 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bradley
Date: 2003-11-24 19:18
Are they helpful or harmful ?
I've heard that because the Selmer Signature doesn't have undercut tone holes, intonation problems are easier to fix, but I have read that the Signature does infact have undercutting. Even if it does- is undercutting always a good thing, or sometimes can it change the tuning from note to note enough to make the instrument's scale uneven?
Bradley
(Sorry is this seems like a dumb question)
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Author: hans
Date: 2003-11-24 19:27
Bradley,
There is a description of the Signature on this site. It states that the tone holes are undercut.
http://www.selmer.com/woodwind/pariscl/sig.html
Regards,
Hans
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Author: Bradley
Date: 2003-11-24 19:34
I read that, and I was saying that even if the person who told me was wrong about the Signature, is it [undercutting] always good?
Thanks anyway
Bradley
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Author: Fred
Date: 2003-11-24 21:08
Undercutting is always done with the intention of improving the instrument.
I suppose one could argue that a manufacturer's undercutting does not improve the instrument - but how would you test/prove the argument? Not many of us will have an opportunity to play the instrument before and after undercutting. On the other hand, you could consider the issue of additional undercutting performed on your clarinet by yourself or a third party. Is that always good? Not if I do it, it isn't.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-11-24 21:32
I have undercut the toneholes on many originally non-undercut instruments of a few different brands and models (e.g. old Selmers, various Boosey & Hawkes) and increased the amount of undercut on a few with partial or light undercutting (e.g. Robert Malernes, Conns) and have found that almost without exception the sound and intonation have improved --- sometimes almost inaudibly, but sometimes significantly.
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2003-11-25 03:38
I have done some fairly brisk undercutting in my time and have always felt that if taken too far can be a disaster.
However, that being said, I no longer offer to help undercut and or repair anyone's clarinet due to the fear of having my head chopped off if they dislike my work.
My set of Recitals have a fair bit of undercutting but all manufactures undercut in relation to the bore and proportion of flare in the evasements of the bore.
The unique thing about undercutting is how crucial it is to getting tolerable 12ths that are in tune and malleable in pitch...
However, i do know a colleague who has a clarinet that is blowing as flat as a pancake and will not get it undercut. So I will mention your name David S.
David Dow
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-11-25 13:55
Thank you, David L. Dow --- I'll call my lawyer and make sure my liability insurance covers clarinet players angry about the undercutting done to their instruments............
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