 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: StanD
Date: 2024-02-24 04:20
Any thoughts about adding a trumpet-style water key ("spit valve" to us old timers) to the neck of a bass clarinet? The water build-up (for me) is incessant, annoying and disruptive.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2024-02-24 04:31
I knew someone who did that years ago, very much like what you see on a baritone sax crook. It seemed to work fine
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Author: smokindok
Date: 2024-02-24 06:30
My technique for 50 years of bass playing: 1. Hold the instrument horizontal with the tip of the mouthpiece facing down, let the condensate run out, return to playing position, give one or two good sucks to remove any residual condensate in the mouthpiece, swallow and resume playing. 2. Keep the neck clean
I have seen some German basses with drains on the neck as well as some older Buffets, but I do not know if those were factory items or installed later. I’m sure any good tech could install one.
John
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Author: smokindok
Date: 2024-02-24 06:37
My technique outlined above would be used during performances. If time allowed, long stretch of dialogue or between acts, I would slide the mouthpiece portion of the neck out and drain that way.
John
Post Edited (2024-02-24 06:42)
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2024-02-24 10:16
I also use the "tip the whole instrument to drain" method but sometimes it's crowded and just a bit annoying to do that during a concert, etc.
There's no problem adding a water key to a bass clarinet neck, exactly the same as on a brass instrument.
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Author: StanD
Date: 2024-02-26 04:23
Thanks, folks, for your responses. The suggestions are what I’ve been doing. To be clearer, I’m curious about the possible effect on the horn (response, etc) that a neck drain might cause. Many french hornists seem to resist the idea of equipping their instrument with one. For any good reason? There are numerous ones available on the net and I’m sure the installation is pretty straightforward. Anything negative about it?
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Author: Ed
Date: 2024-02-26 04:54
One complaint on horn might be because the relative size of the tubes is pretty small. It seems to work on a Bari sax
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2024-02-26 05:19
StanD,
You should probably contact Eric Satterlee at Meridian Winds. I have seen such work by him and/or his brass wizards.
Check their website for photos of the shop.
Hank
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2024-02-26 12:16
>> I’m curious about the possible effect on the horn (response, etc) that a neck drain might cause. <<
It wouldn't make any. Even some larger modifications to the bore don't make a noticeable difference (from experience and testing, not guessing).
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2024-02-26 14:08
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If you are going to have a water key fitted, have it done bari sax style with a large diameter vent of around 7mm so water will drain out freely as well as having the water key open as far as possible. They'd just used a stock brass part on that bari (probably a tuba or euphonium water key vent), but as brass players tend to blow water out, that's not possible on woodwinds as you can't create the required back pressure to blow the water out on them.
Attached are photos of a B&S bari sax where the water key vent was too small being 4mm, then I opened it up to 7mm for much better drainage. That can be done easily enough on a bass clarinet crook.
When I play bass, I take the tuning section off and shake that out which is possible with a tunable crook and less hassle than removing the entire crook or tipping up a low C bass which isn't always possible if you're all sat cheek-by-jowl and risk doing some damage.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2024-02-26 14:17)
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