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 Improved Albert or Oehler
Author: funkyanimal 
Date:   2020-02-16 22:30

Look for some expertise on this FA Uebel Clarinet... Serial number is Model 636-76921. From what you guys can tell from the attached picture, is this just a modification of the Oehler system or is an a more complex Albert system clarinet.

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 Re: Improved Albert or Oehler
Author: Chris P 
Date:   2020-02-16 22:51

If it looks like this:

https://www.holzblaeser.com/produkte/images/artikel/0042178/27502.png

... it's a fairly basic German system. The B/F# vent on the lower joint is on the side instead of on the top - it's usually positioned between RH fingers 1 and 2.

Oehler systems have from between 24 and up to 28 keys (depending if they have the low E-F correction key or not as well as extra trill keys) and 5 ring keys with a covered fingerplate instead of a ring key for RH finger 2 which operates two small side keys on the lower joint.

Albert/simple systems have a French bore with a longer length of expansion/flare in the lower joint which starts just below the F#/C# tonehole. On German/Oehler systems the expansion is below the lowest tonehole (F/C tonehole) and in the same region as the lower joint tenon.

With the three large pad cups on the right side of the lower joint with the lowest one doubled up with the E/B key, it appears it has a special mechanism to fully vent F#/C# when using just the LH E/B key for that note (the 'patent C#' fingering) so F#/C# has the same tuning and tone quality regardless which fingering is used.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010

The opinions I express are my own.

Post Edited (2020-02-16 22:56)

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 Re: Improved Albert or Oehler
Author: funkyanimal 
Date:   2020-02-16 22:58
Attachment:  uebelClarinet.jpg (233k)

Would help if I attached the pictures... but yes, that looks like it.

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 Re: Improved Albert or Oehler
Author: Paul Aviles 
Date:   2020-02-17 06:39

I have to ask since I cannot tell from the images, when you play the second line "G#," do you have to release the "A" key (as in modern Wurlitzers) or do you leave the "A" key engaged (as with other German system like the Gerold)?



Someone on the Board referred to the later as the "automatic transmission" to the former's "manual transmission."



.............Paul Aviles



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 Re: Improved Albert or Oehler
Author: ruben 
Date:   2020-02-17 15:53

Dear Chris P: How about writing a little book on the clarinet? You're a veritable goldmine of information on the clarinet and I/we have learned all sorts of things from you that I haven't seen in any book. You have my e-mail address. I would certainly like to nudge you into working on such a project.

rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com


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 Re: Improved Albert or Oehler
Author: Chris P 
Date:   2020-02-17 16:59

I wouldn't know where to start in writing a book - especially compiling the index! I've seen some later revised editions of books where the index hasn't been updated since a previous edition.

On German clarinets the throat G# is normally independent to the throat A key (not linked via an adjusting screw or a bit of cork as on Boehms), so you will have to release it otherwise the A will be too sharp. I think they kept them independent for use in the altissimo register, but there are some German and Oehler systems where the throat G# and A keys are linked.

There are some G.R.Uebel Boehm systems that have the throat A key fitted with two pad cups for the full venting of throat A even though they have completely independent throat A and G# keys:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/2gl-0QblqGKsBJFJPpA9EVXN8yPRGsPVl50HQX_4MlQRkQPfMpTEroR0RCBTSrL0XQvWSIgrKYos3u2hgErWIiWDJ5HmLBntAGJtMQ

https://let-know.com/uploads/images/ts/1373106_6_nmeckii-klarnet-g.rudolf-uebel-wohlhausen-vogtland.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/q7tPmJFN7urRwN5C-oS8CwY1bOo1ltusL6Hf1l1QNCDw5mmFNtTF1wGQ4j_prb_p8R22BrW5rda3MuaCmaaP0md5zvScNbdf_A9nMDGyO1moRPmX4whn5QUs-XIorTlA

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/UUxCYb3sNsHO08uY2bU9QajUnEN0km7ik3tMHgB5l742DhekhM7-HeWuc8Ia9GX9o_FiNldI4f3HZhhkhxarRDUyoQOm8dHImqVJ5yXRXp42Xx0HBqzQOJYuQXF6wlZdmekxS3lGYA

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010

The opinions I express are my own.

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 Re: Improved Albert or Oehler
Author: Paul Aviles 
Date:   2020-02-17 21:31

Thanks for the reply Chris!


I had an email correspondence with Gerold Angerer of Gerold clarinets and made it sound as if the connected "A" key was predominant (but maybe only in Austria). The added "challenge" in the non-connected "A" key is just another quirk making German system a bit tricky.




................Paul Aviles



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 Re: Improved Albert or Oehler
Author: m1964 
Date:   2020-02-19 17:56

Chris P. Wrote:
"There are some G.R.Uebel Boehm systems that have the throat A key fitted with two pad cups for the full venting of throat A even though they have completely independent throat A and G# keys".

Had one - it was difficult to achieve good seal on that throat double-padded G# key because both had to leveled perfectly to get good seal.
As soon as you think you got it working, one of the pads would absorb water and swell thus lifting slightly another pad.
Bad design, IMHO

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 Re: Improved Albert or Oehler
Author: dorjepismo 2017
Date:   2020-02-19 20:11

Chris P., these pictures bring up a question I've had for awhile. On modern German system instruments, the facile rule of thumb is that it's an Oehler if it has the plateau for the RH middle finger, and it frequently looks from makers' sites like if it doesn't have the plateau, it's "Vienna-style." It's probably not that simple, but what, in terms of key work, are the main characteristics of top Viennese clarinets that distinguish them from German-style/Oehler ones?

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 Re: Improved Albert or Oehler
Author: Chris P 
Date:   2020-02-20 20:22

Doubled pad cups are a pain when installing pads if they're both solidly mounted together on the same cup are or bridged by a fingerplate soldered to both of them. Piccolos often have the same thing on the thumb key and the LH3 fingerplate on ones without the split E mechanism. I prefer to use cork pads as they're more stable, but it still takes some doing to get both pads sharing the same arm to seat at the same rate. Some makers are kind in not having both LH3 pad cups connected directly with each other (the fingerplate for LH3 soldered to just the one pad cup and not the other), so either one of the pad cups can be adjusted to get things balanced right. If using cork pads, you can make one pad thicker with less shellac and seat that one first, then the other a bit thinner with a bit more shellac and install that one after and some shellac will ooze once it finds its level and seats at the same rate as the first (only the first pad will probably move with the heat). Or better still is to use liquid shellac and allow it to harden whilst the key is gently held closed however long that takes.

Austrians use German style clarinets with far fewer keys and an extra ring key than Oehler systems (around 20 to 22 keys as opposed to 24 to 27 or 28 keys and with 6 ring keys for all the main action tonehole chimneys). They lack the top joint F/C key for LH2, the RH2 fingerplate and possibly either the LH Ab/Eb or Bb/F lever, but they may still have the low E/F correction mechanism fitted depending on the maker. Austrians use a much smaller tip opening mouthpiece compared to Germans (and consequently stronger reeds). They also favour a metal ligature over string.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010

The opinions I express are my own.

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