 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: BobW
Date: 2014-05-24 04:16
I purchased a Vandoren Optimum Bass clarinet ligature about 5 months ago.
I just noticed, that the ligature appears to be a black silver color
instead of a bright silver.
Is this the way it is manufactured? or is my ligature tarnishing
Thanks
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-05-24 10:32
Tarnishing.
If you store it for any length of time without using it, place it SEPARATE from a hard rubber mouthpiece (counter intuitive since you WANT to put it on a mouthpiece). I just spent some time and elbow grease bringing one back to life with a standard silver polishing cloth.
..............Paul Aviles
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Author: TomS
Date: 2014-05-24 18:51
The sulfur in your hard rubber MP will tarnish the ligature. I've had same issues with other silver plated ligatures ... but, I kinda like the tarnished look! I've always admired a nice patina on older clarinets hardware ... shows maturity and character. When getting my instruments overhauled, I've always instructed the technician: "don't buff the keys!". Buffing is messy, expensive, takes more plating off, and doesn't make the horn play better ...
Tom
Post Edited (2014-05-24 19:33)
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2014-05-24 19:07
Maybe they should sell new clarinets with a pre-tarnished look, like jeans that are already tattered. Just sayin.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2014-05-25 01:26
Yes those old clarinets with natural virgin nickel silver keys develop a lovely mature goldish patina over the years.
When I bought my new Leblancs in 1960 first thing I did was rub linseed oil into the gold filled makers name stamps to tone them down. On the later (Concerto/Opus) instruments these marks in my view looked positively garrish.
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Author: Hurstfarm
Date: 2014-05-25 01:42
I have Optimum ligatures for clarinets of various sizes, always stored on the mouthpiece, and have experienced the same, but only on my bass. My theory (just guessing) is that the recess where I store the mouthpiece in my bass case has a cover flap, which may trap residual moisture more than on the other instruments, causing the tarnishing. It's easily removed by a few seconds' immersion in silver dip once in a while.
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Author: BobW
Date: 2014-06-05 03:13
Hurstfarm
I was wondering if your bass clarinet was wood, hard rubber or plastic?
I have a Yamaha plastic clarinet
and my ligature tarnished.
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