 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sinebar
Date: 2009-04-13 21:37
Ok I just got my Selmer clarinet back from the shop where he did a repad. He installed leather and cork pads and this thing leaks like bucket full of holes. It's out of adjustment too. I live in northwest Louisiana and I just can't seem to find a tech in this area that know what they are doing. He use the best pads and he did a decent job installing them but then a 12 year old kid could glue pads in. However it's quite another matter of getting them to seal and then adjusting the clarinet so it will play. Can someone please recomend a REAL clarinet techician that I can send this thing to? I need a tech that can fix it right the first time.
Ok so I couldn't find a competent tech to fix the botched pad job so I fixed it myself. I seated the pads and adjusted the keys and bridge and now it plays pretty darn good throughout the intire scale. Even the middle B. It took me only a few hours to do this and I have never tried it before. I am at a loss why a first time ameture like me could get this horn in playing condition but the tech, a professional, could not. Was he just lazy? Incompetent? maybe an idiot? I don't know but the job was not that hard even for me so what gives? Maybe he didn't give a crap but he will NEVER work on my horn again.
Post Edited (2009-04-19 05:49)
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2009-04-14 02:09
Are you doing a suction or pressure test to find these leaks?
Leather used for pads has pores and will always perform poorly with these kinds of checks even when the instrument plays very well.
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Author: sinebar
Date: 2009-04-14 02:14
I live in Caddo Parish Louisiana. I have contacted Naylor's
http://www.naylors-woodwind-repair.com/
Has anyone used this guy? I bought some of his cork grease and it was really good stuff.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2009-04-14 03:14
Try John Butler - SugarLand, TX
http://www.cork-and-pad.woodwind.org/
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2009-04-14 15:42
skygardener wrote:
>"Are you doing a suction or pressure test to find these leaks?
Leather used for pads has pores and will always perform poorly with these kinds of checks even when the instrument plays very well"<.
Properly installed leather pads should pass pressure test no different than the other type of pads. They perform very well under these conditions.
The suction tests usually perform poorly with "NEW and untreated" leather pads, but that's irrelevant anyway because you don't suck a clarinet to make it play. Suction tests have some validity but will fail every time to detect leaks due to weak springs on the "closed" keys.
Vytas Krass
Clarinet Repair
Professional clarinet technician
Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
Former professional clarinet player
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Author: sinebar
Date: 2009-04-14 16:49
Vytas wrote:
> skygardener wrote:
> >"Are you doing a suction or pressure test to find these
> leaks?
> Leather used for pads has pores and will always perform poorly
> with these kinds of checks even when the instrument plays very
> well"<.
>
> Properly installed leather pads should pass pressure test no
> different than the other type of pads. They perform very well
> under these conditions.
>
> The suction tests usually perform poorly with "NEW and
> untreated" leather pads, but that's irrelevant anyway because
> you don't suck a clarinet to make it play. Suction tests have
> some validity but will fail every time to detect leaks due to
> weak springs on the "closed" keys.
>
> Vytas Krass
> Clarinet Repair
> Professional clarinet technician
> Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
> Former professional clarinet player
>
Yeah I tried the suction test and yes it failed misserably. But the real test is when I try to play it. My $75 Bestler plays a LOT better and I'm talking about a Selmer 10S II. The thing is unplayable.
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2009-04-14 18:29
sinebar wrote:
>"Yeah I tried the suction test and yes it failed misserably. But the real test is when I try to play it. My $75 Bestler plays a LOT better and I'm talking about a Selmer 10S II. The thing is unplayable"<.
I have no doubt your clarinet was poorly repaired. Even with the "new and untreated" but properly installed leather pads the joints should hold vacuum for a second or so. My comment was directed to skygardener not you.
Vytas Krass
Clarinet Repair
Professional clarinet technician
Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
Former professional clarinet player
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Author: sinebar
Date: 2009-04-14 18:53
Vytas wrote:
> sinebar wrote:
> >"Yeah I tried the suction test and yes it failed
> misserably. But the real test is when I try to play it. My $75
> Bestler plays a LOT better and I'm talking about a Selmer 10S
> II. The thing is unplayable"<.
>
> I have no doubt your clarinet was poorly repaired. Even with
> the "new and untreated" but properly installed leather pads the
> joints should hold vacuum for a second or so. My comment was
> directed to skygardener not you.
>
> Vytas Krass
> Clarinet Repair
> Professional clarinet technician
> Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
> Former professional clarinet player
>
I wasn't trying to offend you are anything, I was just replying. Sorry if it sounded like that.
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2009-04-15 00:03
sinebar,
I wasn't offended at all.
You can send this clarinet to me. I will repair it free of charge. You pay just for shipping and insurance.
Vytas Krass
Clarinet Repair
Professional clarinet technician
Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
Former professional clarinet player
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2009-04-15 02:37
Vitas- you are right. Untreated leather pads will fail suction and pressure tests, but many people install them like that and I was only relating the *possibility* that the clarinet can play well with these pads and fail suction tests.
Sinebar has confirmed that the instrument does not play well and that settles the main question.
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2009-04-16 02:51
1. If the leather pads fail both suction and pressure tests there's no way a clarinet can play well.
2. If the leather pads pass the pressure/blow test but performs poorly on the suction test (holds vacuum no more than 1 second) then yes, the clarinet can perform very well.
Poor performance on the suction test has nothing to do with porosity of leather pads.
Vytas Krass
Clarinet Repair
Professional clarinet technician
Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
Former professional clarinet player
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2009-04-16 06:50
"Poor performance on the suction test has nothing to do with the porosity of the leather."
Could you explain in a bit more detail about what you mean?
I have found a direct connection between these two things.
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Author: sinebar
Date: 2009-04-16 12:02
Author: Vytas (---.ipt.aol.com - ISP in United States)
Date: 2009-04-15 00:03
sinebar,
I wasn't offended at all.
You can send this clarinet to me. I will repair it free of charge. You pay just for shipping and insurance.
Vytas Krass
Clarinet Repair
Professional clarinet technician
Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
Former professional clarinet player
Thanks that is a very generous offer but I wouldn't want you to do it for free. Especially to correct someone elses mistake. Actually I am going to bring it to a local guy I found kind of by accident and he sounds like he can fix it for me.
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Author: sinebar
Date: 2009-04-19 05:52
You can send this clarinet to me. I will repair it free of charge. You pay just for shipping and insurance.
Thanks but I think I got it fixed now.
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Author: meagan4647
Date: 2009-04-21 21:01
try to do it your selfsinebar wrote:
> You can send this clarinet to me. I will repair it free of
> charge. You pay just for shipping and insurance.
>
>
> Thanks but I think I got it fixed now.
meagan4647@yahoo.com
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Author: Bill
Date: 2009-04-23 16:27
Wow - you passed up free work by Vytas Krass?
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
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Author: sinebar
Date: 2009-04-23 18:51
Bill wrote:
> Wow - you passed up free work by Vytas Krass?
>
I admit I'm not familiar with him but now in light of your comment I get the feeling I made a huge mistake.
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Author: Bill
Date: 2009-04-23 23:30
Ha-ha! I came back here to remove my comment b/c I didn't want the original poster (you) to be angry.
Vytas is in the top class of repair artists. He'll be glad to help you anytime and he has rescued a good number of clarinets for me!
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
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Author: sinebar
Date: 2009-04-24 19:05
Bill wrote:
> Ha-ha! I came back here to remove my comment b/c I didn't want
> the original poster (you) to be angry.
>
> Vytas is in the top class of repair artists. He'll be glad to
> help you anytime and he has rescued a good number of clarinets
> for me!
>
From some of the other comments it appears that is true. It seems to be working ok now since I adjusted on it but if I need to send it to someone I will certainly give Vytas a crack at it.
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