 and 1968, according to the serial number list on Sneezy) are
often
sought after. Would you agree with his lower limit?

I would recommend serial numbers as low as 42,000. However there are
good and bad horns in all series. Hans Moennig stopped selling them after
125,000 or so because he did not like the changes that were made on the
keywork. He said the spring on the throat G# was too short and did not
provide an even tension on for the key. Next he did not like the needle
string instead of the flat spring on the Left hand C#-G# little finger key.
Nor did he like the tension of the short C# spring on the lower joint which
anchored on the wooden slot and not the key spring cradle. Since that key
was so much longer than the other keys, Mr. Moennig thought it should be made
in the proportion to the key. And most of all, Mr. Moennig hated that Buffet
no longer offered Clarinets with unplated keys. Every horn that he ordered
had unplated keys as they were not as slippery as nickel or silver plated
keys. The unplated keys were also easier to file and bend for the Moennig
Setup. He spent hours changing the spring cradles and hinge fulcrums. When
he finished adjusting a horn, the action of the closed keys like C# and Eb
was just as light as the open keys such as C and B. Eh also removed the
wings on the bridge keys as they added dead weight to the delicate key. his
theory was "The lighter the key, the less spring tension required," thus
giving the player better mechanical action.

Do you know if there were
any specific changes in design or manufacturing techiques around these dates
to
explain why this particular period is associated with especially good
instruments?

The wood was cured longer. The post were threaded in the wooden body
and not pressed fitted with a set screw. The spring cradles were square in
shape and allow for closer hinge contact. The bore opening was concentric
with the outside diameter of the horn. The tone hole chimneys were smooth and
level especially on the Throat G and E tone holes. The springs were longer
and thinner and not shorter and thicker. The octave vents were acoustically
correct in design. There were no reamer or chatter marks in the bore or on
the pad seats.

Finally, IYO, are E13s from this period also likely to be
particularly desirable?

I know nothing about this Model. I will leave that question to Mr. Klose.

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