 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Sopranino
Date: 2024-05-03 23:57
Hello! I bought a clarinet and noticed that two of the springs are bent. This clarinet plays pretty well, but it doesn't look great, and I'm a little worried that if I take it to the shop they'll insist on doing extra repairs that I don't want (this instrument was not worth very much). Any advice on what I should do about these two springs? Can I bend them more or less into place, or perhaps convince a shop to only repair these two things?
Pictures attached of the two springs. LH C/F stays depressed when played, and I'm pretty sure this is why.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: lydian
Date: 2024-05-04 00:56
I can't see your pics. But just bend them back to the appropriate angle/tension, taking care not to snap them. I find a small crochet hooks works well.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2024-05-04 09:19
The photos are not attached.
Impossible to say for sure from descriptions and photos, but if the left hand F/C lever stays pressed and doesn't come back, there are several options.
It might be binding (likely).
The link itself between the lever and the key catch and grab to the point of overcoming the springs (not very likely but possible).
The spring cradle catches on the edge of its cutout and/or something else is touching where it shouldn't (rare but happens).
If it's a problem with the spring then that lever should still move from gravity in different angles. Try to check, and also check if it's resistant (even a little) when you move it back. If it's not binding or grabbing then it should move back smoothly when not countered by gravity.
This lever spring requires removing the lever to adjust, which usually requires disassembling quite a few other keys to get to it (depending on model).
Not sure what the other spring is. Some springs are not possible to adjust without removing the keys (and other keys) so depends whether you're comfortable doing that. Some springs on some models work well at their limit of adjustment, meaning if you put the spring back in its cradle after the key is on, it moves the spring a fraction more than it would otherwise, and can make it slightly too weak (not an issue on most springs on most clarinets but for the keys that it matters, it's critical).
You might be right about the issue, but statistically speaking, keys not springing back is more often than not caused by binding rather than an issue with the spring. When it is the spring, 90% of the time it's a more obvious problem of a broken spring.
It's definitely worth asking a repairer about doing just those repairs. Some are willing to do that and some are not, I guess. I do, in general, with some disclaimers. Just consider that the problem might not be just a bent spring, so bending the spring might not fix anything, and in that case a repairer shouldn't agree to do just that.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
