 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Elkwoman46
Date: 2011-11-01 20:53
I would like to ask this of those who would like to comment...How long did your last pad replacement or overhaul on a clarinet that you use or even put away, last?
The reason why I ask, is it will help me to know better what others experience, what to expect from an overhaul, and even what your overhaul included and what you thought about it. I think I have a warped impression perhaps because many people are dealing with vintage clarinets where there is no idea when it was last serviced (or how recent) and no idea really the age of the pads, and can hardly venture to guess anything about that, and I never hear back on how long their overhaul lasted or helped either.
All of this interests me very much, believe it or not. I would even like to hear stories of your own overhauls and what you expected out of it, and did you try new pads or try synthetic pads or corks or put on new parts, and how did it work out for you, or if someone else did the work, how long did it last? That is before leaks began or problems returned or ?
Are there common problems or leaks in certain places common among clarinet players, or are leaks generally happening anywhere on the clarinet?
Granted, certain bugs can also cause leaks in pads! LOL
Also, if you bought a new clarinet, how long did it last before you overhauled it (not talking about setting it up).
Finally, is it common or not common for a clarinet to last indefinitely with an overhaul if taken care of properly, or is that not a realistic possibility?
Thanks so kindly.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2011-11-01 22:19
I bought a new clarinet several years ago and waited two years before getting it overhauled, but I made sure it was set up very well to my liking before I paid for it. As far as overhauls, it does depend on how much you play it and you get what you pay for. My overhauls last an average of ten years, my guy does a great job, but I do get minor adjustments yearly as needed. Usually very little, perhaps one pad or slight adjustment to a key hight or spring strength. I play my clarinet a lot and take very good care of them. ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2011-11-01 22:49
For me, it's not so much the pads but deteriorating corks, keywork noise, and regulation quirks that demand attention at least annually.
My Ridenour 576BC has been notably immune from these issues. After 18 months of use as my outdoors instrument, it is still like new in every way. Tom did a great job setting up my Lyrique.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2011-11-01 22:59
Sort of along Ed's post, my most MEMORABLE overhauls were with Bill Brannen. After about five years I noticed something that appeared to be 'fraying' on some of the custom triple fish-skin pads at the bottom. I called to ask if they needed attention and Bill said, "They're may be some wear to the outer layer but they are guaranteed to last 12 years so I won't touch them."
He was right, I worried for nothing.
As for leaks, the most insidious leaks are the ones that go undetected. I regularly do a suction leak test on my horns just to prevent a temporary loss of sanity due to simple mechanics. One to look out for believe it or not is, too little tension on the "Ab/Eb" right pinky. If this spring gets flaccid, you'll lose a fair amount of substance to your sound in those notes (and below) and this WILL NOT show up on a suction test.
Then there are the side keys (and C#/G# key) that wear more because more moisture accumulates in them usually.
..............Paul Aviles
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-11-01 23:01
If you've bought a new clarinet, bought a recently overhauled used one or had your own clarinet overhauled (and I mean completely stripped down and rebuilt when I use the term overhaul here and elsewhere), then you should expect to get a good number of years use from it provided you have it serviced regularly - usually every year to two years (and anything in between) depending on how much playing you're doing.
Servicing is replacing anything that's become worn or defective through use (such as any worn pads, key corks or tenon corks), plus cleaning out the toneholes, oiling the bore, regulating and oiling the mechanism, checking the springs and checking the pads all seat properly to make sure everything is running smoothly (and adjusting anything that isn't right).
Once it becomes apparent that too many pads and tenon corks need replacing in one go, then that's the time you'd have it overhauled to make it like a brand new instrument again - an overhaul is something that's done far less frequently than a service and is a complete stripdown and rebuild.
The cost of a service and an overhaul is variable depending who you take it to, but an overhaul is one of the most costly repair jobs carried out so expect to pay a lot for a top job - and even more if the keywork has to be replated.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Franklin Liao
Date: 2011-11-02 03:46
Morrie Backun's shop took no more than 3 days to strip down, clean wood, replace pads and re-oiled all linkages for my instrument during this one instance...
With regular self-maintenance, your instrument should be able to go for quite the extended duration without major adjustments. Pad longevity is quite good actually. What is more important is to ensure that the instrument is properly put away, cleaned and stored every time.
To be sure of your instrument's condition, go and ask a professional player or a tech for an inspection. Good techs are impartial and can be invaluable in helping you in learning about your instrument while keeping the instrument in good conditions.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2011-11-02 06:06
>> you get what you pay for <<
It's trickier than that. It's entirely possible that a very good repairer charges a certain amount per hour for an "overhaul", let's say $X. That charge might work for their area and let's say a modest way of life they have. Being a great repairer doesn't cause them to raise their prices to more than that. Another equally good repairer might live in a much more expensive area or maybe they have a big family to take care of, any of many reasons why they charge $XX. Maybe they even work slightly slower. Another repairer who isn't very good, for whatever reason, might charge $XXX.
So it's possible that you get what you pay for, but it's not always as simple as that.
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Author: Mike Clarinet
Date: 2011-11-02 08:33
I Bought my Buffet RC new in 2004. The only problem when new was the wood binding between the top & bottom joints, which was dealt with.
Since then, its had a (using Chris's definitions) service every other year and a complete overhaul this summer just gone.
In between times, there's been the odd 'running repair' of a random pad or tenon cork replacement.
How often you need any work done depends on how much you play of course. I play in community band weekly, and 30 mins practice (yes I wish I had more time) most days, plus the occasional depping and gig. This all add up to about 8 hours a week playing. A music student or pro (or someone with more time) will be playing more and may need more frequent work.
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Author: donald
Date: 2011-11-02 09:51
My R13 was overhauled in 2003, complete re-build, cork/valentino pads. I played this instrument for all my professional gigs, and it was probably used for an average of 5 or 6 hours of playing a day for at least 40 weeks of the year. About every 18 months it would re-visit the workshop for adjustments and the key being refitted etc
When i sold it in 2009 the teacher who bought it from me (to on-sell to his student) found it to be in better condition (in terms of the pad seal) than all the brand new R13s he had tried.
My Festival B flat clarinet (purchased 2nd hand from the Sydney Symphony in January 2009) was completely overhauled by the same repair shop, cork/valentino pads. In October 2011 it was tested on a MAG and was sealing really well- easily over 90% seal.
dn
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