 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Wes
Date: 2012-03-12 03:06
Some older clarinets were made with key axles that are larger on the end near the slot than in the rest of the shaft. Does anyone know what time era these are from, what maker used this technique, or what country they come from?
Presently, I'm restoring a no name clarinet with these kind of axles and would like to know more about it. This simple system clarinet was given to me by my late oboe mentor when he was downsizing his studio. It was played little, probably because of a flat lower end which was not tuned at the factory and I'm working on the tuning. It was not made with a RH Eb/Bb key and most keys have flat springs.
Many thanks!!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2012-03-12 07:20
You sure the slot has not simply been expanded by the screwdriver? That would make the rod appear thicker on that end.
--
Ben
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2012-03-12 08:56
I am very interested to hear a good answer to this since "Gerold" clarinets now feature this design (which he calls 'the one side distance control'). If you think about it, this completely eliminates the problem of expansion and contraction of wood causing the keys too be to lose or too tight between the posts when the slot end then functions as the 'stop' at that end.
.................Paul Aviles
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2012-03-12 11:11
Are you talking about the rod screws (I guess you are), or the hinges (rods and tubes)? Is it similar to the Gerold, where it seems like the gap for the key hinge is between the post and the oversized screw head, as opposed to between posts. Maybe you can post a photo?
Re the system on the Gerold, I can see how it would do what they claim i.e. make it "ignore" the wood expanding or shrinking since the fit doesn't depend on both posts (assuming I understood it right), but I can see some disadvantages.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: MichaelW
Date: 2012-03-12 12:45
Attachment: Spitzschraube.jpg (135k)
Modern German/Oehler clarinets have pin screws instead of long threaded axles for ring keys and C key. These pin screws have thread and shaft diameters, like the threaded axles, of 2.0 mm, and cylindric heads with diameters of 2.4 (Dietz) to 3.0 mm (F.A.Uebel from 1961, foto). The pin screw heads sometimes don’t fit flush in the post but stand proud ½...1 mm.
Threaded axles with widened slots I have replaced as soon as possible. With old instruments sometimes it is a real horror to get the screws out. If you don’t succeed and the head breaks, you have a case for major surgery.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-03-12 12:50
Old Boosey&Co.simple/Albert system clarinets had rod screws with a wider diameter head on them compared to the section that runs through the key barrel. I've seen this on a Lucio Bassi Boehm system clarinet as well.
It makes replacing the rod screws with new ones a pain as it means filling in the pillars and reaming them out to the correct diameter or soldering small pieces of tubing to the slotted ends of the rod screws so they fit tight in the pillar heads, otherwise the ends of the rod screws are loose in the pillars.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2012-03-12 17:34
Dear Clarnibass,
What would be the disadvantages to the Gerold "One Side Control" save for the obvious need to custom make a lost rod?
..................Paul Aviles
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Wes
Date: 2012-03-14 06:59
Thanks to you all for your answers. They are appreciated. It is probably a B & H old clarinet per Chris P. and I'm guessing that it may have been tuned to A 435. Making the axle rods with a step in them seems to have been an unnecessary step which is not being done any more, thankfully.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
