 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ramsa
Date: 2010-09-29 15:52
Given a child-free and pet-free environment, is it harmful to leave a good quality clarinet assembled for say...a week or two at a time, VS taking it apart and back in it's case EVERY time it's used?
I'm trying to decide what's better, wear on cork and risk of damage with case storage, or leaving it together and only dissassembly for going out of the house for lessons every two weeks...
Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance!
This is a genuine signature.
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Author: Ian White
Date: 2010-09-29 16:31
It should be taken apart every time to dry out the sockets to avoid the possibility of the wood swelling making it difficult to take apart when you do need to.
It will stay cleaner if put away &, even with no children or pets around, accidents can still happen if left on a stand.
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Author: jasperbay
Date: 2010-09-29 16:38
This is a hottly debated subject on this BB. I leave many of mine assembled, and have experienced no problems whatsoever.
Others will undoubtedly post that this practice is disastrous, crazy, immoral, etc., and hard on cork joints which may become permanently compressed.
I'm willing and able to replace my own joint corks, but have as yet not needed to do so. As I don't want moisture to remain in the joints of an assembled clarinet, I use more cork grease (actually I use a soft beeswax)on the joint when I plan on leaving it assembled. Some of my favorites have been assembled two years, and counting.
My reason for leaving them assembled is simple: If I had to assemble and dissasemble a clarinet every time I get the urge to play one, I wouldn't play one nearly as much, if at all. While that admission may make me an irresponsible, undisciplined, all-around "bad person" to some, but I am having a lot more fun playing the clarinet than when I was disciplined and responsible.
P.S. If guilt persists, there are many fine metal clarinets out there that you can leave assembled entirely guilt-free!! I've just aquired a Buescher that even has the neck permanently attached!
Clark G. Sherwood
Post Edited (2010-09-30 02:06)
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Author: Franklin Liao
Date: 2010-09-29 16:45
On the other hand, if you put it back into the case when you're done using it, you make it possible to actually keep the keys from tarnishing as putting anti-tarnish strips in an enclosed space is about the only way for such strips to do their job. If I've gold or Platinum/Titanium plated my horns I suppose it would be of no significance. Mind you, you still have to wipe the keys as fingerprints are corrosive.
I prefer to put the instrument back into the case since I would disassemble the instrument and rid the horn of any water inside the bore, and then checking it for any issue. With more than a grand worth of this wooden tube, I would not leave the thing exposed to the elements for extended length of time.
Post Edited (2010-09-29 16:49)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-09-29 17:52
Having seen what can happen to a clarinet that recently had all the tenon corks replaced and then left assembled by the owner only stresses the importance of taking it all apart and putting it back in its case after playing.
Tenon corks won't wear out through assembley/disassembly provided you do use a good quality cork grease on them, and taking the joints apart will give the tenon corks a chance to recover after being compressed while the clarinet is assembled.
You can never dry a clarinet properly if it's left together as water collects in the sockets which can lead to the tenon corks shrinking/hardening and the wood swelling causing the tenon to bind in the socket (which can stick solid).
So the best course of action is to assemble, play, disassemble, dry and back in the case until next time. Get used to this routine as this is all part of playing a clarinet.
Always dry the sockets with a separate piece of kitchen towel (which can be chucked out when it gets dirty) and DON'T use the pullthrough to dry sockets with as it'll ge all greasy and leave gunk in the bore and toneholes. And wash your cotton pullthrough from time to time - they work better (in that they absorb water more efficiently) once they're washed.
The weakest part of any clarinet is the middle tenon - especially on plastic and composite clarinets as a knock or fall can cause the middle tenon to snap off in the socket, and a replacement tenon or entire top joint could be costly.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2010-09-29 18:35
My "assembled" story ended with a Wurlitzer 100c being hit by a basketball, thrown across the room and rolled beneath a television set. Two of the left hand pinky keys were literally twisted about each other. It was ok with some gentle "re-bending" and lots of swearing. Don't ask how the basketball was unleashed in a living room.
................Paul Aviles
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2010-09-29 21:54
Alternatively, save up a little cash and purchase a metal clarinet. Lots of them only require a metal barrel and mouthpiece to be put on them. So it's minimal effort required to "assemble" to practice. Play your main horn every other day or once a day, and for the rest of the day for those quick 10 minute practice sessions, use the metal one.
Alexi
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Author: Franklin Liao
Date: 2010-09-30 00:05
Alexi: Gasp! What about them pads? God forbid they get burred up from being soaked in saliva and all... and what about oxidation? I cringe just thinking about those things. Surely you'll wipe the horn even if you do leave it outside? Right?
Post Edited (2010-09-30 00:12)
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2010-09-30 00:46
Easy to wipe through after taking off the mouthpiece. And go with leather pads. They'll absorb a little of the moisture and will last longer (in my limited experience)
Alexi
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Author: dansil
Date: 2010-09-30 02:15
I keep a couple of clarinets assembled all the for a quick start whenever I get the opportunity to practice or just "noodle". However after playing I always swab, disassemble and wipe out sockets & tenons before greasing and reassembling in preparation for my next playtime. Like some others who have commented, I've never noticed a deterioration in the tenon corks or with joints sticking with this method.
And no basketballs in my house!
Cheers, Danny
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-09-30 14:58
This topic comes up many times on this board. My opinion is that it's OK to leave your clarinet out but you really should take it apart first to dry the joints and to make sure the corks are well greased before you put it back together, so by then you might as well put it back in the case. You don't want to corks to swell or be dry when the clarinet is just sitting out for any length of time because you may end up stripping the corks or bending keys trying to get the pieces apart. So if you want to leave it sit out, swab if out and take it apart and do what I suggested before you put it back together. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2010-09-30 15:11
Metal clarinet, synthetic (e.g., Valentino) pads (but swabbing doesn't dry the pads anyway), cheap mouthpiece and Forestone or Legere reeds. Or take up the flute.
Best regards,
jnk
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