 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Rev. Avery
Date: 2003-11-22 13:01
Hi, Can anyone tell me how to figure out bore size. I'm wanting to figure this out when my Noblet 45 Artist gets here. Also, I'm wondering if the Noblet 45 Artist might be the older version of the Sonata 1020.
The site says: the Sonata is an entry-level professional instrument and, like the Esprit, is the best instrument to be offered at its price level. The Sonata is remarkable for its roundness of tone, perfect scale, playing ease and agility. Its extraordinary evenness and “non-quirky” playing characteristics make it ideal for the advanced young player or the professional who doubles but has limited time to devote to the clarinet.
Specifications
Key: Bb
Bore: Polycylindrical, 14.60 mm (.575")
Key mechanism: 17 key, 6 ring
Key style:In-line “Jump” trill keys
Body material: Aged grenadilla wood
Pad cup style: Conical
Key finish: Nickel-plated
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-11-22 15:14
Rev - This is another "good question" which has been discussed a number of times previously. Those info/opinions are readily available by using our "Search The Archives" technique and are likely to be more comprehensive than "off the top of the head" comments, like what I'm about to post! The differences in bore sizes of comparable clarinets [usually Bb sopranos are under discussion] is quite small ranging between [nominally] 14.6 mm to 15.2 mm and requiring measurement by micrometer-calipers, such as machinists use. I prefer the Metric to the English system, but the conversion factor is 25.4 mm equals 1 inch, [use a calculator], making it simple for discussion. For many years, makers have "modified" bores for tuning purposes, tables in our "good books" usually give bore diameters of the upper joint [at a chosen point] and at the F/C hole of the lower joint for comparisons. Some wood bores may exhibbit "egging", due to aging and/or metal-banding for crack repair/tenon protection. Very slight/subtle modifications of the upper joint are usually referred to via the boring method employed, conical, poly-cylindrical as departures from cylindrical. Having now told you more than what I really know, "Thats All Folks", it just aint simple. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: ron b
Date: 2003-11-22 17:47
Rev. A -
If you really Must know, and the info isn't available any other way, clarinet bores are pretty easily measured using "Telescoping Guages" and caliper micrometers. While telescoping guages are usually used in woodwind instrument repair shops to measure for tenon repair, they can measure any inside diameter to the depth they'll reach and that's ordinarily two/three to four or five inches. These guages are not something the average do-it-yourselfer, or even a majority of skilled repair techs, would likely have. So, in that case you'll need to ask a machinist friend to measure it for you.
Ask friends and acquaintances about a home hobby machinist club in your community. Club members will be more than happy to measure anything and everything you bring to their next meeting. They'll even treat you to coffee (tea, milk, soda) and treats while you're there 
- r![[cool]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/cool.gif) n b -
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Author: Rev. Avery
Date: 2003-11-22 23:15
Thanks Don and Ron. I appreciate the responses. Now I need to find some one to measure it for me. Not that I must know. I just like to know things
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Author: BobD
Date: 2003-11-23 13:33
Which, of course, raises the question as to what position on the clarinet does each maker use as the published reference..
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Author: William
Date: 2003-11-23 15:43
Bore size?? BORING............my thought is, who cares? Of more important interest is, "how does the clarinet play?" Is it in tune? Does it produce the sound I like? If it does not play somewhat in tune (no clarinet is perfectly in tune) and with an acceptable sound (focused and expressive), then I am not interested--period. Specific bore size doesn't matter. Sorry if this sounds harsh--I'm really just expressing my own opinion which is based in the old "over analysis is paralysis" catagory of thought.
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Author: Rev. Avery
Date: 2003-11-23 16:21
Actually, I was wanting to know how to figure bore size so as to compare (if possible) where my Noblet 45 Artist might fit in with the new models. They claim the Sonata is an entry level professional model. I was wondering if therefore my clarinet might have the same bore size as that or different.
Didn't mean to bore you. Just my way of trying to find out what I have, that's all. If if plays good I'll be happy no mater what the bore size is.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2003-11-23 21:21
The bottom end of the upper joint is often used as a reference point for a bore measurement. The telescoping gauges can be sometimes purchased at a pawn shop for $20 or so and are measured with a standard micrometer which can also be purchased for a low price. It may not be worth an investment. By the way, I have a Noblet Artist Eb clarinet that plays very well.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-11-23 22:44
Rev - My only Noblet Bb is ser # 32,325, a rather-special "Stubbins" model, which, as best I can measure with my micrometer, is 14.5 mm [.571 "] {seems to me quite small!}, the same at top and bottom of my upper joint [thereby=cylindrical]. Your Nob is prob. newer and thereby diff [larger ?] diameter. BUT what these VERY slight diffs may mean in tonality and tuning, would require highly tech analysis to determine, IMHO. Thot I'd add to the confusion. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-11-23 22:49
I've never known the bore size of my clarinet ... am I missing something important in life?
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-11-23 22:58
diz wrote:
> I've never known the bore size of my clarinet ... am I missing
> something important in life?
Since you personally don't seem to care - I doubt it. But if you did care, as many people seem to, then you would want to know.
Of course, both of us are now just adding to the noise level of this thread ...
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Author: ron b
Date: 2003-11-23 23:50
Just to thrown a few more coals on the fires of confusion:
Wes is correct, Rev Avery; if you wish to persue this you can do so for a very modest sum. I bought a set of telescoping guages from a fellow at a local home hobby machinists meeting for $15(u.s.d.) and three different sized micrometers for ten dollars. I use them for metal lathe projects but have never found a need to measure a clarinet.
Far less expensive, you could also make an inside caliper from stiff plastic sheet and a thumb tack and measure your width (diameter) with an engineering student school ruler. That would be quite accurate for the purpose of this discussion.
Personally, my main care is how the instrument plays and I fail to imagine how measuring its bore is going to improve anything. My time is better spent by refining my pad seating and regulating skills because my personal goal is to gain a moderate local reputation as an excellent clarinet mechanic. Of course, I'm still trying to improve as a player of them too.
While I've been fairly successful at the mechanical part of the equasion so far, I've yet to have anyone ask me to take their measurements... uh, I mean -- "bore measurements" ( that is
....sit down, ron
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Author: TerpUMD
Date: 2003-11-24 09:01
Bore size IS important. The smaller, the more focused sound you may incur. At least, that's how it is with my Vintage R-13. The "Regualr" (no such thing) R-13 bore size is larger, which makes me envious of the more open sounds I'm typically hearing from others.
If you're more of a soloist, though, smaller is better IMO. But this isn't something to argue about. It's up to you!
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Author: Rev. Avery
Date: 2003-11-24 17:50
Well, with everything that's been offered let me see if I can sum up what I should do: I'll choose to measure to not measure to care while not caring to enjoy the sound if I like it or not because it does and doesn't matter any way no way. That should cover it quite well I think not. ![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif)
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Author: Lee
Date: 2003-11-24 18:46
Remember this is a piece of wood and therefore is probably out of round. Do you use the maximum diameter, the minimum diameter or an average of the two?
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