 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Minari001
Date: 2023-07-14 06:12
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While cleaning the instrument, I noticed something strange inside the Upper Joint. It looks like the bark is peeled off, but it sticks out right next to the register tube, so it's very annoying. I can't explain exactly what. I don't think these residues can be produced during the clarinet manufacturing process. Is it possible that the inside of the instrument became rough because it was dry? And the interior texture of the upper part of the upper joint is very rough. Can the condition of wood inside the clarinet affect sound quality? And uneven internal conditions (some are very smooth, some are rough) Is this a normal situation? Regarding the residue inside, is it necessary to ask an expert to remove it? If it's a problem with the wood itself, is it wise to leave it ?
Post Edited (2023-07-14 06:16)
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Author: donald
Date: 2023-07-14 07:18
Many many years ago I owned a Buffet S1 pair that had residue similar to that, and needed the metal tubes removed and the bore cleaned by a professional.
- turns out the previous owner was 1) a chain smoker 2) oiled the clarinet with thick almond oil, never removed any residue after oiling and played the clarinet quite soon after oiling (instead of leaving for 1 or 2 days and running a cloth through to remove any "extra" oil).
This had resulted in, over a couple of years, a layer of gunk. Was pretty yucky, but no real way to know if the clarinets played better after it was removed (probably).
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Author: Minari001
Date: 2023-07-14 10:11
so, mine could be a kind of oil residue too. It's also a second-hand Festival, I'm not sure previous owner is smoker. but maybe, look at the pad condition, there seems to be a possibility of a smoker. Did you remove all of residue by the professional? was it able to clean perfectly?
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Author: m1964
Date: 2023-07-14 21:36
Does it play well? Is it in tune? Do you like its the tone quality?
It maybe better to leave that alone- if it is residue, it will come off after some playing and swabbing.
There is no proof that clarinets with rough-looking bore play any worse (or better) than the ones with smooth bore.
In fact, in one of the previous posts the author claimed his teacher was looking for clarinets with rough bore because he thorough they played better...
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Author: donald
Date: 2023-07-15 05:08
Are you referring to me as "the author" or the OP?
I passed on an anecdote in a previous thread, that's true (though I don't think I said it was my teacher)
- here the clarinet in question happened when I was 15 years old, and wasn't really a good enough player to pass any judgement on how cleaning the bore affected playability (as I said above).
- there's quite a difference between having a "rough grain" vrs a build up of material that (in this case) was the thickness of a piece of paper, and was inconsistently plastered throughout the top joint (and barrels).
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Author: m1964
Date: 2023-07-15 19:44
donald wrote:
> Are you referring to me as "the author" or the OP?...
Hi Donald,
Yes, I was referring to your answer in another thread; sorry I was not clear when I said "previous post" instead of "previous thread".
Anyway, "don't fix it if it's not broken" would be my approach, based on sound/tone quality, tuning, response/resistance.
If that is, in fact, residue,I think it will come off by itself after some playing and swabbing.
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2023-07-15 19:47
It doesn't look like residues to me, but rather areas where the wood's twisting natural grain has allowed some moisture related swellings into the bore . I see a tiny knot which has done just what one wound expect ...expand outwards from the cut surface.
Nothing to worry about I would say .
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: donald
Date: 2023-07-16 05:20
One way to find out...
Pop out that register vent, and (using a small camera or dentist mirror) examine the build up in the bore that is around the vent. This will give you some clues.
Interestingly, among Bassoon players there is "mythology" (that may well be true) that oiling the bore is bad for the tone as it raises the grain (creating a more "matt" finish rather than "glossy"). This correlates somewhat with Julians observation above but is by no means a proven fact.
Here in NZ there is a repair tech that the pro bassoonists AVOID because he oiled a bassoon bore after being asked not to, and apparently it "destroyed the sound" (a classic Heckel that later sold for top dollar, so if it was destroyed, isn't wasn't destroyed that much...). Make of this what you will, I'm only supplying relevant observation.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2023-07-16 11:10
That's just the raised grain and natural resins in the bore. It could also have a filled in worm hole which is showing as that raised dot or that could be a knot in the wood.
Remember that wood and grenadilla being wood is going to have natural defects as it's not a perfect medium for making instruments from.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2023-07-16 11:48
Well..as I know wood , water lifts the grain not oil because water causes swelling.
The rough area around the register vent appears to be from a gnarly area of wood presenting some angled end grain into the bore which has lifted creating a rough texture amid a slight coresponding indentation. The rounded look of this texture I would put down to a build up of bore oil.
The visible flow lines of the grain in the bore are consistent with a tiny knot and a gnarly grain area next to the vent .
If the rough area next to the vent was indeed some form of buildup where the swab doesn't touch , then it would exist on both sides of this obstruction not just one .
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: Minari001
Date: 2023-07-17 15:47
thank you for all reply. I asked an expert to clean and adjust the instrument today. I also told him about the picture, and he said it would be okay if he ground it slightly. If I saw the answers first, I might have asked him to leave it alone, but he's a skilled professional, so I think he'll take care of it on his own.
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