 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: xpedx7342
Date: 2009-10-05 11:34
Hey everybody, I have a question about bore oiling. Considering that I am an All-State 2nd chair clarinet, I find it shocking to see that I DID NOT KNOW WHAT BORE OIL WAS!!!!! How often do I need to get my clarinet oiled. And if my clarinet is 1.5 years old and never oiled, is that a problem?
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2009-10-05 11:47
New clarinets such as yours do not usually need to be oiled. When the wood at the tenons starts looking dried out (gray), it';s time to invest in GOOD oil and an oiling rig.
Buffet says their new clarinets should not be oiled. I don't know if/when that means they will need oiling. Other makers have varying schedules.
Jeff
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2009-10-05 14:08
If you search past threads, you will find many different answers to this question. Most answers range from "never" to "twice/thrice per year".
My main everyday clarinets generally get an oiling about once/year in the late winter or spring.
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Author: William
Date: 2009-10-05 14:32
"All-State 2nd chair clarinet"--Congradulations!! Been there, done that, myself (although 50 yrs ago.......)
Bore oil?? I've been playing wood clarinets for 50 yrs+ and have never oiled the bore of any of my instruments, Selmer, Yamaha, Leblanc or Buffet. None of my clarinets has ever cracked, however I am very careful to swab thoroughly after every session and always try to keep them at a relatively safe temperature--especially avoiding rapid temp change during our Wisconsin winters. Other clarinetists will recommend oiling instruments regularily. It is probably best to follow your manufacturers recommendations and if you do chose to oil, don't overdo it. Once or twice a year, and then just a light coating. Oiling the bore is controverisal, very much like who has the *best* sound--most likely, there is no final answer.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-10-05 14:46
I totally agree with William. I don't think it will hurt the clarinet but it may not be necessary if you take care of it. Just remember if you do oil the bore cover the closed pads with thick paper first so the pads don't get oil on them. Check my website for an article on taking care of your clarinet. ESP
http://eddiesclarinet.com
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
Post Edited (2009-10-05 14:47)
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2009-10-05 16:15
If you choose to oil, look only at high quality plant-based oils, such as those from Naylor or The Doctor's Products.
Jeff
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Author: abstruse_melisma
Date: 2009-10-10 04:36
I tend to think of bore oiling as an issue where climate and amount of playing time have a much greater effect than how old an instrument is. Francois Kloc (the Buffet rep) will tell you you needn't oil their clarinets because the wood is immersed in hot oil in the factory. However, the main goal of oil is simply to stabilize the wood. Wood expands and contracts based on its moisture content. I tend to think bore oil helps alleviate variation in moisture content of wood because it probably takes longer to evaporate. However, if you play your clarinets a few hours a day, they are probably maintaining good moisture if kept in a humidified room. Mine are stored in an instrument locker in an overly heated music building, so I oil occasionally just in case. We don't all live in the south of France, so I think you really just need to assess your own playing conditions and figure out what you want to do. If you have wide swings between seasons, tons of air conditioning or heating going on inside (AKA really low humidity), etc. then you might want to consider oiling just in case. As to the age of clarinets, if they have sat around for some time without being played, I think it would be quite dangerous to suddenly play them. They are likely to be very dry and moisture from playing could cause the bore to swell faster than the outside, resulting in a nasty crack. If you plan to store your clarinets for a long time, you are probably best off oiling them occasionally to maintain dimensional stability. But I'm no expert. When it comes to these sorts of issues we all have our two cents to put in, but you're probably best off talking to a reputable technician about what he recommends.
Devin T.B. Langham
Clarinet Performance Major
Michigan State University
interlude
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Author: lrooff
Date: 2009-10-10 04:45
At the risk of stating the obvious, make sure the clarinet is wood before oiling the bore; not resonite or plastic. Don't laugh... I've seen a plastic clarinet that had bore oil on it, and I suspect that most of the repairmen here have encountered it as well.
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