 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Wookie001
Date: 2024-01-09 03:37
I bought one of this model two years ago. And it's actually in a very good condition, the only thing is the person who overhaul it used for one part clarinet pads, but also saxophone pads for some tone holes. Can this have an impact on the sound quality?
Do you think it's worth it to have it professionally overhauled and replace everything with high-quality clarinet pads to improve the sound of the instrument?
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2024-01-09 09:15
Wookie001,
If you're talking about the 4 largest pads at the bottom of the clarinet, this topic has been discussed in quite detail on the following BB thread:
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=362355&t=362350
I found it to be quite comprehensive and should answer all of the questions that you might have. IMHO, they are there for a reason and are nothing to worry about, i.e., no need to replace the pads on your clarinet. Matter of fact, as found in the thread above, some "new" clarinets come with these pads already installed.
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Author: Wookie001
Date: 2024-01-10 06:39
I had a look there, but I don't think it was intended that way. Also on the upper joint, there are some saxophone pads in brown leather which are thicker than normal clarinet pads.
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Author: m1964
Date: 2024-01-10 07:09
Does it hold air and vacuum?
Are there dull sounding notes that result from low pad clearance/opening height?
If the answer is yes, then the clarinet needs to be fixed.
If it is only a cosmetic issue, then it is up to you.
Also, it is possible that the keys with thicker pads were adjusted to maintain the opening height.
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2024-01-10 07:23
Wookie001,
Before investing in a professional repadding job which could cost a lot of money, may I suggest the following:
With a tuning meter along with your ears, go above and below the brown pads and check for changes in tone color and intonation. IMO, even if a pad is too thick, if the clearance is correct, the tonal difference and intonation should change very little. (The only way I know of a thick pad giving correct clearance is by removing a lot of cork on the other end of the lever. Some levers, however, have very little cork on the opposite end making the proper clearance impossible. I believe the upper pad clearance should be around 3/16th of an inch if my memory serves me correctly.)
This is beginning to sound like somebody put in whatever pads they had simply to sell the instrument.
Also, IMHO, the LeBlanc Dynamic H is most certainly worthy of a professional overhaul.
Why not give it a try and let us know what happens?
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Author: Wookie001
Date: 2024-01-10 09:19
The mechanics were already adjusted a few months ago from a professional repairman in my town so all pads seal correctly now.
Actually the intonation is good, there are no dull sounding notes. But the lower register notes sound somehow "not soft enough". They sound like it's a little too much edge for a clarinet
Maybe I'll consider a professional overhaul, generally the instrument feels pretty comfortable to play.
I don't know anything about how the mechanics are adjusted, but is it possible to reverse the adjustment so it works with clarinet pads again?
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2024-01-10 10:23
"But the lower register notes sound somehow "not soft enough". They sound like it's a little too much edge for a clarinet".
The lower register notes are called the chalumeau and they extend from the lowest note (E3) all the way to the throat Bb (Bb5). Are you talking about the "entire" chalumeau register (E3 to Bb5) notes or just the largest 4 pads at the bottom of the clarinet? Do these 4 largest pads have plastic or metal circles in the middle of the pads? If so, these are called "resonators".
If you remove a thick sax pad and install a thinner clarinet pad, the opening will be too big and this will necessitate adding more cork to the opposite end of the key to lower the clarinet pad to the correct height. This process is called adjusting the pad height.
Unless you are familiar with replacing pads and heat adjusting them for proper fit over the hole below them, I suggest you consult a professional so that it is done properly.
I would like to know what mouthpiece, reed, and ligature setup you have. The entire clarinet acts as a single unit. Each has a different percentage of influence over tone and playability with the mouthpiece having the greatest influence.
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Author: Wookie001
Date: 2024-01-11 03:10
Yeah I think this would have to be done by professional. I've never repaired a clarinet so far. Is the replacement of pads only possible in combination with an overhaul or can it be done separately and is cheaper?
The four largest ones it looks like they don't have anything in the middle at all. No plastic or metal circle
My setup is a Gennusa GE mouthpiece, Vandoren 56 3 reeds and a Rovner Versa.
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2024-01-11 06:37
Wookie001, you stated: "Is the replacement of pads only possible in combination with an overhaul or can it be done separately and is cheaper?"
I don't want to sound ambiguous, but my answer to that is: "It all depends".
Some clarinet repair people will do just the pads, while others won't. Now you may wonder: "Why is that?" It's because different repair people have different standards. Some just won't do a partial repair because it goes against their high standards and their reputation. The thing to do is simply call around.
But, for right now, let's look at what on overhaul might entail. Firstly, a true professional is going to inspect each and every cork on your clarinet. This is a good thing because if some are worn, they should be replaced. Even then, the replacement material can vary. Some will use natural cork while others may use synthetic cork. And, at certain specific places, some will insist on using Teflon due to the constant "sliding" involved. Some might insist on replacing all the corks regardless of condition while others won't. Some might insist on calibrating all of the spring tensions while others won't. The minute oiling of rod ends, I believe, is fairly common. Some may insist on polishing every key while others won't. Also, some will play test and micro-adjust the lever cork stoppers using ultra-fine sandpaper for best intonation and note to note color while others will just use a standard adjusting tool to measure the spacing of each pad. The more time a repair person "invests" in the overhaul, the higher level of quality the repair will usually be and, of course, the greater the cost will be. As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. (Usually...)
I suggest asking around as to who will do exactly what you want done. If no-one is available, start making some phone calls. I also suggest sending some personal emails to various members on this BB. I believe the more time you invest in doing this, the better your chances of finding just the right individual to do exactly what you want done to your instrument.
If you want just the sax pads replaced, you can find someone to do just that. However, what concerns me is your statement about the chalumeau section sounding unsatisfactory to you. This, IMHO, will probably require a true professional to evaluate this tone sounding problem properly.
Hopefully, what I have written above is useful to you.
Disclaimer: I certainly am no expert and probably have left out more than just a few things concerning a complete overhaul. (Like the oil bath...etc.)
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Author: donald
Date: 2024-01-11 08:27
If you could take a photo of them, that would simplify the advice process...
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