The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: kopmom
Date: 2010-08-25 18:15
Hi, I am a mom to a 9yo girl who is starting to take lessons at school. We have a family clarinet that was given to her but it needs a repad job. It is a Artley model. Is it worth the cost to have the repad job done or just buy a new one for her?
What is the usual cost of a repad?
Anyone know of anyone who does the work in PA (we our outside of Philadelphia)
Thanks
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Author: jbutler ★2017
Date: 2010-08-25 18:34
I think it would depend a lot on your finances. The plastic Artley clarinets had a problem with the posts coming loose and falling out or binding the keys. They, at the time, advertised "sonically welded" posts. I still don't know what that process exactly was but it wasn't good. Most techncians just epoxy them back in.
A repad in my area costs anywhere from $175 to $355. Depending on what the customary charges are in your locality it could be more or less. Stores have different job descriptions for their repad. Some polish keys and others don't. Be sure and ask specifically what the repair tech does on a repad. You need to decide whether to put that much money into the instrument, rent an instrument, or purchase used/new. I'm sure others chime in with their opinions.
Whichever way you go I urge you to get a quality mouthpiece. Playing a cheap mouthpiece on a clarinet is like trying to ride a bike with a flat tire.
Post Edited (2010-08-25 19:58)
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Author: BobD
Date: 2010-08-25 22:30
There's a good shop in Allentown but I forget the name.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-08-26 01:29
From what I gather, "Sonically Welded" is a fancy term for 'push-fit' - the pillars have a splined stem (instead of threaded) that is pushed into the pre-drilled blind holes in the body joint. The splines prevent the pillar turning once its in place, but don't prevent them being pulled out.
Perhaps they were pushed into place with a miniature version of a pneumatic drill, or just tapped into place with a mallet.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2010-08-26 01:51
Chris P wrote:
> From what I gather, "Sonically Welded" is a fancy term for
> 'push-fit' -
No, it's ultrasonic 'welding' - an ultrasonic transducer is applied to the metal post after insertion into joint to induce localized frictional melting of the plastic joint. Variations on this friction welding technique are common throughout the plastics industry.
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