 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2008-01-27 16:49
So what sparked this conversation is the habitual cracking of wooden instruments during gig sessions where the stage lights dry out the clarinet, which causes cracks. my friend's clarinet cracked and he does shows and gigs. so my question is, why aren't people pushing for the tube socks for their instruments in between sessions where they aren't playing? we have reed revitalizers to protect our reeds, why not our actual instruments from cracking, which is definitely more expensive as an asset to protect then our reeds which are disposable.
Second question: the argument of pad savers. are they good or bad? I like the fact that they take the moisture out of the wood after you finish playing, but i also notice that they dry out the interior chamber and also i've read some articles that pad savers remove the polish or smoothness of the inside bore which over time will mess up your intonation for the instrument. So why or why not should we use pad savers?
Question of the morning
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-01-27 17:04
I've seen clarinets where people have only used cotton pad savers on them (and also having no idea of general maintainance - left in cold cars, played from cold, put away still wet with the pad savers shoved in, etc.), and the bore was rough with raised grain, as well as the wood being very pale. Not to mention the toneholes were all occluded with fibres which takes some cleaning.
I've had no such problems using them on my own saxes, but I'll never use them on a wooden instrument.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2008-01-27 17:08
clarinet 101, mid term exam:
so you stuff a pad saver up inside the horn.
where is the moisture? where did the water go?
you pull a swab through, and store the swab in an outside the case pocket (side pocket) where is the moisture?
have you ever had fibers clog up the register vent, requiring disassembly, cleaning with a pipe cleaner, reassembly?
where did the fibers come from?
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2008-01-27 22:13
I have never heard of the "habitual cracking of wooden instruments" because of stage lights.
Perhaps your friend's clarinet cracked because of many other valid reasons, or just because it cracked.
Complete agreement with those above about pad savers.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: GBK
Date: 2008-01-27 22:54
As I have written many times before:
Pad Savers® (pad destroyers??) are the equivalent of keeping a wet rag in the bore of your instrument.
Kept in the bore for extended periods inhibits air circulation, which can cause moldy pads, rusted springs and a most unpleasant aroma in your case.
I seriously doubt that enough of the fibers reach the tone holes and would have any effect on wicking away moisture from the tone holes or pads. The pads and tone holes would dry faster by air circulation, without the obstruction caused by keeping the Pad Saver® in the bore
Over time the lint from the pad saver sheds into the bore and tone holes.
Also, be aware that the ends of these swabs are sharp twisted metal wire, and if the little vinyl endcaps fall off the ends of the wire (as they inevitably will) the bore of the instrument can be scratched.
A better use for them is to put it by a drafty door or window to stop the air from coming in the room.
Whenever a new student shows up for a lesson with a Pad Saver® that mom bought, I immediately suggest that it be returned for either a quality swab (silk is preferred) or a box of reeds.
Don't waste your money with gimmicks - just buy a silk swab...GBK
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Author: Ed
Date: 2008-01-28 01:15
Pad savers-
Pros- look pretty, nice colors, good marketing, easy to use
Cons- don't do what they are reputed to do, likely cause more problems than they help, as the comments above indicate. I always thought the idea was to get the moisture out of my instrument and away from the pads!
I have always felt that they are junk.
They might be nice to use for some type of craft project, or perhaps a cat toy...
shame I don't like cats.......
![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif)
Post Edited (2008-01-28 02:29)
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2008-01-28 01:26
wait, how much saliva do you guys manage to put into the clarinet? i understand the keeping a wet rag in the bore, but its a marginal amount of moisture. I swab once, then put in the pad savers to wick away whatever moisture is left. i haven't seen moldy pads, or rusted springs, but lets take a look at the pads.
the pros of having padsavers are: instead of the wood + water residue that spills out into your case, the pad savers pick up the grenadilla particles so they don't stain your case, also removes the buildup that clogs the pores on the inside of the wood. the cons are listed above.
Are you guys living in a more humid geographical location? out in california, the weather is cool and dry, so i honestly haven't seen any of the rusting or molding problems. just the usual stainage on the pads and in the pad saver.
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2008-01-28 03:10
C2thew:
It's the hardest wood in the world...what grenadilla particles?
For what you are describing what you actually want are tenon covers...I have and use them, and the case looks great.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: GBK
Date: 2008-01-28 03:22
C2thew wrote:
> the habitual cracking of wooden instruments during gig
> sessions where the stage lights dry out the clarinet,
> which causes cracks. my friend's clarinet cracked and
> he does shows and gigs
The stage lights may have contributed to the cracking.
Then again, it might have had absolutely nothing to do with it.
Some instruments will crack, no matter how carefully they are maintained...GBK
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Author: BobD
Date: 2008-01-29 09:48
I agree with GBKs axiom and have always felt that some wood will crack regardless of what you do and some won't. I do, nevertheless, try to maintain my horns "properly". I have, on occasion, used a home made plastic "sleeve" to put over my horn while on the stand during extended non-playing periods.
Bob Draznik
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Author: VermontJM
Date: 2008-02-06 16:14
I remember someone writing on here a long time ago:
There are three types of clarinets:
1. Those that will crack no matter what you do.
2. Those that will crack if you do something stupid.
3. Those that won't crack, no matter what you do.
You never know which one you have until it's too late.
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