 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2003-11-10 18:41
Be it diesel engines, gas turbines or clarinets, it means to strip something down, make needed repairs, replace parts as necessary, clean, lubricate, condition, reassemble and adjust for optimum performance. It's basically returning something as closely as possible to its like-new condition.m
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Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.
- Pope John Paul II
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Author: clarinet1255
Date: 2003-11-10 19:01
Thank you!
How long does the process usually take? I'm thinking of getting my clarinet overhauled during the xmas vacations. Oh and how much do they usually charge for this?
Thanks
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2003-11-10 19:11
Depends on the repairperson, depends on the shop. Ballpark, anywhere from $250-$500, probably about two weeks to a month.
Click on the "Service" link on the right hand side of this page for a few shops and their info. Also check Brannen Woodwinds at http://www.brannenwoodwinds.com. All these shops do quality work.w
________________
Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.
- Pope John Paul II
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Author: John O'Janpa
Date: 2003-11-10 19:27
Let me start out by saying I am not a clarinet technician, and like many other terms, I'm sure "overhaul" means different things to different people. If I'm too far off base, I'm sure others will jump in and help. That being said here goes.
My understanding of an overhaul is taking a clarinet that is in reasonably good basic condition, and doing whatever it needs to get in top playing condition.
1) New pads
2) New tenon corks
3) New key corks, felts, whatever.
4) Adjustment of pad heights, and bridge mechanism.
5) Thorough cleaning of wood (or plastic)
6) Thorough cleaning of metal keys etc.
7) May include oil soaking (but probably just oiling).
8) May include key buffing
9) May include new springs (as needed/or complete replacement)
10) May include swedging keys (as needed)
11) Won't usually include crack repair.
12) Won't usually include plating keys.
13) Won't usually include tonehole adjustments for intonation.
My feeling is that 1 through 4 are pretty much standard in an overhaul.
That 5-8 are commonly done, but not always.
That 9 and 10 should be done, but aren't always.
That 11, 12, and 13 are usually separate items, not part of overhaul.
Thus "overhauls" can range in price from $200 -$1000.
A good overhaul should return the clarinet to near showroom playing condition. An excellent overhaul should get the clarinet to better than showroom playing condion.
Before you agree to have an overhaul done, you need to know exactly what is included. You can even get into the nitty gritty such as what kinds of pads, what kinds of springs, what kind of oil, etc.
It is also helpful to get opinions from previous customers of specific technicians.
John
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-11-11 00:03
An overhaul will cost $145 in my neighborhood.
$1000 seems extreme - unless there is replating, tone hole adjustment and Feng Shui alignment...
"Excuse me but you suffer from an excess of the Lucre humour, we'll need to drain some off this swelling in your wallet... that will be $1000, please."
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Author: coasten1
Date: 2003-11-11 17:48
As stated, Brannen will only work on professional level clarinets. They will not do repair work unless they give the clarinet an initial overhaul.
I had mine done by them and it initially cost me $425. I have brought it to them once since the overhaul for a checkup and that was only $50. They readjusted the keywork, inspected for cracks, replaced any corks/pads, etc.
It is worth the investment to have them do the work if you take care of your clarinet. Once you schedule an appt with them, they can usually turn your clarinet around in a few days.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-11-11 18:07
Gee, such a deal. Too bad none of my clarinets are worthy of the Brannen treatment................
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Author: BobD
Date: 2003-11-11 19:24
Dave...I know where you can get them Spiegelized...including the deep freeze treatment.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-11-11 21:15
How long?
The overhaul process, depending on the instrument and condition, takes me from 2 to 5 hours. 5 hours would be an instrument in very poor condition.
Any mention of days or weeks represents time sitting around. Depending on the time of year, work load, and organization/inclination of the technician, some time beyond 5 hours may be inevitable.
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Author: Henry
Date: 2003-11-11 21:21
Gordon, I know you're good but THAT good? Would your overhaul include all, or most, of the items listed by JohnO'Jampa (see above)? If not, what do you do for a complete overhaul?
Just curious.
Henry
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Author: ron b
Date: 2003-11-11 22:06
Gordon -
I don't know why we seem to put so much emphasis on how much time it takes. It takes however much is required to set things right. Personally, I'm not a clock watcher but have a fair idea of what each step should take. We figure the average time, overhead, materials - and take your best shot. Prices in my hometown (in central California, USA), depending on which shop/tech you like, range between $140(usd) to $160 for an overhaul and about $70 to $90 for a repad.
One repair tech I'm acquainted with told me that, as a wild and reckless youth, he did a complete clarinet re-pad (no corks, no fine tuning... just playable) in fourteen minutes. It was a neat stunt that no one else was particularly interested in at the time - or now, for that matter and I also know, for the record, that he never repeated the feat. But, hey, when you're still a kid at heart and out to prove that you're young and foolish -- why not???
Now, back to reality, your time 'guestimate' (as the highly skilled technician you are, of course) seems about right to me, although I've not gotten to the two hour slot yet. My times, going according to John O's list, are in the four to seven hour timeframe - depending on how many 'problems' I run into. I think I managed to do a couple in about three hours, but they were in pretty good condition except for the pads.
Keep 'em Tootin'! 
- ron b -
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2003-11-11 23:11
Turn around time may be predicated on a 'waiting list'...
The Brannens have a backlog of work, and that may account for the lag.
And BobD?.... it's important that any "mountain mamma" overhauls have time to 'Thal' out.
![[rotate]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley25.gif)
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-11-11 23:58
"Would your overhaul include all, or most, of the items listed by JohnO'Jampa (see above)?"
Yes.
Always: 1,4,5,6,
If required, which is not always: 2,3,7(I don't soak),10, removing play from point pivots
If required, which is seldom:9
If the customer accepts the extra time/cost involved:8
Not usually included: 11, 12, 13,
There are many other items often involved, such as cleaning reluctant deposits from tone holes, attending to chips or deep grain in tone holes, removing rust from pivot rods, securing loose posts, modifying the shape of flat springs to improve action - particularly throat A, correcting alignment of keys over tone holes, re-sealing vent tubes, correcting various aspects of geometry such as making contact surfaces of bridge keys tangential....
A simple repad (& associated adjustment) on an instrument that has everything else just fine, is a very quick job, and one I very rarely encounter. I could probably do it in an hour. It is the vast array of other work, often correcting manufacturers' faults, that takes the big chunks of time.
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Author: Henry
Date: 2003-11-12 02:12
Gordon: I'm impressed and somewhat amazed that all this can be done in less than 5 hrs. But then, I'm sure that with experience, efficiency, the availability of the right tools in one's immediate vicinity, etc., things can go along at a rapid clip. Actually, if an average overhaul took much longer, the noble profession of instrument tech would be financially very unattractive indeed!
Henry
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