 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2006-05-15 05:45
A friend of mine has a Selmer model 35 bass clarinet. It has many problems, but the most annoying is the pad covering the neck register hole opens slightly in loud dynamics when it is not supposed to (not sure of the English word but it kind of opens slightly and closes really fast repeatedly).
Could it be something other than a spring that is not strong enough?
We compared with my Buffet which doesn't have the problem, and the spring on his Selmer is actually MUCH stronger than on my Buffet, but the register hole is almost 4.5mm and on mine it is a little less than 3mm, plus the register mechanism, which I didn't have much time to examine, is different (i.e. might need a much stronger spring to work).
Thanks.
Post Edited (2006-05-15 06:06)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-05-15 10:37
It 'flutters' - that's strange as my Buffet has a very light spring on the crook key and this never flutters, and surprising that a Selmer where the springing is heavier would do this.
Maybe on Selmers the crook key is more bottom heavy than the Buffet type which calls for a heavier spring to keep the pad closed - just a guess as I no longer have a Selmer bass, but the springing on mine (an '80s D series) was intollerably heavy (and the leverages were too short) which is why I got rid of it.
If the pad is slightly lighter on one side against the speaker bush (test it with the thinnest cigarette paper as a feeler gauge) this could cause it to flutter.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2006-05-15 14:51
"Could it be something other than a spring that is not strong enough?"
It can be too much friction either in a linkage or a pivot, or too weak a spring (rust or un-tensioned, or replaced with incorrect one, etc), or a spring with unsatisfactory shaping, such that its full length is not utilised, or a ridge in the groove of the body at the end of the spring's motion, such that the spring pushes up against it, or the rubbing tip of the spring is in need of a speck of grease, etc.
...depending on the mechanism, about which I am unfamiliar without having one in front of me.
A good technician should be able to deal with it.
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