 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: whangler
Date: 2012-02-07 03:01
Hi folks, Newby question here. I'm 2 months in to taking clarinet lessons now and recently bought my own clarinet after playing 2 different borrowed instruments from friends. My new (used) Cl is a Selmer Soloist; and I'm happy with it for now. Also got a Fobes Debut MP.
I travel in my RV several times a year usually to the desert or the mountains. I would like to take a clarinet to play when traveling but worry that the rapid change in elevation in the mountains or lack of humidity in the desert will damage the wood clarinet.
I see that decent used plastic clarinets can be had for a song. Would you advise traveling with one of those instead of my wood Selmer?
Thanks,
David
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2012-02-07 04:00
Yup. I'd recommend a plastic horn because of the quick changes in elevation and humidity. Also keep a variety of reed strengths with you because elevation (and humidity of course) will require different reed strengths!
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Author: donald
Date: 2012-02-07 04:30
for the last two summers i have camped all over NZ, following the summer swell (trad style longboarding is my other passion) with a Buescher Aristocrat B flat Clarinet (overhauled with Valentino pads) in the boot (trunk) of the car. I've probably done 40 or 50 hours of prac on this clarinet in various outdoor locations (some very remote) or in the passenger seat of the car. I strongly recommend this, rather than taking ones best clarinet on holiday.
dn
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Author: weberfan
Date: 2012-02-07 12:15
I travel for business from time to time. I always take my Yamaha YCL-250, the plastic student model, and never worry about weather or altitude. Wish I'd had some sandpaper in Tucson, though. My reeds played like plywood.
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Author: luca1
Date: 2012-02-07 13:43
Ridenour Rubber clarinet & forestone or Legere reeds ... plastic on rubber ....ready to travel, and sounding great!
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Author: rtmyth
Date: 2012-02-07 13:51
The Ridenour TR147s fill the bill. I played them in sun (95F), and rain ,with no damage .
richard smith
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-02-07 14:43
An all-weather clarinet should have the following properties:
- Plastic or ebonite body with the keys purposely loose fitting between pillars,
- Stainless steel screws and springs as they won't rust if they get wet,
- Natural cork tenons as they're often more supple than most synthetic cork substitutes,
- Good quality high density synthetic pads as they won't swell, burst or dry out,
- Synthetic reeds as they're impervious to changes in humidity.
With that, you'll be well prepared for anything the weather throws at you!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: William
Date: 2012-02-07 18:56
My main line clarinets (Buffet R13 Bb & A) have traveled with me all over the US & Canada through all sorts of climatic changes and I've never had a problem. Just use common sense and a lot of TLC--your clarinets are more durable than we often think.
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Author: whangler
Date: 2012-02-08 04:12
Thanks for your replies everybody. I'm going to keep an eye out for a used plastic clarinet. Does anybody know this: are the ergonomics the Buffet B12's keywork the same as the R13? I bought a Selmer Soloist and I have a friend's Buffet R13 on loan. I find the Buffet far more playable. It seems those keys were just made for my hands. Not so much so on the Selmer. I'm sure a good experienced player could rip it up on my Selmer, but I'd rather not fight the instrument. If the B12 feels like the R13, I'd seek one of those.
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2012-02-08 08:58
The B12 I test-played in October 2011 had very comfortable and ergonomic keywork. It is not the exact same layout as an R13, and the action on the example I played lacked the precision and quick reflexes of an R13.
A good technician could address the lack of precision and responsiveness in the works, however.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2012-02-08 14:59
I've played over 200 different clarinets over the years and my recently purchased used plastic Yamaha 26 II plays as well as any......
Bob Draznik
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2012-02-08 16:00
After cracking my Buffet RC after heat soaking it in the RV's overhead compartment in the New Mexico desert, I tried to figure out how thermal stress acts to pull the wood apart.
The required data is not readily available (I'd hope that the major clarinet makers have it: thermal expansion and strength data for clarinet woods in all three directions relative to the grain direction).
Using "ebony" data, and realizing that some sticks of wood are stronger than others, I concluded that a 50-deg F temperature gradient through the wall of a wooden instrument would be about all that the wood could tolerate. You'd want to cut that critical delta-temperature in half or more to be sure that blowing into a cold clarinet won't crack it.
I suppose the other scenario of hot clarinet, cool breath could come up...
I'm about to take off for a spring-in-the-desert excursion of a couple months and am worried about having another crack; so I'm looking for a plastic Yamaha Bb to accompany my rubber Lyrique A.
Bob Phillips
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