Author: BassetHorn
Date: 2006-02-24 00:35
Hello all, just want to give you some update on this earlier thread.?After almost a month of waiting (shipper forgot to write down my postal code on the package), I finally took delivery of my beat up Vito contra alto clarinet.?Given the poor condition that I found it in, and the fact that the shipper merely declared usical instrument?on the package, I am very, very glad that Canada Customs did not bother to open it for inspection.?The package arrived appearing sealed and everything in tact.
The case is in pretty good shape, all 5 latches work and not worn out pieces anywhere.?Handle is strong and sturdy too.
Opening the case, the horn sat there, as did the bell.?I quick looked to make sure the neck pipe is also there.?Found it in the closed compartment in good shape as well as an old metal ligature and a Leblanc mouthpiece so old the colour has turned olive green and the logo almost all worn off.?But unfortunately a fairly good size of the tip has been chipped off.?After cleaning it thoroughly I tried to play it with my other contra, and it just did not play well at all.?I am now debating if I should get someone to see if the tip is reparable or maybe put a new facing on it.
The seller threw in a new pack of Rico Royal contra alto/contrabass clarinet reeds in the case, which is great.?But it the wrong size for Leblanc contras; they are a little too narrow and don fully cover the rails of the Leblanc mouthpieces.?Although they do work OK if you are careful aligning it.?These reeds would work perfectly on my Selmer Bundy contra mouthpiece though.
Now time to give the old beat up Vito a visual check.?I went quickly to inspect the 2 horizontal cracks described by the seller.?The crack on the middle tenon that has been fastened by a hose clamp/Jubilee clip has developed upward, so you can actually open the crack when putting on forces at both end of the body.?The top crack on the top of the body just above the Vito logo is less severe, but it definitely leaks when I removed the masking tape the seller put on and tried to play it.?
Other than the 2 major cracks here, the lower stack keys seemed to have been knocked out of alignment, and many metal to metal contact areas need cork.?But these are all operable without immediate tech attention.?I managed to fix the octave keys mechanisms, so know it goes all the way up to high C.
My original idea of binding the top crack with jubille clip may not work now, because one of the key post will get in the way.?Unless I modify the jubilee clip to allow the post to protrude.?I got a bottle of gorilla glue and I used it to fill in both cracks, pretty easy to work with, I used a Q tip to apply it.?I repeat the procedure once a day over the last three days to make sure that I have a strong bond.?It works.?The horn plays actually very well after the first application.?The only thing is that the glue is white and looks ugly on the body.?So I took a strip of black foam and glue over it, made it a little more eye appealing.
So for now, the horn is fully playable.?With the 2 cracks filled, octave mechanism fixed, and a good mouthpiece.?I also reworked the springs for tension, oiled the screws on the posts, and put in some cork to silence the actions.?After a good wiping down, the horn looks pretty presentable.
This will be my outdoor gig horn.?It has a big burly sound, uncomplicated and to the point.?Positive key action, and pretty good dynamic range.?I should do a side by side comparison with my Selmer Bundy.?One thing I like about this Vito is the high neck angle though, much more player friendly.?The drawback is the design, it only has the one Eb side trill key.
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The Clarinet BBoard
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