 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Wookie001
Date: 2017-05-15 22:55
Hello there,
sometimes when I put together the parts of my Buffet RC I accidently move against some of the mechanics with my hand and I wonder if that can damage the mechanics easily. is that possible or would it need more force to bend a key or something?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2017-05-16 01:10
How are you holding it during assembly and taking apart?
Far too many people - even a lot of teachers and pros don't know how to correctly assemble a clarinet without stressing or bending keywork.
On Buffets, the RH F/C touchpiece is particularly soft and that can be bent out of adjustment very easily through both clumsy handling and also soft sided cases with too much crap stuffed in the lid compartment as well as people putting tons of music and whatnot inside the lid compartment on hard cases with an internal lid compartment.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2017-05-16 16:17
The left hand levers can easily get bent enough so they clack together, and, as Chris said, the F/C key is easily bent so that it doesn't close with the E/B key. This occurs when the clarinet is assembled (or disassembled) by gripping the lower joint with the thumb on the F/C touch-piece. Other keys I frequently see bent are the 3-ring key on the lower joint and they A/D ring key on the upper joint (bent down towards the body. And, of course, the side Bb key and bridge key get bent from carelessness.
Steve Ocone
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2017-05-16 17:21
Attachment: P5140001.JPG (683k)
Attachment: P5140002.JPG (649k)
This is how I show people how to hold clarinets when assembling/disassembling them. See attachments.
it's pretty easy to remember as you hold the joint in the same hand that controls the main action keywork on it, so ALWAYS hold the top joint in your LEFT hand and the lower joint in your RIGHT hand. You can't go wrong doing that.
Holding the ring keys closed on the top joint raises the linkage between the joints so it won't get mashed up during assembly.
You're also holding the throat A key open which is important if you play alto or bass clarinet and they have the extra linkage between the joints - holding the throat A key will raise this linkage too and prevent it being bent.
Holding the largest pad cups closed with your right thumb on the lower joint will prevent the keywork being bent. You're not putting pressure on the touchpieces nor forcing them upwards.
Most importantly, make sure your tenon corks are sufficiently greased to ease assembly - don't overdo or underdo greasing your tenon corks.
If the tenons are binding solid in their respective sockets, then take it to your repairer straight away so they can resize the tenon rings as it's most likely the tenon rings binding in the sockets and no amount of cork grease or sanding the corks down will resolve. Don't touch anything yourself - leave it to an experienced repairer to sort out or you'll end up with rounded off and wobbly tenons.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: jthole
Date: 2017-05-19 23:59
Not sure if it is the right way, but I have always assembled the bell first, so that I can hold the lower joint without touching any of the keywork.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2017-05-20 00:40
Attachment: P5160001 (2).JPG (672k)
Here's how I hold the lower joint when fitting the bell (which I usually do before fitting the top joint).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: BrianLundberg
Date: 2017-05-20 00:47
Regarding the lower joint, I never even lean on the lower rods. I use the rod posts for applying pressure to twist the bell on 1st, then build upwards. They seem to bend just by looking at them. It throws the seal off on the pads.
I don't want to press into the pad cups to assemble the instrument. This can cause sealing issues too.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2017-05-20 01:25
How else are you meant to hold it? I've never had any rods bend nor pads lose their seal in all the time I've held them in this manner.
I've seen far more bent keys as a result of players assembling them by holding them in all manner of odd ways and screwing the joints together with a lot of movement as opposed to pushing and slightly twisting in both directions.
Provide some photos of your preferred method.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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