 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarinetdawg
Date: 2012-10-25 23:36
I just purchased a B&H for my daughter. Nice overhaul and full repad and key regulation. Problem is the bore stinks (surprise!) Anyone have any ideas how to change the smell without damaging the wood?
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2012-10-26 13:36
clarinetdawg wrote:
> I just purchased a B&H for my daughter. Nice overhaul and full
> repad and key regulation. Problem is the bore stinks
> (surprise!) Anyone have any ideas how to change the smell
> without damaging the wood?
I've had good luck using "Doctor's Wood Cleaner" from Doctor's Products. Soak some cotton patches in this cleaner and run them down the bore with a cleaning/oiling rod (you could also use a small diameter dowel with a slot cut in the end ). I've found that this method will remove a surprising amount of gunk from the bores of older clarinets and should help to alleviate any funky smells.
I will caution that you should try to avoid getting any of this cleaner on the pads so I recommend slipping a small piece of waxed paper underneath each of the closed pads before starting the cleaning procedure.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-10-26 15:04
Or better still, take all the keys off if you know what you're doing. Any cleaner that gets into toneholes (and it will) can be cleaned up easily with cotton buds (Q-tips) while the keys are off.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: BartHx
Date: 2012-10-26 16:48
It surprises me that apparently the bore was not cleaned during the overhaul.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-10-26 17:34
Some clarinets will retain a certain amount of odour in the wood no matter how well they're cleaned. My old Selmers have the old smell in the wood which is made noticeable when it's drilled into.
Depending on the individual's perception, certain smells will be regarded as pleasant or foul. Someone brought their old B&H clarinet to me and said they didn't like the smell, but to me it smelt like a lot of old B&H clarinets which I didn't find unpleasant - it was just what I expected it to smell like.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: clarinetdawg
Date: 2012-10-27 18:23
Thanks Steve appreciate it, will give it a try. And I don't mind the smell usually either but this one is a little too musty smelling even for me. My daughter notices every smell Chris. And I agree Bart, have no idea why they did clean this when the repadded and regulated, think I will ask them. Thanks for the replies. Dave
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-10-27 21:38
The bore of the clarinet is designed to get wet. When Peter Spriggs restored my 1908 Buffet set, he said he spent hours over a sink scrubbing crud out of the bore.
It could be picking the smell up from the case. Try putting it in a different case for a while.
Sunlight is a great cure for mustiness. I've had good results when I open the case, turn it around and put it on a sunny windowsill. Perhaps you could set the joints on end and put them where the sun shines down the bore. It's easy to make a holder from a bent wire coat hanger.
Lelia refurbishes junk sale clarinets and has the most experience. Mayday Lelia.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Campana
Date: 2012-10-27 22:25
This is probably not just an unpleasant smell. Mustiness is caused by mold and mold releases spores and spores cause repiratory problems. You shouldn't really be playing the clarinet until the problem is sorted.
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Author: BartHx
Date: 2012-10-27 23:01
If you're willing to take the keys off, I would use the Doctor's wood cleaner, a test tube brush for the bore, and a mascara brush for the tone holes. Keep cleaning until there is no more gunk coming out. If you had an instrument with undercut tone holes, they are a whole other problem.
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Author: clarinetdawg
Date: 2012-10-28 00:37
Good point Campana. Haven't played it much and my daughter hasn't touched it yet. Thanks for all the replies. Seller is taking it back and refunding $. Next time I will try not to purchase site unseen but wanted a large bore vintage.
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2012-10-28 15:33
I'm somewhat embarrassed by how often I've bloviated on this subject, but if you click on the Resources link at the top of this page, go to Archives and then use the search term
stink+Lelia
you'll find a whole lot of stuff from 1998 to the present, from me and also from other people, related to different kinds of stinkiness and what to do about them.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
Post Edited (2012-10-28 15:36)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-10-28 16:16
Leila, you can click on 'Search' at the top of the thread to get the same search engine.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-10-29 16:39
Ppos! My fnirges dno't wrok porprely!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2012-10-29 16:41)
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