 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Suiag
Date: 2013-06-27 03:56
I don't know why, but the top and bottom joints of my clarinet aren't going together properly - they're a good 2 millimetres apart...
I've put cork-grease on, and they slide together, up to this one point where it just stops, and they refuse to go together anymore :/
Any idea what's could be causing this problem?
I've had it for 3 years, it's a Buffet Crampon R13 Greenline.
It has snapped in half, along this same part which is causing problems now.. but it has been repaired and put back together with the aid of superglue & pins.. I've looked all over and I can't see a logical reason why it would be doing this, though..
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-06-27 04:03
Sounds like the upper tenon ring is just a bit too large in diameter to fit in the socket - they have to be a close fit to prevent the joint rocking, but if they're too tight they'll either bid solid or simply won't go together no matter how much grease you use.
It's a fairly easy thing to sort out on wooden clarinets as the tenon rings can be shaved down with a very sharp scraper or scalpel blade to remove just enough wood to make the tenon fit properly, but on Greenlines they require more work to achieve a good fit due to the density of the material which is tough going on tools.
Another possibility is the lower tenon ring could be too wide and the socket could be slightly tapered so it binds near the bottom of the socket preventing it to go all the way in. I just recently worked on a DG Prestige which had a middle tenon that rocked (and had been a long-standing problem with this clarinet), so I turned and fitted a new metal lower tenon ring (it had previously been replaced but was causing the joints not to line up properly, so I made a new one for it) and once fitted I found it would only go so far into the socket before it bound solid with the socket. So I put a very slight taper on it (but still made sure it fitted in the socket) and that made sure it went all the way in. To be honest, the socket had also seen some work as the inside was varnished. The best thing for it would be to open up the socket, then turn up and fit a metal socket lining with parallel sides (which fits the tenon perfectly) as that will ensure a good wobble-free fit.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2013-06-27 04:44)
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Author: pewd
Date: 2013-06-27 04:48
All Buffet clarinets have this issue. Sloppy job at the factory, its been going on for 10-15 years. Seems to be getting worse.
Anyway, take it to a tech to have the tenons sanded down. Don't wait. If you keep forcing it, you can cause cracks in the wood. I see this all the time with my students, so much so that I carry sandpaper around with me.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2013-06-27 10:20
I seem to be reading your post differently. It appears from your description that you are NOT having issues with the parts coming together, but that they no longer come together completely.
My guess is that the repair job slightly lengthened the tenon at the bottom of the top joint. It should be easy for the tech who did the job to sand down two millimeters off the bottom of that tenon for you. Since this material is more robust than wood (with regards to tooling and sanding, NOT snapping!) I'd recommend having the tech do it.
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2013-06-27 12:16
I refit almost every new Buffet clarinet tenon / socket using socket reamers from the Buffet factory. The problem may or not be the upper shoulder. The socket ring could be making the top of the socket a little smaller. Easy to measure,
Steve Ocone
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2013-06-27 15:53
I've had this problem on several Buffets of various persuasions. Taking a smidgeon off the tenon generally fixes the problem, but I have found some Buffet tenon sockets that are not parallel. If you have this condition then skimming the male tenon will just give you a wobbly joint, and there's nothing worse than a wobbly joint.
Tony F.
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Author: Bennett ★2017
Date: 2013-06-27 15:59
Perhaps as a first step precisely measure the length of the tenon and the depth of the socket. No need for a ruler. Use an old reed and a pencil. Is there enough room? Though it sounds as though they fit perfectly for 3 years and all of a sudden problems?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-06-27 16:06
You only skim the tenon rings where they bind in the socket (where the shiny spots are) - you don't have to skim the entire tenon ring. As wood normally goes oval when it swells (and shrinks), there are usually two spots on the tenon ring that bind in the socket and these are the ones that need skimming.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2013-06-27 22:16
As luck would have it, I had to refit the tenon socket connection to at leaf 5 Buffet clarinets today including 3 Greenline Toscas. Yes, Greenline instruments do swell with humidity. And yes the tenon shoulder closer to the body was significantly larger than the shoulder at the end on all of them. I don't know if this is intentional. I used a combination of socket reamers and careful reduction of the larger shoulder.
Steve Ocone
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Author: Suiag
Date: 2013-06-28 10:41
Thank you all for your opinions!
We had a very close look, and it turned out that, when it was glued together, the glue spilled out a little bit, and since it was superglue, the excess glue was cleaned off, and it now fits together again.
I just I didn't notice the excess glue because it was clear and hard to see, I think.
Thank you all for taking time to reply, I really appreciate it!
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