The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Luke
Date: 2004-05-13 21:23
I've had a Reynolds Bb clarinet for about 7 years, it's a plastic student model with a factory setup (i.e. it probably needs regulated). It wasn't very well taken care of before it came into my hands and almost certainly has some leaky pads, but the mechanisms feel right. It doesn't blow nearly as resistantly as I'd expect it to with such leakage. In the throat tones, however, it is very airy (lacking in tone too) and about 20-40 cents flat - in the other registers it actually has rather good intonation.
However, I'm auditioning on it tomorrow as a doubling instrument (I play alto sax) and want to prime it up on my own as well as possible - there's no time to take it to a tech. There probably isn't much that can be done about the leaks since I don't have a leak light, but is there anything I can do about this intonation issue (altering key heights, etc)? For reference I'm using a Vandoren M15 mouthpiece, click tuning barrel, bonade inverted lig with sanded down V12 4's.
Anyone have some info on these clarinets, like who 'really' made them (I think it's a stencil), when they were made, etc? SN is 55XXX. It plays surprisingly well for a student model, the tone isn't bad either.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2004-05-14 06:02
A friend of mine plays a Reynolds. I overhauled it for him a couple of years ago. He plays well and tells me the horn feels all right to him. For a plastic student clarinet, what more can one ask?
My point is that in the hands of a competent player, any clarinet that's in good working order will sound "okay". From what you say, Luke, you may be a very good player but your horn isn't.
With an instrument, any instrument, in as bad shape as you describe I don't see how you can tolerate struggling with it much less expect an auditioner to take you seriously.
- rn b -
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2004-05-14 06:10
Luke, this is when you discover who your true friends are. You're in need of borrowing a reasonably good Clarinet for the audition.
Good luck and regards,
John
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