Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2006-03-23 08:52
I note that we are discussing a bass clarinet. My experience of bassoon tenons and bass clarinet tenons, suggests that cork serves its purpose
more poorly as the diameter of the tenon increases.
IMO this is because: With a smaller diameter tenon, as we assemble it, we have to slightly crush a certain area of cork; with a large diameter tenon we may have to 'crush' a much larger area of cork. My guess is that the larger the tenon diameter is, the narrower should the cork be, otherwise we have to exert just too much force to fight that cork. Recorder makers seem to attend to this issue, whereas bassoon and bass clarinet makers largely don't.
A narrow cork offers less resistance to wobbling of the tenon. This could be overcome with two narrow corks, separated. I suppose two 0-rings are getting close to this concept. So a well-designed, double 0-ring set-up may be preferable for large diameter tenons. I suspect that the ideal design, though, would have a fairly large 0-ring thickness, which needs a deeper groove, which compromises the strength of the tenon. :-)
No wonder tenon corks are so unfunctionally thin on bassoons!
I can understand why Yamaha is experimenting with this, and sympathise with their possible dilemma.
Another possible driving consideration is that 0-rings, and installation of them, is far cheaper than for cork.
Perhaps that is why Yamaha is experimenting with other options.
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The Clarinet BBoard
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