The Clarinet BBoard

The Clarinet BBoard The C4 standard

New Topic | Go to Top | Go to Topic | Search | Help/Rules | Smileys/Notes | Log In

Previous Message | Next Message

Re: Which key to check?

Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2017-03-30 05:04

The "crow's foot" or "foot key" under the RH E/B and F#/C# keys that pull the F/C key above them down when either is pressed is most likely out of adjustment. Sometimes a bumper has fallen out, sometimes it's just gotten bent out of position. A tech can adjust it back in a few seconds (may not even charge you if all he has to do is bend it back).

The clamp (the "plug" you ask about) is meant to keep the pads at the bottom of the RH section closed in storage to maintain the impression in a standard skin-covered felt pad. For awhile, Buffet was supplying them on their clarinets and my repairman was recommending using clear plastic hair bands around the RH E/B key to do the same thing (the colored rubber ones tarnish silver plate). I'm told that newer, softer pad types (e.g. white Valentinos) may actually be harmed by doing this because it causes too deep an impression that may interfere with the pad clearance when open, and also that with some newer harder pad types (I think black Valentinos, for example) the clamping isn't effective. So, it depends on what pads you have on the bottom tone holes and also, to an extent, on your repair tech's opinion about the relative merit/harm of holding E/B and F/C closed when the clarinet isn't being played.

Karl

Reply To Message | Avail. Forums | Flat View

Newer Topic | Older Topic

Topics