The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Dan1937
Date: 2005-02-14 22:47
I took an instrument repair course in which the instructor, an experienced master repair tech, mentioned them in passing as something like "temporary repair materials." He didn't spend any time at all on using them. It was clear that he felt that the more traditional pads, corks, etc., properly applied, were far superior.
It probably wouldn't hurt to have a small Valentino kit in your case, just for emergencies.
Dan
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Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2005-02-15 00:08
I have used Valentino pads to great success, on certain clarinets. They aren't good for every situation, but neither is anything else. I have some Valentino pads on my own Bb clarinet and my bass clarinet.
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
world class clarinet mouthpieces
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Author: Ed
Date: 2005-02-15 01:35
I have had them on my clarinets and they work great. They are slightly noisier than a traditional skin pad, but quieter than a cork pad. They seal very well. One big advantage over a cork pad is that it seems that if a cork pad is bit off it no longer seals or does not seat properly. A valentino pad seems to be a lot more forgiving and if a key is slightly off can still seal well. I have also found that they last a long time. I had a student years ago who had these on her marching band clarinet. After an entire season of outdoors in all types of weather the clarinet still sealed tight as ever. I have known a number of top repair techs who use these and speak very highly of them. Of course, everyone has their own preferences.
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Author: Douglas
Date: 2005-02-15 02:55
For anyone living in an area of high humidity, the Valentino pads work better than anything else. These is no swelling or constant changing of pads thickness due to weather changes.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-02-15 19:29
I wasn't going to respond to this although I have used both types of Valentino pads in the past. However, I just got through replacing three pads with Valentino Greens in a horn that wasn't responding well and now it plays great. The emergency kit is certainly good advice.
Bob Draznik
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Author: donald
Date: 2005-02-16 10:34
several pro players here in NZ use them- or a combination of "Greenback" pads and cork pads.
both my A clarintets and my B flat horn have this combination (cork on closed holes on upper joint, Greenback on everything else) and in the last year i have had no pad problems, and fewer water problems than ever before. My E flat clarinet has Greenback pads on all the keys and, again, i have only good comment to make.
one crit i have heard was along these lines "the pad doesn't absorb any moisture, so water accumulates onthe pad surface, and sometimes the vaccum effect holds a pad down when it should spring up"
this is something i have experienced when using very hard surfaced artificial pads (brand? i can't remember) but have not had this problem with the Greenbacks on my current instruments.
donald
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2005-02-16 10:50
A distinction needs to be made between the relatively recent Valentino "Greenback" pads, and a rather disappointing older version of Valentino pads, which I bought but never used.
There are also different models of Greenback, either with a self-adhesive backing (which may be pretty unreliable in a cupped-type key cup) and the type that are intended to be used with a more traditional pad adhesive.
Some of the nastiest, self-adhesive, synthetic key cork was Valentino - the sort that crept off the key stops in a sticky mess.
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