 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2024-02-03 16:28
Hi All,
I have a problem Yamaha C100. The problem is that when playing from the lowest note up to C in the chalumeau register the instrument will play in the clarion register as though the register key was pressed, although it is not. Notes above C4 drop to the correct (chalumeau) register. Above the break everything plays normally.
I have been repadding and repairing clarinets for years, so I'm familiar with the process, This clarinet has been repadded with Music Medic medium double bladder pads and adjusted for correct voicing. Joint corks have been replaced There are no leaks and it holds a vacuum well. It is a plastic-bodied instrument, so porosity of the body can be discounted. It should be noted that this problem was present before the instrument was passed to me for attention, and is the reason that it was.
Various combinations of barrel and mouthpiece have been tried without appreciably improving the situation. I've checked the register tube and thumb tube for correct seating and no blockages and the tone holes and tenons are in as-new condition with no flaws or chips.
I've worked on a large number of C100's and this is the only one to exhibit such behaviour. I'm scatching for ideas here, so any suggestions are more than welcome.
Thanks.
Tony F.
Post Edited (2024-02-03 16:34)
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Author: donald
Date: 2024-02-03 20:58
There's a "closed hole" pad that isn't sprung strongly enough? That's the only explanation that comes to mind. If a closed key is sprung too weakly the higher pressure/resistance of the long tube notes can push the key open slightly. Only seen this happen twice in 40 years but it's possible.
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Author: hans
Date: 2024-02-03 23:06
FWIW, I once had a clarinet with the problem that Donald described; i.e., a weak spring that allowed a key to open under pressure.
Hans
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2024-02-04 00:27
Did you vacuum test the joint with the barrel on to test that tenon joint for hermetics ?
I'm presuming you've eliminated the possibility of leaking around the register pip.
You MUST have a leak up there somewhere.
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: m1964
Date: 2024-02-04 06:10
I am not sure about a Yamaha but on Buffets the throat G# spring is thin and can often be weak. The long arms on the upper thrill keys allow for some movement.
Opening C/G# key while fingering low F does not produce the C above the break.
Pressing throat G#, A and one of the thrill keys does.
Post Edited (2024-02-04 08:32)
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2024-02-04 18:03
Solved, I think. I pulled the keys off and slightly tightened up the leaf springs. The groove for the top trill key had a slight step which would permit a leak if the key was closed slowly but worked OK if it was allowed to snap closed. I'm not sure if that was the only cause, the rest of the leaf springs may have contributed. All good now, anyway. Many thanks for the suggestions.
Tony F.
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Author: m1964
Date: 2024-02-04 23:10
Tony F wrote:
> Solved, I think. I pulled the keys off and slightly tightened
> up the leaf springs. The groove for the top trill key had a
> slight step which would permit a leak if the key was closed
> slowly but worked OK if it was allowed to snap closed...
Did you flatten the step?
I am not sure but maybe a small dub of grease on the spring would help too. Esp. if the surface under is not very smooth.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2024-02-04 23:34
If the problem is from the trill keys, make sure none of them is catching on any of the others (the touchpieces in particular).
I remember one tricky case where the top trill key touchpiece was hitting the second trill key, but only maybe 5% of the time. It was working fine almost all the time, and then when the player was using the top trill key, it was still working fine most of the time... except those rare occasions where it wasn't.
Flat springs occasionally dig into the body or plate they are sliding on and it's better to polish and/or remove the "chip" (sometimes replacing or adding a plate).
Also better to remove sharp edges and polish the parts of the spring that are touching the body/plate, so it's much slower to dig into the body/plate in the future.
Post Edited (2024-02-05 10:28)
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2024-02-05 00:30
I polished the groove and also the tip of the spring where it slides in it. All lightly greased and now it plays as it should. Trill keys are all straight and not touching.
Thanks again, guys.
Tony F.
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