 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jackiepugh
Date: 2023-02-21 00:08
My son's Buffet Prodige has an issue (we've only had it a short time and bought new).
The left hand low F sharp key has no springiness to it and has stopped working. I've identified it's a small white piece of plastic that seems to act as a spacer between the bottom of the key and the mechanism it works when pressed. I don't *think* it's broken but the hole it goes into seems to big for it so not entirely sure.
Does this have an official name so I can try and find a spare one? (I play clarinet myself so was quite comfortable taking the key off to investigate).
Trying to avoid an official repair as he'll be without a clarinet for a few weeks and he's just getting going and still keen! It's a repair I can do myself if I can get a part. I'm UK based.
Thanks
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2023-02-21 00:23
Might it be the nylon pin near the bottom of the page? This is the page of Buffet spares. It's a UK dealer and I've ordered them and they do a good job.
https://www.windplus.net/supplies/buffet.html
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2023-02-21 02:37
Hi Jackie:
First off, so we can make sure that we're talking about the same thing, that left hand low F# key has, at its location closest to the floor, a round pin that inserts into another piece of hardware that has a hole to accept that pin, and that actuates the mechanism which gets the clarinet to respond to the key press.
If that's what you're talking about, I'm glad to report that kitchen saran/plastic wrap (see thru cling wrap) makes an excellent mechanism to cover that now uncovered pin, and smooth/silence the key action.
You'll need a fine straight edge screw driver to remove the aforementioned F# level. Work on a well light uncluttered service.
Screw out the pin that holds that F# key in place and gently pull out the pin with your fingers or a needle nose plyer careful not to bend or force anything. This should free the key.
Once removed cover the key's round pin with a small 1" square of plastic wrap and reinsert the key back in position, careful to line it up again where the pin that keeps it in place in inserted.
Gently push the pin back in and screw it the rest of the way.
Now cut the excess saran wrap with a sharp edge/scissors .
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Author: m1964
Date: 2023-02-21 02:37
jackiepugh wrote:
"My son's Buffet Prodige has an issue...The left hand low F sharp key has no springiness to it and has stopped working. I've identified it's a small white piece of plastic that seems to act as a spacer between the bottom of the key and the mechanism it works when pressed. I don't *think* it's broken but the hole it goes into seems to big for it so not entirely sure."
1. since you've had it for short time, it should be under warranty and the dealer who sold it to you may fix the issue free of charge.
2. If the pin is not broken, then it is possible that the part of the F# key it is supposed to engage into got bent slightly so the pin simply does not reach the hole it supposed to fit into. Slight bending of that "leg" of the key may be all that's needed to fix the problem.
A picture of the lever end where it fits into the key would help to identify the problem precisely.
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Author: jackiepugh
Date: 2023-02-21 02:43
Brilliant - they have exactly what we need. I did some searching but got nowhere. At least I know what it's supposed to look like so now I know it is broken as mine's not as long as the one in the picture (which fits my theory which is reassuring). Thank you!
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Author: jackiepugh
Date: 2023-02-21 02:44
Thanks - I'll keep the link for future in case this happens again. I'm going with the plastic version initially and keeping my fingers crossed as it's significantly cheaper.
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Author: jackiepugh
Date: 2023-02-21 02:45
I can see now it's definitely broken. I could get it fixed under warranty but I would have to courier it to the dealer as they're not local and my son wouldn't have anything to play for at least a week, and the cost of the replacement part is so small. If a new part doesn't work I'll definitely contact them for a repair.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2023-02-21 03:42
Attachment: reinforcednylonpins.jpg (208k)
The best way to deal with these nylon pins is to have them reinforced with a steel core. It's easy to do - mount the shank of the nylon pin in your bench or lathe chuck, centre drill and then drill all the way through the nylon pin with a 0.9mm drill, push fit a length of the appropriate gauge blued steel or stainless steel needle spring, grind the end smooth, refit the pins in the LH levers and you're done.
Any competent woodwind tech should be able to do this easily and it takes a mere matter of seconds to do if they have everything in place to do it. I include this incredibly simple thing as part of a service or an overhaul as it makes the difference between the clarinet working and not working if the nylon pin breaks at the most inopportune moment. Once it's been done, you'll needn't have to worry about it breaking ever again.
You can always spend a relative fortune on replacement carbon fibre or metal pins (metal ones can be noisy if you can't use anything thin enough to silence them with), or spend very little or next to nothing having the existing (or replacement) nylon pins reinforced and being safe in the knowledge they won't break when you least expect it.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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