 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: gwie
Date: 2013-03-31 00:38
I recently received Lohff & Pfeiffer's catalog in the mail detailing their various overhaul and setup services, and I was curious if anyone here had any of their instruments done by L&P and what the results were like?
I'm particularly interested in their Studio setup, which uses these interesting synthetic silent pads along with what looks like a metal screw/resonator.
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Author: Bill Patry
Date: 2013-03-31 01:11
I have a number of instruments they have set up: two Selmer Privilege basses (one Low C, the other Low Eb), a 1969 Fritz Wutlitzer bass, and three Buffet basset horns; plus they have repaired a number of other clarinets, such as an Alexandre Robert Bb and alto and one by a modern maker. Their work is uniformly amazing. The Wurlitzer bass was transformed: powerful, with a full sound like any modern bass.
The silent pads work very very well. My daughter was taking a lesson on her Selmer Low Eb, and the teacher, a very well known bass player was quite taken with the utter quiet and the large sound. Their work on basset horns is magical, and it is with these instruments that the silent pads and the metal work on the tenons work wonders.
Given their deep belief in reducing wobbling and leakage, in the winter keys may bind and the tenons may be quite tight especially on the basses, but this can occur with other set ups.
For basses, they also offer custom necks and bells, which Alcides Rodriguez in Atlanta plays.
I have known Wolfgang and Birgit for a number of years. Not only are they craftspeople in the greatest German tradition (they are German despite living in Denmark), but they are he sweetest, warmest people imaginable. I cannot recommend them enough. I believe beginning Monday, Wolfgang will be at the University of Maryland, having just spent a few days in NYC. You can reach his North American representative, Heather Rodriguez (Alcides' wife) at lpwindsusa@gmail.com.
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Author: gwie
Date: 2013-03-31 03:14
Thank you Bill, I just sent her an email and hope to get a response soon.
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2013-04-01 18:04
My daughter had her 6 year old R13 A clarinet done by L&P last year. She says it made a HUGE difference in the way it played, and was well worth the time it was away, as well as the cost.
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2013-04-01 19:55
I tried a few of their instruments at clarinetfest (including a full plateau clarinet) and they were excellent. Seems like a great company doing great things. And that plateau clarinet was awesome.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: gwie
Date: 2013-07-11 06:19
Well, I did it. I just had both my Yamaha CSG clarinets overhauled with the LP Studio setup. They play amazingly, better than the day they were new...it was worth every penny!
The quality is not in what the instrument ends up looking like (different pads, is that it?), but in their response, intonation, and ease of sound production after the work is done...exceptionally high-quality work! Honestly, I was really surprised at the difference...reading quintets this past evening with colleagues and friends, I was so excited by how smooth and even my A clarinet played, and instead of thinking constantly about projection and venting for pitch, I was able to really focus on the music.
I had a couple issues arise because of my case not protecting the instrument entirely during shipping, but Heather Rodriguez responded to me very quickly and offered solutions for every minor detail.
Count me in as a totally satisfied LP customer!
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Author: LCL
Date: 2013-07-11 12:41
About a month ago, I got a new Selmer 67 Low C BC with the studio set-up. I had played a LeBlanc 430 Low C with modifications that I thought was great. I still do, but the Selmer with the L&P set-up is head and shoulders better. I am a satisfied customer!
Best,
LCL
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2013-07-11 18:20
Gene --
The L&P website is informative. The prices are remarkably high -- and I don't mean to disparage them with that statement. If I had the money and were certain of a remarkable return I would pay it.
The other comments in the thread are equally glowing. I'm curious as to how you compare L&P work to other top-notch technicians that you've used before?
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: gwie
Date: 2013-07-11 20:22
I previously owned a set of Buffet R-13 clarinets that I had overhauled by the Brannens, after many years of just getting small maintenance done up at RDG. The work on those instruments was excellent and the improvements to the keywork (especially with the teflon bumpers at the pivot points) really opened my eyes to how big a difference a good setup could make for a clarinet. When I switched to the Yamaha CSG about 5-6 years ago, both of those clarinets also went to the Brannens. I also visited the Yamaha Atelier in Buena Park for adjustments.
The main differences that I notice after having the work done on them by LP is how incredibly well the instrument seals, the absolutely lack of wobble in any of the keywork/mechanism which feels as solid as the day it was new, and significantly improved tone and intonation overall but especially in the throat register. Venting the G, Ab/G#, A, and Bb used to make a significant improvement whereas now the un-vented note is much better. The silent pad system does exactly what they say it is supposed to do...even at the lowest volume levels I don't hear any key noise or pad noise.
As far as the prices go...I think that some people may find it crazy to spend 25% of the cost of a clarinet getting it overhauled and improved, but as a string player (violin/viola) who easily spends nearly a thousand dollars each year on strings and bow re-hairs alone, I think it's still well within reason.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-07-11 22:33
String players pay for a lot more than strings and bow rehairing. If you own a violin good enough to make your living with, you must take it to an artist repair shop a couple of times a year.
Seasonal changes make the wood "work." This stresses the rabbit-hide glue that holds a string instrument together, and the joints open up. This is intentional. The glue is renewable. The wood is not. When something gives, it's got to be 100% the glue. The technician steams the wood, bends it back into the original shape and then glues the instrument back together. String player friends tell me there's nothing like immediate response of a freshly glued, "tight" instrument.
By comparison, the routine upkeep cost for a clarinet is minimal. And see the exchanges concerning tiny leaks intentionally built into Wurlitzer clarinets http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=310537&t=310537.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2013-07-12 00:00
Thanks for the response Gene, I read your bio and you have a very diversified set of accomplishments going on!
Hard to bored with all the options at your fingertips!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: gwie
Date: 2013-07-12 06:20
Thanks James! I'm very grateful to be able to play and teach, and not live in a cardboard box as a result. :P
I'm curious, how many of us clarinetists keep in touch with a high-level instrument technician or designer regularly, as opposed to going whoever is available for maintenance and overhauls? For comparison, I have brought my violin, viola, and bows on a regular schedule to the exact same two people for well over a decade.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2013-07-12 11:43
I initially used Bill and Linda Brannen when I was in Chicago-land for masters and several years after.
I stopped using their services because we had a excellent tech here in town -- I loved his work, his prices, and the flexibility of communication and schedule.
...and then he moved. Ugh.
Local store does decent work, cuts me a rate, and returns my instruments quickly because I have a big studio. But it's not the same. I've tried an individual or two in the DC/MD area, very good work but not blown away.
Gene -- did you ship your horns to Denmark or were they worked on here in US?
James
Gnothi Seauton
Post Edited (2013-07-12 11:47)
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-07-12 13:23
L&P gave me a quite reasonable estimate for a plateau conversion on my R13 Bb.
Ken Shaw
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Author: gwie
Date: 2013-07-12 16:59
Apparently, Wolfgang Lohff visits the US several times a year, and I was able to ship my instruments out to Atlanta and had the work done in-country. Heather Rodriguez coordinates it all (and does a fantastic job).
I feel the same way about my local shops too...they see so much work from schools that the focus isn't on the little details, but on getting large amounts of maintenance and repair done quickly and effectively. By and large it accomplishes what it needs to, but I've been unsuccessful getting small adjustments done ("It's fine the way it is" or "I can't even tell what you're getting at").
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Author: Bill Patry
Date: 2013-07-15 15:20
The whole Lohff & Pfeiffer team will be at Clarinetfest in Assisi for those of you going.
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Author: na1965
Date: 2016-09-17 02:42
Attachment: s-l1600a.jpg (241k)
I recently purchased a pre-owned Buffet Festival online from a brick and mortar music store. (I should receive it in a couple of days.) The previous owner reportedly had a "studio setup" performed by Lohff & Pfeiffer, and had an additional metal band placed on the lower tenon on the upper joint (a white arrow is pointing to this band on the attached photo.) I was told that the clarinet has no cracks or repaired cracks. Does anyone know the purpose of this additional band?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-09-17 15:35
The metal sleeved or ringed tenon is fitted to rectify the notoriously bad middle tenon on Buffet Prestige level clarinets so it fits the socket with no wobble even without the tenon cork fitted. I think they also sleeve the socket with nickel silver (like oboes) to make it absolutely perfect and rock solid fit.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: ruben
Date: 2016-09-17 16:04
Dear Sfalexi,
What is the advantage of a full-plateau clarinet? I haven't seen one for years and the ones I saw were for beginners.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-09-17 16:24
From my experience they're excellent for players who have arthritis or players with small hands or narrow fingers and have trouble covering the chimneys successfully - especially the RH2 and RH3 chimneys which are often the main culprits. I regularly service a Vito plateaux clarinet for an elderly lady with serious arthritis in both hands and the covered keywork is a real benefit to her.
While I have relatively large hands and ample fingertips, I find the feel of them not all that alien as I also play saxes and oboes. If anything I prefer the feel of full plateaux clarinets under the fingers. I wouldn't mind a full Boehm with full plateaux keywork, but I dread to think how heavy that might be - then again, it'll probably be as heavy as a cor anglais but much shorter, so less of a strain on the right arm. Probably could be getting on the weight of a soprano sax.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2016-09-17 18:55
Chris P wrote:
> From my experience they're excellent for players who have
> arthritis or players with small hands or narrow fingers and
> have trouble covering the chimneys successfully - especially
> the RH2 and RH3 chimneys which are often the main culprits. I
> regularly service a Vito plateaux clarinet for an elderly lady
> with serious arthritis in both hands and the covered keywork is
> a real benefit to her.
In addition to this, I've heard from some sax players of how they would LOVE a plateau clarinet when they double. We're talking amateur sax players, who play clarinet VERY infrequently, but they don't want to deal with the chimneys. Similar to flute with plateau keys (easier to quickly transition for those that didn't or don't want to spend time learning it cause it's just a second instrument, of a hobby).
Most of the time, I've seen plateau keys only on CERTAIN tone holes as a way to deal with a particularly bad or injured finger. But I think Chris' description is probably the more common reason someone would want an entire plateau clarinet. That and maybe very very young beginners with small hands.
I've entertained the idea of somehow getting them for my job as an Army clarinetist because if it's more than 32 degrees out, we're playing. So marching a Christmas parade in 34 degree weather, or for our weekly outdoor ceremonies (appx two hours each) throughout the winter it would help IMMENSELY if we were able to wear gloves and still have the clarinet function. I can't seem to find a way to purchase plateau clarinets using our purchasing systems and so we just cut holes in the finger tips of our gloves, and play as long as we can before our fingers stop working.
So also in cold weather clarinet playing, plateau keys would be handy.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: gwie
Date: 2016-09-18 02:58
Just this past year I shipped my Bb out to Wolfgang when he was at one of the big conferences in Texas. He did his magic and it came back to me very quickly.
I'm really happy with the work on both my Yamaha CSG's...and they hold for a *very* long time. I've only had to make minor adjustments on my end to keep it functioning well and despite the initial outlay, the value is definitely there.
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The Clarinet Pages
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