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Author: sinebar
Date: 2009-04-05 03:18
I gave my Selmer clarinet to the tech to be repadded with cork and leather pads. I also told him to install cork pads on the lower 4 of the lower joint. I'm hoping that the cork will be more water proof and prevent swelling which seems to lead to leaks and playability problems. Has any here corked their lower joint with all cork pads? I would like to know what your experiences are with all cork.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-04-05 09:43
If he has cork pads large enough for the lowest four pads, then I can see no problem with that.
But remember cork pads are only as good as the toneholes they're seating onto which have to be perfect. There's no point in seating cork pads onto tonehole bedplaces that have chips or other small imperfections in them, so they will need to be filled and levelled to ensure success.
The Ab/Eb key is one that can get waterlogged, so a cork pad is ideal in here - I've done this on my Leblanc LL, but as the remaining large pad cups are too large in diameter (16mm) for any cork pads I have, I put waterproof leather pads in them.
But normally on the lower joint I put leather pads in the large pad cups and pad the ring key and chromatic F# key with cork pads, and cork pad the top joint entirely. If I could get cork pads large enough I'd do the lot with them.
One thing you will notice is cork pads can get noisy - but that's the price you have to pay for pads that outlast other types (provided you have your clarinets maintained regularly).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2009-04-05 20:19)
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Author: sinebar
Date: 2009-04-05 15:55
Chris P wrote:
> If he has cork pads large enough for the lowest four pads, then
> I can see no problem with that.
>
> But remember cork pads are only as good as the toneholes
> they're seating onto which have to be perfect. There's no point
> in seating cork pads onto tonehole bedplaces that have chips or
> other small imperfections in them, so they will need to be
> filled and levelled to ensure success.
>
> The Ab/Eb key is one that can get waterlogged, so a cork pad is
> ideal in here - I've done this on my Leblanc LL, but as the
> remaining large pad cups are too large in diameter (16mm) for
> any cork pads I have, I put waterproof leather pads in them.
>
> But normally on the lower joint I put leather pads in the large
> pad cups and cork pad the ring key and chromatic F# key with
> cork pads, and cork pad the top joint entirely. If I could get
> cork pads large enough I'd do the lot with them.
>
> One thing you will notice is cork pads can get noisy - but
> that's the price you have to pay for pads that outlast other
> types (provided you have your clarinets maintained regularly).
>
Thanks for the informative response. He told me that he will have to make the larger cork pads for the lower joint. I assume he will prepare the tone hole bedplaces.
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Author: NBeaty
Date: 2009-04-05 17:04
You will certainly be more prepared to do "key clicks" that are requested in contemporary music than others who have nice quiet keys =)
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2009-04-05 18:29
It seems like a bit of overkill to me. Even the professional oboes I have had in for repair have not had cork pads fitted to the largest toneholes. I would anticipate the instrument being excessively noisy with 16/17mm pads slapping down on the toneholes.
I've never encountered water problems on those lowest tonesholes but leather pads and frequent swabbing should alieviate any risk.
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Author: sinebar
Date: 2009-04-06 00:44
Norman Smale wrote:
> It seems like a bit of overkill to me. Even the professional
> oboes I have had in for repair have not had cork pads fitted to
> the largest toneholes. I would anticipate the instrument being
> excessively noisy with 16/17mm pads slapping down on the
> toneholes.
> I've never encountered water problems on those lowest
> tonesholes but leather pads and frequent swabbing should
> alieviate any risk.
>
For now I'm not playing in any bands. In fact I'm just a beginner. If the pads are too noisy I guess I can always have them replaced with conventional pads. I just want to be sure that I have pads that don't move when they get wet and cause leaks. This problem has frustrated me on every clarinet I hav played.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-04-06 10:09
Pads shouldn't move when they get wet unles they're porous. And properly installed pads of any knd should retain their seal for a long time.
What clarinet are you currently playing?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: sinebar
Date: 2009-04-06 12:01
Chris P wrote:
> Pads shouldn't move when they get wet unles they're porous. And
> properly installed pads of any knd should retain their seal for
> a long time.
>
> What clarinet are you currently playing?
>
I'm playing a Selmer 10S II. It's a new clarinet.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2009-04-06 13:21
Then it sounds to me as if the clarinet has not been set up well.
You may be compounding the problem by putting the clarinet in positions that encourage moisture running onto pads, when you are not playing.
You are talking about problems that serious players, on well set-up instruments, even student ones, typically do not experience with conventional pads.
I think you are probably asking for a whole lot more problems - issues of unreliability - by getting cork pads on these keys, because they are so very fussy about extreme precision of the tone hole edges, the pivots, the linkages, the stability of the posts, supreme installation skills, etc.
Also, it is very difficult these days to buy any cork sheet of sufficient quality to make pads of this size. I have never seen cork pads of this size offered for sale by our suppliers. It is years since I saw cork sheet good enough for this.
Post Edited (2009-04-06 13:22)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-04-06 14:48
The largest diameter cork pads I have used is 15.5mm but these were ard to find without imperfections in them - so the best way to get round that was making sure the imperfections were right on the outside edge or within the inside of the tonehole impression.
If you have wine corks, you can turn them down to the correct diameter and face them off to make larger diameter cork pads with, but the grain runs across the face rather than parallel with it, so you will have to make sure you don't get any pores running across the face or just below the surface that can break through, and they can also distort when they make contact with molten shellac.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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