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RE: Overhauls

Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-04-09 14:36

30 years ago Buffet used fantastic blader pads. They had firm, thin felt with square profile which very neatly overlapped the tone hole edges. The bladder (skin) itself was thick and lasted for a very very long time.

I am being regularly disappointed at the very low quality, thin, brittle bladder used on the pads of some top makers, and this use appears to be in a somewhat random fashion. They are splitting around the seal circle in a very short time.

I think it is poor indeed that pads are giving up so soon. Have you considered getting it repadded under guarantee.

In spite of the above I do accept that there is the odd pad membrane which, being a natural product, is substandard, and this is difficult to detect during and after manufacture. However with quality pads this is rare indeed.

I also accept that some players kill certain pads, such as the top side key, by the pressure they exert while assembling the instrument. The problem is often that a substandard cork grease is being used. I recommend synthetic grease, as sold by Doctor's Products.

I regard the use of bladder pads on register keys as mildly stupid in light of the fuzzy sounding Bb that they encourage and how quickly they die.

I have no problem with high quality bladder pads on the rest of the instrument.

See my new post on "Single Versus Double Bladder"

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Overhauls new

Jeff

2001-04-02 20:50