 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2011-04-22 02:39
I just got my new Buffet R13 last Saturday.
I was using a neckstrap and a thumb saddle on my old clarinet and it didnt fit right on the new clarinet.
so the seller (who is also a tech - Michael Leonard) took my old thumbrest off and put it on the new clarinet. and put the one from the new clarinet on the old clarinet.
as i was practicing tonight the thumbrest kept sliding and I kept trying to tighten the screw but it still would move. so I gave the screw a good turn and it broke right off.
so I managed to take off the thumbrest that came with the clarinet which was put on my old clarinet and put it back on the new clarinet.
I will have to get used to a regular thumb cushion instead of the thumb saddle....
but - said all that to ask this
I now have 2 extra holes from the other thumbrest since it didnt attach exactly the same as the new one. is it okay? will this affect anything? can they be easily filled?
its too late to call right now and im really upset that this happened. I probably should had left everything alone and not had him switch the thumb rests.
this isnt that big of a deal is it? with the two extra holes?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-04-22 03:28
The holes can be filled in and that won't have any effect on anything, so you needn't worry there.
wwbw.com stock the Buffet thumbrest, but it's the whole unit rather than just the screw or the adjustable section: http://www.wwbw.com/Buffet-Crampon-Replacement-Clarinet-Adjustable-Thumbrest-585536-i1533296.wwbw
Buffet's more recent design of adjustable thumbrest is pretty poor in practice and it's about time they thought of a redesign. The sling ring/adjusting screw barely has enough thread on it so the stress from using a sling or overtightening it (which is easily done) will strip the threads so the adjustable part won't stay put.
If you want an adjustable thumbrest that's much stronger as it's made from sheet metal rather than a casting, the Yamaha style one is much better and it has a ring fitted to the adjustable part as well, so far less chance of the screw thread stripping on these.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2011-04-22 12:09
If I cant get the holes filled right away can I still play it?
btw - the adjustable thumb rest that broke was not the Buffet one. It was the one from my old clarinet that got put on the new clarinet. (they got switched). Now I have the Buffet one back on the Buffet clarinet. Also, I use a leather piece that slips over the thumb rest. it has a hole for the hook of the neckstrap. Sorry I didnt describe it well enough in my first post. Probably doesnt matter tho.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-04-22 14:41
You can still play it with the screw holes unfilled - they don't go all the way through to the bore.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2011-04-22 18:54
Here is a less expensive alternative, easily placed, and you can use a hook rather than a leather attachment.
http://www.votawtool.com/zcom.asp?pg=products&specific=jnoqqrdno
Does anyone else agree with me that clarinet straps should attach higher on the instrument than on the thumbrest?
(I do not use a strap, by the way, but I think the present strap systems are not placed optimally).
Disclaimer: I have no relationship with Votaw tool.
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-04-22 19:02
The Votawtool one looks miles better than the Buffet one, so consider getting one of these.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2011-04-23 05:15
Does anyone know if the Votaw thumb rest can be installed "backwards" from the way it's in the photo on their website? That is, with the mounting plate to the upper side. The way it is "now" looks like raising the thumb rest all the way will make your thumb collide with the mounting plate which could be uncomfortable.
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2011-04-23 13:18
Clarnibass, Many techs place thumbrest platess higher than the factory specs, negating the problem you mentioned.
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2011-04-26 20:30
ok i'm trying to find a replacement thumbrest like the one that came with my clarinet.
its like the one pictured in chris' link but without the ring for the strap. it has a nut/screw thing instead.
and where can i get screws? anyone have a couple they wouldnt mind selling to me?
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2011-04-27 05:24
Re Alseg's comment, to clrify, regardless of how high anyone installs the thumb rest, can the Votaw thumb rest be installed with the mounting plate in the opposite direction (up), so the thumb doesn't hit it if the thumb rest is put in its highgest position?
Putting it higher to avoid the problem I mentioned would lose some of the distance for adjusting.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-04-27 06:03
Janet, you're best having a completely new and more reliable thumbrest fitted than getting replacement parts for the Buffet one.
There were copies of the Yamaha one on wwbw but they've been discontinued, but I reckon the http://www.votawtool.com/zcom.asp?pg=products&specific=jnoqqrdno is of reliable build quality and worth considering as a replacement unit.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: RJShaw0
Date: 2011-04-27 11:01
I had the problem with the thread coming off the screw on my old Buffet, so I found a screw with a similar thread and cut/filed it down so it was the correct length and used that instead.
Worked a treat and cost nothing!
Have to be careful with the length of the screw though.
RJS
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-04-27 11:30
There's usually a blind hole milled into the joint under the thumbrest to allow the screw to protrude below the underside of the thumbplate baseplate, but the problem is there isn't enough screw thread on the screw itself so it's easy to strip the thread (and the screws are cast from fairly soft metal so that doesn't help).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: whole note
Date: 2011-04-29 13:48
I was able to fit my thumb saddle onto the adjustable Buffet thumb rest by carefully slicing the opening in the rubber with an Xacto knife-- just a little at a time until it was able to slide over the big round plate.
Same with the neck strap. Some have almost like a button hole that slides over the thumb rest. That can be opened up to fit as well.
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