 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: atl4413
Date: 2004-03-16 19:28
I searched for this and found numerous threads, all of which were extremely long. However, I didn't find the answer that I'm looking for.
So, in fear of reviving the dead horse that has been very much beaten.......pad maintenance.
When I purchased my TR147, I paid extra for a coating to be put on the pads (I believe that it's teflon). This past week I went down to Carere's and purchased some pad papers. What I didn't realize (I was in a hurry, paid the $9.00 and left) is that it came with a bottle of "no-stick" powder that you're supposed to use, "if your pads are sticking".
Well, mine aren't - it's a new clarinet. However, I'm debating on whether I should take it back (do I need it?) or keep in around in the event that one day I will?
Is this powder good to use? One of the threads noted someone's opinion that the pad powder is "tantamount to pouring dirt on the pad". Or, is it harmful? And, considering that the pads are teflon treated, I don't want to harm the coating.....yadda, yadda, yadda.....
So, floor's open - any comments?
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-03-16 19:46
You always have such great questions! I wonder what the answer to THIS one will be . . . . cause I have no idea!
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Henry
Date: 2004-03-16 19:54
If you don't have any problems with your pads, then don't use the powder! The best it could do is NOTHING; the worst it could do is to turn perfectly fine pads sticky. Choices in life are rarely that easy! If you have better use for the $9, return the papers and powder! If not, keep it. You never know what it may be good for in the future!
Henry
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2004-03-16 20:03
Leather pads, more often used on saxophones, can have different problems than 'bladder' or cork pads, partly because they are porous. Obvious problems are embedded muck, residues from the tanning process reacting with brass tone holes on saxophone, and stickiness due to various waterproofing materials used by some manufacturers, and eventual stickiness from the plethora of weird and wonderful products that various (misguided?) users and even technicians apply.
In these cases, sometimes the stickiness just cannot be removed, and this is when teflon or talcum powder, or 'gig dust' are sometimes used as a last resort.
If you DO use such powders, rub some into a cigarette paper (or substitute), remove all visible traces on the paper, then use this paper to pull out from under the pad. It can be damaging to both pads and the mechanism to have masses of powder all over them. Any powder applied to pads should be so little as to be practically invisible. You don't want porridge on your pads when masses of powder gets wet!
Yamaha markets some ultra-tough 'powder paper' with the powder - perhaps too much of it - already impregnated in the paper.
And "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
BTW, if the pads are NOT leather, then I am very surprised that ANYTHING was applied to them. This is certainly not standard practice for bladder or cork pads.
Post Edited (2004-03-16 20:07)
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Author: hans
Date: 2004-03-16 20:45
Teflon is fairly inert so IMO you are not likely to harm it by putting talc or anything else on it.
Hans
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Author: atl4413
Date: 2004-03-17 01:16
Thanks for the replies and Alexi, I hope that you feel that you've benefited by them too...I always enjoy your posts as well and I'm rooting for you and your college career. :-)
Looks like I'll be returning it the next time I'm in the neighborhood. My schedule is always so limited and Carere isn't exactly right by my house. So, if it's something I'd have needed in the future, I would have held onto it. But...looks like not.
Gordon, looks like some of my pads are cork (some of the upper), some are leather (register and most of the upper) and some are bladder (lower - C). I wonder what was the criteria used to determine which materials to place where? The only that pops in my mind is degree of humidity to which they would be exposed.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2004-03-17 20:13
Hmm.
I've seen it, but most often the solid material is not grain or powder, but is an accumulation of shedded mouth lining, and blocks tone holes as well. In saxophones it sometimes lines the bore - thickly. Sometimes working on instruments is a 'reaching' experience. I wash my hands well!
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Author: atl4413
Date: 2004-03-18 15:52
Gordon - thanks for the mental picture. My husband think it's neurotic, but I always brush my teeth (and tongue) before playing.
Yeah, this is one reason that I have a hard time considering purchasing a "used" instrument.....
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