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Re: Long vent tube in Buffet A

Author: gatto
Date: 2017-12-11 20:24

Recently I got changed the register tube of my RC Prestige "A". The repairs man ordered the same A-tube again and additionally a Bb-tube. (For the second Buffet needed some months to deliver it.)

He shortended the A-tube by 0.7 mm and undercutted the opening. Then several positions where tested. I recall, the reason was problems of grunting LH clarion "a" (and surrounding tones). This problem slightly improved. Also, the cork pad of the register key was replaced by a flat one of harder cork. Of course, there were slight intonation changes.

Then we tried the B-tube. The B-tube was quite different from my register tube I have in my RC Prestige "Bb". The delivered one had a screw thread, and a hexagon head. The repairs man removed both, so that he could glue it into position like the A-tube. Ironically this tube now is even longer then the A-tube. (As a result some of my swabs do not longer work.) So I have doubts that the Bb-tube is really the original one for Buffet Bb-clarinets, even if it was delivered by Buffet. Maybe someone else here has better informations. At least, the bore of the Bb-tube seems to be different.

BUT the result was much better. I cannot say that the mentioned tones are completely free of problems now, but it is much better and I can improve things better now by embouchure. Even more important (but probably this depends on each other) the A-clarinet feels now less resistant, similar to my Bb-flat clarinet. As a result I can use a V12 and V21 reed of strengths 3.5 (mouthpiece: BD5), which seemed to be almost impossible for me before.

So I am quite happy now. Of course, the good immediate impressions have to be proved in the next time. I am still wondering if the result would have been the same (or even better) with an "original" Bb-tube (see my mentioned doubt above).

I additionally bought an ICON (gold) barrel, and have the feeling that the tone is even more focussed now.

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