The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Julie
Date: 2000-04-15 01:48
Hi. I'm a bass clarinet player (and double on all single reeds) and a repair tech.
the baking soda/sun/vacuum/Febreeze method is what I use at my shop with pretty good success, but alas, that smell always creeps back. Wood horns also hold the smell in their pors. We scrub the wood in murphy's wood oil soap, or a good lemon oil soap, which helps, then of course bore oil the heck out it inside and out.
I think the Bass you mentioned may be alot more than 20 years old. Not that that's bad necessarily, but as a tech, I can tell you I'd expect to pay extra to get it overhauled. The older horns have a lot of extra key fitting problems to overcome, and usually are a challenge to even take apart, with rust, corrosion etc factoring into the picture. Why not have a tech look at it and give you an estimate? It could have a couple of whopper leaks in crucial (i.e. near the top) areas that have virtually wiped out the playability of the horn, but are actually not too major a deal. If you do have it overhauled, be sure that the tech uses leather (white kid) pads, not bladder "clarinet" type. the leather pads seal much better, and are actually Proper for the bass, even though alot of inexpensive basses don't come stock with them. They cost a little bit more, but last nearly forever. If you do overhaul it, I'd spring for a new case, no sense stinking up your "new" baby!
good luck
Julie
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Author: Julie
Date: 2000-04-15 01:52
Me again,
this previous was in response to Fred's inquiry about maybe buying a budies bass posted 4-10. Maybe I can't reply several days later! sorry. Julie
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