 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: GenEric
Date: 2017-06-26 04:40
So I'm not exactly the person to take care of their horn very well but i'm getting an R13 and I'm very exhilarated. I wanted to know what you guys think about certain swab materials and different types of cork greases and other things you carry with you.
Do you guys have a certain swab preference? Currently, I just use a silk swab but my bore is always a little moist after several swipes.
Also, I know that there are several people who make good cork grease like The Doctor, Brad Behn, and Tom Ridenour but is there a "best" one? I'll take any opinions I guess.
Finally, are there any recommended other products to keep like key oil, a silver polishing cloth, etc that you guys in particular recommend?
Thanks!
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-06-26 05:01
GenEric wrote:
> Do you guys have a certain swab preference? Currently, I just
> use a silk swab but my bore is always a little moist after
> several swipes.
>
I prefer silk, but some silk swabs are wider than others. The narrower ones don't make enough contact with the bore.
> Also, I know that there are several people who make good cork
> grease like The Doctor, Brad Behn, and Tom Ridenour but is
> there a "best" one? I'll take any opinions I guess.
After a couple of years of using The Doctor's cork grease, I've just gone back as an experiment to tallow, which many of us used when I was younger.
It seemed when I used it previously to work very well.
> Finally, are there any recommended other products to keep like
> key oil, a silver polishing cloth, etc that you guys in
> particular recommend?
Key oil is good to have at home, but you needn't carry it around in your case. If you're using cane reeds, a good reed knife (secured in a sheath so you don't cut yourself reaching for it or something else) is handier to have with you than ATG, rush or sandpaper, all of which need a flat surface to work on. (But you may not be able to carry it in your case at school.) A good screwdriver small enough for the slots on the clarinet keys can be handy in case of sudden binds.
Karl
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2017-06-26 05:01
Get an anti tarnish silver strip - Container store sells them if you get silver keywork.
And NEVER use the chemically treated tarnish cloth more than maybe 2x a year. When it removes tarnish, it also removes silver!!!
With the strip in place, no tarnish anyway.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2017-06-26 05:42
Chamois is a fine material to make a clarinet swab out of, especially if you are concerned about left over moisture--which, I wouldn't be too much (depends upon how much.)
Search for chamois clarinet swab on the internet.
Competitive platform/diving board divers, desiring to be "wrung dry" in all dives after the first of a session, so as to minimize their spash, use chamois to wipe themselves down after a dive, given its adsorpative, not to mention smooth qualities for the clarinet bore.
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Author: dorjepismo ★2017
Date: 2017-06-26 06:41
Had good luck with a Bam swab. Looks a little ungainly, but does what you want a swab to do, and has no downsides I know of. Some kind of cloth to wipe the keys off should be enough. I've used chamois as Dave suggests and liked it, but currently use a Vandoren thing--"microfiber" or some such--that seems to do the same kind of job. Haven't had a tarnishing problem and prefer to avoid chemicals, but if becomes a problem, then try the strips. No experience with the strips David B. mentions, but he generally speaks from experience. Got some Alisyn cork grease from MusicMedic that has worked very well, though I'm sure there are other excellent types as well. Never liked the standard stuff everyone used to use that they sold in music stores, but this stuff is worth the extra trouble.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2017-06-26 07:26
Buffet includes a good swab with their new clarinets.
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Author: Klose ★2017
Date: 2017-06-26 08:48
The one from Buffet is not very good (easily get stuck). My personal favorite is the YAMAHA one (green colored)
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2017-06-26 09:20
I like the Vandoren microfiber swab. It never got stuck, but it's slightly big so I guess it could if you are not careful.
My favourite cork grease is Alisyn but also like Dcotor's Slik one. I don't like the Doctor's synthetic cork grease or the Ultimax sold by some that were mentioned (very sticky).
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Author: Klose ★2017
Date: 2017-06-26 14:06
kdk mentioned a reed knife. Here I just wonder how many of you use a knife to modify reeds? It seems that every oboist has a reed knife but it is not widely used in clarinet world. I normally use sandpaper only.
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Author: Doug Leach
Date: 2017-06-26 15:32
Best reed tool which you can carry in your case is a reed geek. You can use it anywhere.
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Author: dorjepismo ★2017
Date: 2017-06-26 18:30
Klose, I used a reed knife as my primary tool for a long time, because I had to do a lot of work on reeds and it gave me the most control. With my setup now, I can use Behn reeds with little, or in some cases no, modification, and there's the thing about watching your fingers and remembering to take the knife out of the case when you fly. So I mostly use one of those Vandoren glass wands for the little work I have to do on reeds, because it's small and light, and doesn't wear out fast or get funky after awhile.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-06-26 22:36
Klose wrote:
> kdk mentioned a reed knife. Here I just wonder how many of you
> use a knife to modify reeds? It seems that every oboist has a
> reed knife but it is not widely used in clarinet world. I
> normally use sandpaper only.
I don't generally use a knife at home, either. But using my preferred tool, rush, or sandpaper or at ATG block means carrying around a piece of plate glass or other flat surface (I use a small block of black marble), which often means carrying your paraphernalia in a separate bag, attaché or backpack. Students generally have enough to carry through school, so things that fit compactly in the case itself seem better (assuming the knife fits). The problem with reed knives and students is that many schools since 9/11 have instituted strict rules about weapons in the building, and having a reed knife could in many schools get a student suspended or even prosecuted.
A Reed Geek might be an acceptable substitute. Of course, if it's convenient to carry the glass plate or marble block with you, any reed adjusting tool is good to have for emergencies.
Karl
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Author: Sean.Perrin
Date: 2017-07-08 00:16
I second that the Vientos swabs are amazing. It's why I carry them on the store!
The bass clarinet swabs are great too because they include two weights.
Founder and host of the Clarineat Podcast: http://www.clarineat.com
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Author: oarguelles
Date: 2017-07-08 12:29
I totally agree...
Bambu swabs work like charm on my French clarinets. I got mine while in Argentina few years ago. No trace of them in the U.K. (a pity!) unless this has changed recently.
For my period clarinets I prefer BG A32. It seems to work better in narrower bores.
On the knife front I use it sometimes to readjust the reed tip (specially after trimming it).
I normally do this operation whilst the reed is attached to the mouthpiece.
In order to protect the mouthpiece from the knife action I use a 0.5 mm. guitar pick in between reed and mouthpiece.
Of course the knife should be always as sharp as possible.
For fine reed adjustment I use brown wrapping paper.
It seems to close open pores in the cane (without removing material) and enhancing a bit the reed performance.
Post Edited (2017-07-08 12:41)
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Author: lisseyjj
Date: 2017-07-13 01:33
i use the green silk cloth that came with my yamaha only with my ycl-csg-iii. seems like a good combination.
i use either a bg chamois cloth or vandoren microfibre cloth with my 1934 boosey and hawkes.
i have one vandoren reed guard i keep in my pocket and use with both the yamaha and b&h. used to carry reed rush around too but that often just made my reed problems worse and i ruined my reeds - i just find reeds that work for specific temperatures and humidities. i will also occasionally carry either a bari or legere reed in my case if it's particularly unforgiving reed weather.
i don't think i've ever used key or bore oil (probably not a good thing) so i don't need to lug them around.
i always keep a small instrument screwdriver in each case for quick adjustments and repairs.
i use 'the doctors' cork grease on my yamaha and some random rico grease i found at home on my b&h or holton collegiate.
tuning rings are occasionally on me. very rarely, though.
depending on wether i'm playing orchestral or jazz, i will use different mouthpieces. selmer c85 115 for jazz with some cheap-o rico orange box in either 1.5 or 2. that mouthpiece doesn't get much use. i tend to use a rico reserve x5 with v12 2.5 reeds. ligature in all cases is a vandoren m/o in gold or pewter depending if i'm using my yamaha or b&h.
vaseline is a must for me as i always have chapped lips after playing.
i periodically use the silver cloth that came with my yamaha on both the b&h and yamaha. i tend to keep a tarnish paper string thing in the case instead.
pencils! i play in lots of ensembles so these are a must. i always seem to lose them. also, i carry over-score tape. brilliant stuff.
that's pretty much it
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-07-13 05:12
lisseyjj wrote:
> i use the green silk cloth that came with my yamaha only with
> my ycl-csg-iii. seems like a good combination.
>
But buy more than one so you can swap them out occasionally and use one while another is in the laundry.
>
> pencils! i play in lots of ensembles so these are a must. i
> always seem to lose them.
Also a good pencil eraser. The ones on the tips of many pencils dry out and become useless, as do those pointy things they sell to go over the dried out ones. A good eraser will last years sitting in your case and will make erasing marks much cleaner.
Karl
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Author: TomS
Date: 2017-07-13 06:03
IMHO, you should have tuning rings for the top and bottom of the barrel and the center joint ... and a small Korg tuner/metronome ... all in your case. Some plumbers teflon tape, screwdriver, fingernail polish, cork grease, spare MP and MP patches, cigarette papers, constant humidity reed case (there are new ones that use Listerine on a sponge to keep bacteria down on the reeds), spare batteries for your stand light, mascara brush, super glue, swab, polishing cloth ... I keep all of this stuff with me ...
Tom
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Author: kdk
Date: 2017-07-13 06:13
TomS wrote:
> IMHO, you should have ... a small Korg
> tuner/metronome
This may, ironically, be an indicator of a player's age. Most of my students have phone apps to do this - they don't need to carry the Korg around as a separate item.
Karl
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Author: ClarinetRobt
Date: 2017-07-13 06:54
Dang I could remodel a bathroom out of Tom's case! ![[cool]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/cool.gif)
I use to have cigarette type papers coated with baby powder. Did a better job soaking moisture than zig zags. Any idea what they are and where to buy?
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Author: lisseyjj
Date: 2017-07-13 12:09
im not a very heavy user on my instrument, so i tend to not keep repair materials with me. mainly lugging it to my school orchestra twice a week and the rather large jazz band we have. if something goes wrong i'll just take one of the crummy plastic ones (catelinet eugh. one buffet but gets loaned out all the time) out of the cupboard and switch out my mouthpiece until i can fix my own. the most abuse my instrument gets is when a bunch of 11/12 year olds run down the incredibly narrow corridor in the morning and knock everything out of their way with the rucksacks that are as big as they are! or the violin and cello players in orchestra just shoving everything out of the way to put their case on the table. There's been one too many close shaves for my liking.
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