 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Sexyhombre812
Date: 2004-07-12 17:19
I just got my Buffet E11 3 days ago and it played very well.Ive been very good with it, Swabbing,cork grease,and polishing it.All of a sudden I wake up this morning to play with it and the low C# is stuffy!The high G# is fine but its just the low C#. I tried to check for cracks but dont exactly know how to find them. Please help, I have to decide whether to return it in 4 days and wait for a new one, or figure out what is wrong with it now.Help Please!
Post Edited (2004-07-12 17:23)
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Author: Kevin
Date: 2004-07-12 18:07
The problem with the C# being stuffy is a common one, especially on stiffer reeds. There could be half a dozen reasons/solutions for it, and probably is not due to cracks. Check to see if the tone hole is not blocked, and the pads are all working well. In this case, make sure the pad opens all the way when you press down the C# pinky key.
Post Edited (2004-07-12 18:12)
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2004-07-12 18:17
I'll hope you get many responses from E 11 players, as I know little of them or Buffets in general. In my experience, the C#/G# problem ranks rite up with the "pinch" Bb and the B nat. /F# as being the worst notes on a 17/6 cl, generally due to poor venting and tonehole location, IMHO. A good repairer should be able to help-out these notes to some extent, but they will vary from inst to inst! Best of luck, you'll get advice, help, maybe, here. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-07-12 18:51
Perhaps the register key is not closing all the way....not making a proper seal.
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Author: msloss
Date: 2004-07-12 19:02
Crack is unlikely. Make sure you don't have any lint that found its way into the tone hole from your brand new swab. Also, check for a bent key that might be keeping your fingers from sealing the open tone holes, or possibly preventing a pad from closing all the way. Be sure you have the bridge aligned between the joints so it isn't forcing leaks. If you want to check for a positive seal, take the upper joint, lick your palm and place it against the bottom tenon. Cover the tone holes as those you were playing a low C, then suck the air out of the chamber from the top tenon. After a couple seconds, break the seal by lifting a finger. If you get a "pop", you are in good shape. If you can't create a vacuum, you have a leak.
Don't panic, and good luck.
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Author: davor
Date: 2004-07-12 19:05
Check the hole. Maybe it is greasy from cork grease.
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Author: Rivers
Date: 2004-07-13 14:05
I have a E-11 and the stuffy C#/ G# problem is often reed related in my experience. I'll often go with another reed and the problem usually goes away.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2004-07-14 02:29
IMHO:
With new instruments, insufficient venting is (lifting of the pad above the tone hole) is a very common problem.
Most often it affects A/D, G#/C#, side Eb/Bb, the 2 'banana' keys, Throat Bb, and sometimes first finger F#.
This gives a stuffy, fuzzy sound to the note, and does not significantly affect the high register.
Harder reeds make the fuzziness show up far more, as does insufficient breath pressure, and (in my experience) insufficient lip pressure at the centre of the reed. If these factors are made to have sufficient influence, any clarinet can be made stuffy on at least some of these notes. It shows up first on these notes because of the acoustic compromises in the design of the instrument.
At a certain 'critical amount' of venting, further venting makes no further improvement.
This critical amount can be achieved by the technician adjusting the geometry of the key, using less cork under it, using a thinner pad, using a firmer pad such that the seating is not so deep, changing to a cork pad and shaping the pad's profile away from the tone hole edge.
Other measures that need more care can include slight modifications to the tone hole itself.
So... Get a technician to adjust the venting to the 'critical amount', and attend to the 'player factors' - reed, air pressure, and lip support.
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Author: Avie
Date: 2004-07-14 13:45
I had the same problem with the fuzzy C#, G# keys for quite a while after purchasing both my clarinets. It has gradual improved over time. Possibly because of pad break in, reed choice, differant mouthpiece and/or player improvment. I would make the dealer aware of this common problem and give your new E11 time to break in. Before you consider tweaking you may see improvment and other problems may also crop with your new E11.
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