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Re: problem going to B note

Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-07-22 21:10

Fairly often you can blow open the lower joint F#/C# and Ab/Eb keys if you completely seal the joint and blow into it, so that's no indication whether or not the pads are sealing - their springs are overcome by the abnormally high pressure within the bore.

That won't happen under normal playing conditions, so you can't rely on the blow test to be accurate if it blows closed standing keys open. It just means the springs are set fairly light - in the case of Buffets, their F#/C# spring os a pig to balance well due to how it's mounted.

A suction test is better, but again it may not be accurate on instruments fitted with skin pads as the skin covering can be sucked onto the tonehole giving a false reading.

The most accurate test is with light air pressure in the bore (with a mag machine) so it will escape through any leaks but won't actually blow any pads open - with a mag amchine you aim to get the lowest possible reading (as near to 0 as possible).

If you don't have access to a mag machine, you'll have to rely on cigarette papers and develop a feel for using feeler gauges - you only use enough finger pressure to close the pad against the tonehole as opposed to forcing the pads closed. Closed sprung pads are easier to test in this respect as the spring tension will always be the same whereas finger pressure on an open standing pad will vary.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010

Independent Woodwind Repair Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.

The opinions I express are my own.

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problem going to B note new

Sha

2013-07-08 14:38