The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Kontragirl
Date: 2000-04-16 17:13
Yesterday I got a wooden clarinet. It's a Yamaha Allergo. I got it home and started to read my manual to see how to take care of it, and it told me how to put it together, put on the reed, nothing I didn't know already.
I know next to nothing about taking care of a wooden clarinet. How do I break it in? How often do I need to use bore oil? Is a humidifier really necessary? So many questions!
Thanks in advance!
Kontragirl
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-04-16 19:46
K G, we have discussed a wide variety of "care" items here on the BB, do a little archive searching, ask about specifics here and in the Chat sessions. Congrats on the new Yam! Don
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Author: Olaf
Date: 2000-04-16 19:52
first of all, play for a short time at first. If it is a new clarinet it is recomended that the instrument can take the time to get used to be played on. It sound a bit strange but with a new car it is the same. You can't race it until the engine is used to run. With the clarinet it is the wood that needs time to get used to the expansion ( getting larger ) when it is played on. As you know when you play you're instrument gets larger cause of the higher temperature. So the first day's you have it play only 10 minutes for about a week (or better ten days) then slowly add up some time. Specially in the first days this isn't fun, but it really helps for the lifetime of a clarinet. Some people I know say that it matters a half lifetime.
furter can I say only one thing about maintenance, rather one time to many,than one to less. It's to expensive to let it take care of it's one.
Have a lot fun playing
Olaf Vermeersch
Holland
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Author: Mrdi
Date: 2000-04-16 20:02
Dry it off before you put it away,inside and out. Oil it lightly, inside and out, twice a year,wipe it off. Talk to it on a regular basis.Listen as it talks to you. That's it.
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Author: Peter Spriggs
Date: 2000-04-16 21:59
Kontragirl,
If you send me a note with your email address I will send you an excerpt from my book on "Clarinet Care" that should answer your questions.
Peter Spriggs
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Author: Bob Gardner
Date: 2000-04-16 22:49
i think the main thing is to be sure to take it apart when you are finished with your session. Otherwise you may fine that it takes superman to do the job.
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Author: Donn
Date: 2000-04-17 01:23
Like a horse, warm it up slowly, don't ride it hard and put it away wet!
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Author: Donn
Date: 2000-04-17 01:28
I should have said don't ride it hard OR put it away wet!
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-04-17 04:18
The reason, I believe, for the short playing periods during break-in is so that the wood can absorb moisture slowly and prevent cracking by swelling slowly. As for not riding it hard or putting it away wet, don't forget the currie comb and the good boy carrot.
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Author: Roger
Date: 2000-04-17 08:17
I have also just purcased a new instrument(wood).I have asked the same questions as you of many people and all answers vary to some degree--however the main theme seems to be don't play it for more than 15 to 30 minutes a day for the first month and keep it dry inside (pull the swab through it every 10 to 15 minutes).I had some helpful replies futher down the list-- Peter Spriggs has been very helpful.Do some research on the net and ask untill you feel you have the answers.Good luck.Roger
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Author: Bob Gardner
Date: 2000-04-17 22:31
Sounds like we have a few horse people on this subject. One piece of advise--never ride a horse and play your horn. Scares the heck out of the poor thing. My mastiff sings along when i play, but my appy would never, ever put up with it.
Bob
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