 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: GeorgeL ★2017
Date: 2008-08-31 19:27
I have been playing a borrowed Selmer composite contra-alto clarinet, s/n P00633xx, since January. It is probably either a Model 1440 or a recent predecessor to the 1440. This is the only contra-alto I have ever played.
As the attached photos show, the register key has a cantilevered thumb actuated cup at one end of a rod and a cantilevered cup and pad at the other end of the rod. As is seen in the 'open' picture, a recess is cut out of the clarinet body for the thumb cup, and the recess appears to have a small hole extending into the clarinet. Since this is a borrowed clarinet, I have not taken the key off to see if the hole extends to the clarinet bore.
As shown in the 'closed' photo, when the register key is closed, there is a gap between the bottom of the thumb cup and the clarinet body. In May the thumb cup broke its connection to the rod. The clarinet's owner had it reattached over the summer.
My question: should the thumb cup have a pad or cork to prevent the connection from flexing while the register key is closed? I am surmising that flexing caused the failure.
The repairman who fixed it obviously believed no such support is necessary.
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Author: GeorgeL ★2017
Date: 2008-08-31 20:25
Hmm - no pictures were posted. I'll try attaching one of them and see if that works.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-08-31 23:27
There should be a recess beneath the thumbplate and the body to ensure the pad further up on the same key barrel closes, and that the thumbplate doesn't 'clunk' against the body when closed.
If there is cork or whatnot stuck to the underside of the thumbplate, this could also prevent the pad further up from closing should it be too thick or the thumbplate gets bent inwards. And as this has already broken off before means it will probably bend fairly easily again.
Is the thumb key connected to the speaker mechanism?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: GeorgeL ★2017
Date: 2008-09-01 02:07
Attachment: con_alto_front.jpg (39k)
Chris - thanks for your input. I suppose the fact that the clarinet is at least four years old and this was the first time the thumb key broke indicates that the problem may be more operator error (I pushed too hard) rather than a design problem. Maybe it is a subliminal statement about how little I enjoy playing the contra-alto (which is too heavy to carry, too long to easily fit in my Honda Accord, and has music which is too boring for me to enjoy).
I am not certain what you mean by 'speaker mechanism', so I have tried to attach another photo. The thumb rod is seen at the bottom of the photo, and it is connected to and closes Pad X when the first finger key is not closed.
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