 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Reformed
Date: 2026-05-10 22:28
This is a Mea Culpa on my reply to thread on Reform Boehm and German clarinet mouthpieces back in 2024. http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=510266&t=510195.
I had become obsessed that the tuning problems on my Yamaha German Boehms were due to the mouthpieces. This was quite wrong.
Now - nearly 40 years after I purchased the clarinets in Tokyo - I have worked out the problems were all due to pad height regulation!
The wide middle instrument twelfths were all due to excessive opening, particularly of the Acton mechanism vent key which I have reduced from about 5mm down to 2.5mm. It's a bit hard to measure accurately because the key pad is quite angled (somewhat like an open A throat key). My measurements are in the middle of the keypad, perpendicular to the bore.
Lowering this key pad, also reduces the opening of the front ring keys and their pads, which all seems to be good.
With a little judicious lowering of the little finger keys, these clarinets now play quite acceptably in tune at A440 using the longer supplied 57mm barrel with a 1mm ring and the Yamaha M3R, Zinner 3MR and a modern Wurlitzer M3 mouthpiece.
The bottom register is still quite flat until the instruments warm up.
I'm embarrassed that it took my 40 years to work this out - but happy
Where could I have got some help 40 years ago?
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Author: ivy125cordes
Date: 2026-05-11 15:39
It’s remarkable how such a subtle mechanical detail—pad height regulation—can completely change tuning behavior. Back then, guidance from experienced German‑system clarinet technicians or specialized repair manuals would have saved you years of frustration, but your nicview family app persistence makes the discovery all the more satisfying.
Post Edited (2026-05-12 09:02)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-05-11 17:29
I've got Yamaha's venting charts from around 23 years back, but don't think they cover the 856/846 as it's a Yamaha UK publication and only covers French bore Boehm systems (Eb through to low C bass).
I've also got the venting charts from the 1970s (YCL-24 etc.) so can post them too as there's a significant difference between them and the more recent Yamaha clarinet ventings.
- I'll edit this reply and post them all here in due course.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: donald
Date: 2026-05-12 00:34
This issue- ventings influencing intonation - is especially important on Bass clarinet in my experience. I've found bass clarinets that had huge disparity between the joints, with the player pulling the middle joint (of a Bass clarinet!) out several mm to lower right hand notes, when what was actually required was more judicious pad heights on the lower joint.
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