 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Kc2edh
Date: 2018-10-16 23:03
Hello! I recently purchased an old Bundy resonite Eb Clarinet. Body and key work are solid, but it’s clear that it has sat in a musty case for many years, and probably wasn’t kept clean even while it was being played. It will need new pads and corks, along with a thorough cleaning of the bore and toneholes.
Is there any danger to immersing the resonite in soapy water overnight to help loosen the dirt and debris? Any other suggestions to help clean the instrument body? I took a woodwind repair class in college and hope to overhaul this instrument as a winter project.
P.S. Does anyone know where I can find the pad size measurements for a Bundy Eb?
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2018-10-16 23:55
I would be concerned that submersion in soapy water might cause steel parts to corrode. Thankfully, the steel used on a Bundy is mostly corrosion-resistant stainless, but I don't think I'd risk it.
Running an old swab soaked in soapy water through the bore should do the job inside. When you have the keys off, you can clean the tone holes with cotton swabs.
Post Edited (2018-10-16 23:59)
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2018-10-17 01:28
A Bundy Eb clarinet is really a pretty neat instrument. The intonation is not too bad and the instrument itself is very solid. Many moons ago when I was a HS band director I started hundreds of kids on Bundy and Vito clarinets; they are sturdy and reliable.
But don't soak the instrument over night in soapy water. Disassemble it and follow Ursa's instructions. With new case, pads, corks, and good regulation you should have a very neat Eb.
HRL
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2018-10-17 01:44
Once the keys are off, the only steel parts on the body are the springs which may be stainless steel. I immerse clarinets in soapy water to clean them and scrub them inside and out with soft bristle brushes - an old toothbrush works well for the outside. cotton swabs can clean out the tone holes after it's bath. Soaking it overnight might cause some hazing on the body, depending on the plastic.
Steve Ocone
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Author: Kc2edh
Date: 2018-10-17 05:19
Excellent, thanks so much for all the advice so far. It looks like I’ll give the plastic instrument body a short wash and dry once it’s all stripped down. It sure needs it, has that “old horn stank” that stays on your hands after handling it! While I can’t seem to find pad measurements for this instrument, it looks like Music Medic puts together custom pad sets.
I started on a standard Bundy Bb myself, it was my mom’s clarinet when she played back in grade school. Used it high school as my marching instrument as well, when properly adjusted and regulated it played almost as nicely as anything else. Not to mention the rock-solid keywork, which this Eb seems to have too!
I’m excited to begin this project, I haven’t played an Eb clarinet since my college wind ensemble days almost 15 years ago. Hopefully somewhere in my files is the solo from David Maslanka’s 5th Symphony, I’d love to find that excerpt again.
Post Edited (2018-10-17 05:27)
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Author: shmuelyosef
Date: 2018-10-21 08:06
I soak plastic clarinets in Simple Green mixed with warm water for about 30 minutes and everything comes right off. I use some long bristle brushes for the bore and some small ones for the toneholes...don't remember where I got them but pretty sure it was just some local hardware store. After rinsing I use a blow gun run off my compressor to blow all the water out from the orificices, threads, etc...
I do the same thing for wood clarinets and it has never been a problem...just takes a little longer to dry.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2018-10-21 10:59
That's pretty much the same process that I use. As long as all the water is removed it shouldn't be a problem. I've been doing it for years, never had a problem. I think we sometimes get too precious with regard to clarinets. As long as you treat them with care and don't do anything really stupid they are more robust than you might think. Of course, some are better than others.
Tony F.
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