Author: m1964
Date: 2020-01-16 21:48
Chris P. and Clarnibass,
Hello and thanks a lot for your help.
"First check that the seat marked on the pad is in a location that would allow a non-stepped pad i.e. inside the pad cup. Unlikely but still possible they botched the soldering alignment to the front or back which is usually unrealistic to repair for a DIY".
To Clarnibass:
The pad cup on my R13 looks relatively even in relation to the tone hole.
However, I did see the exact problem you described recently, when I re-padded bandmate's Selmer. The C#/G# cup was off the center of the tone hole and the pad coverage on one side was about 1mm or even less.
Re: bending the touchpiece.
The opening height appears to be right and opening it more would lead to the greater key travel. You are right that the material Buffet uses under the touchpiece is not sandable (and is very thin on that key). I will try putting even thinner cork or felt instead.
However, I believe that the stepped pad not only obstructs the air flow but it may cause some of that air to be reflected back into the clarinet.
I checked Ferrees and JLSmith and did not see non-stepped pads except for Greenback which I do not like because, in my experience, they "dull" the sound.
I should be able to fit a cork pad there, which I would prefer to key bending, if a thinner bumper does not help.
I used to use white shellac but now use pellets of glue instead as pad adhesive.
I remove the old pad and clean any dirt inside the cup.
I use a pistol-style soldering gun to heat the cup. Usually 20-30 seconds is enough to melt the pellets in the small pad cups.
Using 1-2 pellets, I melt them inside the cup, with the cup upside down, trying to get the glue at level. Then I refit the key and place the pad in. I then level the pad trying to achieve good seal- usually I use "suction method" to check the seal.
Then I heat the glue allowing the spring to bring the key down first and then I press the key cup down.
I do not press Eb/Bb side key because it may move it too much down.
Since the pad in question is relatively flat on the body I would not expect major problems if there is no damage to the tone hole.
So, my plan is to remove the key, fit a thinner bumper and also check the tone hole.
If the thinner bumper helps, I'm done.
If the thinner bumper does not help and the tone hole looks good, then I get a few 9mm cork pads and refit both Bb and A clarinets.
In any case, I'd like to know a good source for cork pads.
Thank you.
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