 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2003-05-15 20:24
Is this characteristic of NEW leather pads? I'm playing on a bass calrinet that was refurbished and was redone with leather pads. Two of the lether pads are sticking (low F and the pad which closes to produce the low G). They stick and when I lift my fingers to try to play a note above them it causes problems.
I searched and found pulling a dollar bill through in order to remove "crud" on the pad, but there isn't any "crud" on the pad and it seems like it is just too soft.
So is it characteristic of new pads and it'll wear itself in or is there something I should/could do about it?
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-05-15 20:52
When I find "sticky"pads, as on tbe bari sax I just looked at, if just passing a cloth, between the pad and ring, doesn't clean it up, I'll wet the cloth, place it and give a bit of time for its washing-off the peanut/jelly. Seems to work for me !! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-05-16 00:01
This is a current hot topic in (the) sax forum. You are right in that the sticking can occur without the presence of sugar or any other dirt contaminant.
My view is that the problem is caused by the surface coating used for waterproofing modern pads, but the problem may depend on which material has been chosen for by the maker for waterproofing.
The surface is so slick that a wisp of powder (teflon or talc or Charley A's), which would otherwise solve the problem, does not stick, and is thus ineffective.
A wide range of applications that people try seems to fail on these particular pads.
My greatest success to date is when I rub the surface with a rag and rather aggressive solvent (acetone & 'Pegasol AA', which is similar to lighter fluid), and then rub with teflon powder. No sign of sticking at all.
I think this works probably BECAUSE it removes enough of the waterproof coating to allow the powder to adhere. A pity about that.
It really is time pad makers dealt with this problem. In the mean time technicians are buying the current leather pad offerings and they will be used for many years.
(I stress that this post concerns only LEATHER-covered pads.)
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Author: contragirl
Date: 2003-05-16 05:49
Yeah, I was going to suggest powder. Also, check it closer, because I used to have problems with sticking pads on my contralto and found it out it wasn't the pads at all. The key was bent just a little, where the pad was actually rubbing up against the hole of the horn very slightly, causing it to stick.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2003-05-16 13:16
Surface tension is an amazing phenom as evidenced by the guy who can make a spoon stick to his nose.......which is covered with "leather".
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Author: graham
Date: 2003-05-16 15:31
I had this problem and had to have those pads replaced with skin ones in the end. No improvement over a year's playing.
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