 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jthole
Date: 2016-11-20 18:51
On my Buffet Crampon Continentale (1972), I have one "problem note", a fuzzy E4 ("throat E"). Intonation is good, but the sound is airy, much more than the other throat tones. Apart from this very note, it is a wonderful instrument.
I have compared against a modern Buffet Crampon E13, and while I like my Continentale much better overall, the E4 on the E13 is more in line with the surrounding notes.
Since the tuning of my clarinet is excellent (for a clarinet ;-) ), I am not sure if e.g. a modification to the tone holes could solve the issue, or make it worse. It worked on my tenor sax, BTW.
Anyone who recognises the issue (E4 in tune, but airy), and has a solution? It was audible to my teacher as well, by the way, so I'm not imagining things ;-)
Thanks!
Post Edited (2016-11-20 21:37)
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2016-11-20 19:33
You will need to thin the key corks on both the lower "ring key" and the upper "forked Eb/Bb" key but NOT the key cork on the linkage between the two. Let me know if this is clear, otherwise I can take pictures of the key corks I am referring to.
-Jdbassplayer
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Author: kdk
Date: 2016-11-20 19:50
Undercutting *can* raise the pitch slightly, but it can be done carefully, a little at a time and you'll know if things are improving or not. The pitch can be brought back down with a little tape at the top of the tone hole (I assume you're considering this for the small hole between LH 1st and 2nd fingers?) without, I think, defeating the effect of the undercutting on the response.
Is it possible that the pad over that hole (again, between LH 1st and 2nd fingers) is too low? The height (and that of the 2nd finger ring) is controlled by the bridge keys - maybe a mis-adjustment there or the pad is just too thick? Check and consider this before doing any undercutting. You could take the entire key rod off (it ends in the upper bridge key) and see if there's any improvement with no pad at all over the hole.
Karl
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Author: jthole
Date: 2016-11-20 20:00
I'm going to print your suggestions, and take them to my repair person ... thanks!
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-11-20 20:22
Increase the venting of the RH ring keys if it's too low (under 2.5mm) and that will in turn determine the venting of the E. You'll most likely have to bend the keys and use thinner silencing materials to achieve this. Lower register E (xoo|ooo) is a note that's prone to being stuffy if the main action venting isn't good.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: jthole
Date: 2017-06-19 16:48
Follow up on this; Last Saturday I have been to a clartinet repair tech here with a very good reputation (Bert Wijnand) ... increasing the venting did not help enough really, but he very carefully worked on the tone holes, and let me try each time, until we both were satisfied.
I should have done this much sooner already ... my Buffet suddenly went from a very good clarinet (for me) to an outstanding one. The difference in evenness and tone quality is remarkable! Before I had to consciously work my air stream to open up the E4 and F4 ... after the changes, it is literally effortless. I am very pleased with his work!
(I have tested multiple Buffet and Selmer clarinets over the past months, and my conclusion is that mine is a "good one", especially now it's adjusted for me)
Edit: the left hand clarion register is not (or hardly) affected ... which was what I was afraid of initially.
Post Edited (2017-06-19 17:06)
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Author: Johan H Nilsson
Date: 2017-06-24 16:38
I happen to have a Continentale with exactly the same problem. The E4 gives a little noise. I haven't examined it yet but both the pad and the pad height look ok, so probably I'll have to work on the tone hole too.
Did Bert work from both sides of the hole (over- and undercutting)?
OT: Since the thread author used the notion E4 I knew *instantly* which tone this thread was about. No time needed to decipher "1st register E" or "First line E" for instance.
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Author: jthole
Date: 2017-06-24 22:49
Johan H Nilsson wrote:
> I happen to have a Continentale with exactly the same problem.
> The E4 gives a little noise. I haven't examined it yet but both
> the pad and the pad height look ok, so probably I'll have to
> work on the tone hole too.
Yes, raising the pad does not solve the issue (at least not on my clarinet).
>
> Did Bert work from both sides of the hole (over- and
> undercutting)?
>
To be honest, I don't know. I let him do his "magic", and did not ask exactly where he removed material. If your Continentale has the same issue, it looks like a design decision (or fault).
Post Edited (2017-06-24 23:40)
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