 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Brian Peterson
Date: 2008-07-30 14:05
Just purchased a nice R-13 Buffet A circa 1975 to replace the one I had stolen a couple of months ago. Plays really well, but it seems like the lower register G and the corresponding 12th are a bit stuffy, in other words they sound a bit thin. Nothing that I can't compensate for to some degree, but wondering if anyone can shed a little light on the subject.
Thanks
BP
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-07-30 14:11
How much venting have you got on the lowest (large) pad?
If this is too low, it will also keep the F/C key too low and compromise the venting of G/D.
For the lowest pad (the E/B key), aim for a minimum venting of 3mm to maximum of 3.5mm, and then adjust/regulate the F/C key accordingly.
If there is double action between the RH E/B and the crow's foot but both pads close together, the cork on the underside of the LH F/C lever or the cork on the linkage from the F/C key is too thick and should be replaced or trimmed thinner to open up the venting. That or the RH F#/C# touch could be bent down or the F#/C# pad is too thick.
Or both the E/B and F/C pads could be too thick. And with it being a Buffet (which use rather thin pads), this could be the case if it's been repadded as most (skin/bladder) pads on the market aren't thin enough for Buffets.
You can see if the pads are too thick as they'll be sitting unevenly in the pad cup when viewed from the side, with more pad sidewall showing at the front and less at the back (nearest the key barrel). They should be showing an even amount of sidewall all around the circumference of the pad cup.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2008-07-31 00:09)
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Author: William
Date: 2008-07-30 14:27
I had a tech bevel down the sides of the F#/C# & F/C holes on my R13 A to let the sound radiate more efficiently. Seemed to help.
Post Edited (2008-07-31 03:25)
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2008-07-30 16:53
The tone hole F/C affects the response of the G/D. It could be insufficient wenting or the size of the F/C tone hole.
Beveling G/D tone hole has nothing to do with the response of the G/D. It will affect the A/E and not the G/D
Vytas Krass
Clarinet Repair
Professional clarinet technician
Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
Former professional clarinet player
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Author: sbrodt54
Date: 2008-07-30 19:26
And please check for proper undercutting of all the tone holes on the lower joint, back in the late 70s and early 80s I found quite a number of Buffets that were never undercut properly.
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2008-07-30 20:38
An easy rule of thumb for the venting of the G#/D#, the F/C, and the F#/C# keys is that the pad should be just at the right height so the it is neither in the tone hole nor above the height of the edge of the clarinet body. The E/B key is usually a bit further from the body.
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Author: Brian Peterson
Date: 2008-07-30 21:10
So, IOW, I'd probably better get it to someone who knows what the $%^& they're doing.
B
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-07-30 22:57
"Beveling G/D tone hole has nothing to do with the response of the G/D. It will affect the A/E and not the G/D"
The G/D tonehole has a lot to do with the response and tone of G/D, as the notes G and D issue from it - hence it being the G/D tonehole.
Yes it may be covered by what is conveniently called the F/C key, but the tonehole is still the tonehole that G and D issue from, no matter what name the key that closes it is called - a note can't issue from a closed tonehole, so toneholes are named after the notes that issue from them, and not by the open standing keys which close onto them.
F/C issues from the lowest tonehole on the clarinet, and E/B issue from the bell. A/E issue from the RH3 tonehole chimney.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: claritoot26
Date: 2008-07-31 02:26
Sometimes a loose membrane on one of the lower skin pads can cause a strange vibration on low G/clarion D. That happened to me once, and I didn't figure out what it was 'til the pad fell out right before a concert. :-(
Lori
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2008-07-31 03:03
Many "A" clarinets have the same size toneholes for equivalent notes as the corresponding Bb clarinets, and are set up with the same pad heights. This is a bit wrong, as the toneholes themselves should be very slightly larger and their opening heights slightly higher to account for the overall lower pitch of the instrument. Because these 'optimal' conditions usually don't exist, many "A" clarinets play stuffy. It needn't be that way. Raise those pads (or use thinner ones), and de-stuff that clarinet!
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-07-31 09:29
Some A clarinets have noticeably smaller tonehole diameters compared to their Bb counterparts.
Compare a matching pair of Selmer Recitals and you'll instantly see a significant difference in tonehole size, especially on the lower joint and the large toneholes for G/D and especially the F/C which are much smaller on the A.
I noticed a similar thing when bushing the toneholes on my pair of Selmer CTs - the A had some smaller toneholes compared to the Bb (toneholes for the same fingered note) - eg. on the CT Bb the top joint Eb/Bb toneholes are 6mm, and on the A they're 5.9mm.
It's strange as you'd have thought (as David S said) the A should have the larger toneholes and higher ventings due to the A being the larger instrument of the two.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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