 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Johnny Galaga
Date: 2023-10-15 05:43
I have a Buffet R13 B♭ that is playable, but want to have a complete overhaul done. I'm talking the full monty. A complete re-do, make it look like new, professional job. The skillset of a great technician is a lot to ask. So how do you find someone to do this? We have no one locally.
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Author: mozartklar
Date: 2023-10-15 05:48
I've had work done on my horns by Liam Burke in NYC and Wes Rice in Maryland. Both are highly recommended. Be aware that you're probably looking between $750-1000 for an overhaul.
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Author: Musikat
Date: 2023-10-15 07:05
Wesley Rice does great work. You may have to wait a bit. He tends to be booked several months out these days, but he's worh it.
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Author: m1964
Date: 2023-10-15 08:37
NYC-woodwinds.com
The owner is a highly skilled tech, in addition to being a high-level performer.
He can do not only an overhaul (which should not be too difficult if the clarinet has not been neglected), but he can also voice the instrument to improve tuning and even out the response.
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2023-10-15 18:11
Johnny,
Try Sarah at Meridian Winds. She is a terrific player (Masters in Performance from MSU) and an even better clarinet tech. Her clientele includes many clarinet professionals.
Hank
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Author: Jordan Selburn
Date: 2023-10-15 19:38
I'd consider sending it to LPWinds. Wolfgang Lohff and Birgit Pfeiffer do incredible work, and can do pretty much anything you need or want to a clarinet. They just did some keywork modification for my bass - playing B/E now also closes the C#/F# tonehole, which is how clarinets *should* work - and it looks like it was built that way at the factory.
If you have tuning or voicing issues, they can certainly address those as well, of course.
While they are based in Denmark, they do a lot of touring around the world and may be coming near you at some point. Alternatively, you could ship it to them (they have an office in the US, if you're American). An overhaul won't be inexpensive, but it will be world-class.
Jordan
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2023-10-16 00:41
Jordan Selburn wrote:
"They just did some keywork modification for my bass - playing B/E now also closes the C#/F# tonehole, which is how clarinets *should* work - and it looks like it was built that way at the factory."
What make/model bass and what register/fingering B/E and C#/F# are you talking about?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2023-10-16 01:15)
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Author: Jordan Selburn
Date: 2023-10-16 19:22
Chris P wrote:
> Jordan Selburn wrote:
>
> "They just did some keywork modification for my bass -
> playing B/E now also closes the C#/F# tonehole, which is how
> clarinets *should* work - and it looks like it was built that
> way at the factory."
>
> What make/model bass and what register/fingering B/E and C#/F#
> are you talking about?
It's a Buffet Prestige 1193. I'm referring to the middle-line long B and the C# just above it. On virtually every Boehm system clarinet, when you play a C# and depress the B key, the note doesn't change. All that happens is the B pad closes while the C# tonehole remains open. What does happen is that the tone and pitch are impacted, perhaps slightly but negatively.
On my Schwenk and Seggelke soprano, there's a mechanism which in the above example also closes the C# tonehole when the B key is depressed. Not only are the acoustics better, but after getting used to it, it makes technique easier as well - I can leave my right hand completely down in a lot of over-the-break passages (think key of D major, A major, etc., not just the flat keys like on a standard clarinet). While the mechanism is a bit more complex, I think it's just objectively superior.
The main reason I had Lohff and Pfeiffer add this to my bass, though, was that I was just wanted my bass and soprano clarinets fingerings to match. Back on topic, they did a tremendous job designing, building and installing the mechanism, and it looks like it was built as original equipment on one of the factory's best days. While I'm fortunate to have a tremendous local craftsman (Daniel Deitch), I'd also recommend L&P for any work that a clarinetist wants/needs done, no matter how complex.
Jordan
Post Edited (2023-10-16 19:24)
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Author: JamesOrlandoGarcia
Date: 2023-10-16 22:53
Scott Winkler in Sheyboygan Wisconsin is outstanding. His overhaul prices are a fraction of what I have seen other more social media promoted tech's charge. He's usually very busy and overhauls require making an appointment several months out.
James Garcia
Bass Clarinet/Clarinet III, Des Moines Symphony Orchestra
Post Edited (2023-10-16 22:53)
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Author: moma4faith
Date: 2023-10-16 23:22
I have also been looking for a technician to work on my clarinets. So far, I have heard good things about Rodriguez Musical Services, out of Atlanta. I'm in the Southeast, and am looking for services in my region of the US. I had actually been quite lucky and had a local technician who works wonders on woodwinds. He is having serious issues with his health and age these days and isn't taking in business.
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Author: maskedridersean
Date: 2023-10-19 18:08
I second the recommendation for Scott Winkler. He overhauled my R13 last year and replated the keys. It plays great, it looks great. He did excellent work and he was very nice to work with.
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Author: gwie
Date: 2023-10-20 18:02
Wolfang Lohff and Birgit Pfeiffer have done incredible work on my instruments--actually going to see them sometime in the next few months for a yearly checkup on both of my clarinets. It's not inexpensive, but the work is fantastic and holds for a very long time.
A number of my students have gotten superb overhauls from John Butler as well:
http://www.jbwinds.com/
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