 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: David A
Date: 2010-08-18 09:38
Hello,
I own a buffet tosca clarinet which is around 2 years old and am experiencing major water problems in the upper joint.
Although the clarinet did not do this when It was new, it developed several months after. It is noticeable on the A and G# key, and you can feel resistance when playing as well as the sort of 'gurgling' noise, especially on notes like first octave F and F# and second octave B and C. I have had it serviced, as well as specifically getting the tone holes cleaned and oiled, which was done 5 days ago and although it did not initially have the problem, it came back a day later.
I have an exam on Saturday and I'm really stressing out, I don't want the same problem I had last year.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2010-08-18 10:15
This can be very hard to deal with.
One of the things that *might* help is to oil the barrel and upper joint. This can change the flow of water in the bore, but it might not help either.
You could try oiling only the top part of the upper joint above the register tube, just using a rolled up paper towel. Worth a try.
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2010-08-18 10:52
Well, yes. A natural oil would be best. I recommend things like Omar Henderson's oil or Naylor's "Organic" oil.
Many of the oils that are sold by clarinet makers are not good for the life of the wood.
I used regular virgin olive oil for years. That should be good for one or two coats. Don't get your hopes too high, though; sometimes these things don't change the water problem at all.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2010-08-18 12:04
Also make sure the throat A and G# keys open enough or maybe check (i.e. your repairer) if it is possible to have them open more without compromising anything else. BTW water from tone holes is generally much worse if you play in a cold dry area.
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Author: BflatNH
Date: 2010-08-18 12:44
If you feel resistance and hear gurgling, yet do not have water coming out of those note holes, perhaps take a look at the barrel and joint tenon and sockets where water may be accumulating. I recently upgraded my barrel and started accumulating water in the barrel connections that gave me the gurgling at notes farther away, and the problem was solved by 'emptying' the water at the barrel sockets and between the joints. Good luck.
Post Edited (2010-08-18 12:45)
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2010-08-18 15:25
One of the "other" nasty things about clarinets: no water control technologies.
I've tried waxing an area about a centimeter in diameter around the tone hole that is getting wet. That can ("can") send the water around the hole. Unfortunately, the wax polishes off in a few days with swabbing. Further, the throat A and G# holes are very difficult to reach for such a treatment.
I get some relief by playing only a minute or so before I start to swab. This gets the "early water" --that which accumulates on the cold bore before the instrument is warmed up. After stopping to swab every minute or so during warm-up, I'll stretch my swab passes to a movement or so.
I think that the rate of condensation on the bore slows as the horn warms.
I also keep a pack of cigarette papers to slip under a wet pad and absorb the current water. I'm always amazed at how much water I find doing this.
Most of us would recognize the sound of a performer stopping to blow into a wet tone hole, maybe not a killer at your test.
Good luck
Bob Phillips
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Author: William
Date: 2010-08-18 15:37
An oboist here in town uses WD-40 to solve his water problems with specific tone holes. He coats the area of the bore just above the opening and that seems to prevent moisture from accumulating. Works for him and doesn't seem to harm his instrument.
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Author: ABerry
Date: 2010-08-18 15:50
I also have this very problem with my Festivals...I can understand water collecting in the C#/G# or bottom two side keys which are more or less on underside of the horn, but the throat A and G# keys are on the top of the horn...I don't have the throat A and G# condensation issue with my older R13s.
Allan
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2010-08-18 16:17
If you lay the instrument across your lap when you're not playing, be sure to keep the problem holes facing up, so condensation doesn't collect in them, Since you have trouble with chalumeau F and F# and also clarion high B and C, I would keep the trill keys facing up.
And it would be good to put the instrument on a peg or hold it vertical with the bell on your knee.
The tenon at the top of the upper joint is often shorter than the socket at the bottom of the barrel. When you stop playing, it would be a good idea to take the barrel off and shake out any accumulated water.
You can also take a fuzzy pipe cleaner, bend the last 1/8" 90 degrees, dip it in bore oil and "paint" a half-circle of oil on the dry bore just above each problematic hole. This will divert water to the side. I'm not sure how long this will last, but it should work for the time being.
There's been discussion of using Rain-X the same way, but I don't think there was a definitive experiment.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2010-08-18 16:50
I've successfully dealt with the problem by treating the holes and surrounding area of bore with a silicon spray normally used to prevent car doors from squeaking. I sprayed it onto a pipe cleaner and liberally wetted the interior of the tone holes, and I also applied it directly to the pads themselves. My water problems immediately ceased. I've repeated the treatment as required, generally about once a year, and have done for some years with no ill effects
Tony F.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-08-19 02:23
Besides all the great ideas, swab out more often and wipe the barrel joints often too to get the water from forming in the tendons. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: MarlboroughMan
Date: 2010-08-19 03:51
Great ideas, all, though the ones that have helped me the most are many detailed by Ken Shaw--particularly the idea of keeping the troublesome tone holes up when you are not playing--and this can be true even if you are not putting the horn down. Just the way you hold it during rests can be increasing the likelihood of water problems if you're not careful.
One more trick I've found to be very important: try swabbing from the barrel down, rather than from the bell up. This way you're not pulling any moisture already past the tone holes back into them, and you are reinforcing a clear, downward path.
[oooops. I meant this to be a reply to the OP.]
******************************
The Jazz Clarinet
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/
Post Edited (2010-08-19 11:35)
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