 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2026-10-11 01:32
After experiencing problems playing low clarion B (B4), I found that the pad under the rh pinky key for low G#/Ab was leaking. Blowing into the top of the joint with the bottom sealed leaks air out there, quite a lot of air. The key action seemed too light, or when I checked again, maybe not. I sat down to remove the key and have a better look at the pad and the spring.
But. The rod holding that key would not unscrew. The slotted head turns easily in either direction without going either in or out. That exceeds my spec. I sent my repair person a note and am awaiting their reply, but my curiosity has nagged me into posting. What's going on with this key?
Note, the instrument is a Buffet R13.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-10-11 02:43
It's either a stripped pillar thread or broken screw thread. Someone in he past has either cross threaded or overtorqued the rod screw and now the pillar thread (which is a much softer alloy than the stainless steel rod screw) just turns in it, or they've overtorqued the rod screw when tightening it up and snapped the thread off in the pillar if it's been weakened.
Both cases are fixable - a stripped pillar thread can be repaired with an internally threaded bush soft soldered into the pillar head, or using a new rod screw with a wider thread and tapping out the pillar accordingly. A broken off screw thread can be extracted from the pillar head (should be relatively easy as the thread is no longer held in tension) and then a new and original spec rod screw fitted.
Try pushing a scriber, dental pick or heavy gauge needle spring into the hole in the end of the threaded pillar whilst unscrewing the rod screw to see if that helps the slotted end pop out far enough so you can grip it with pliers to extract it which will happen with stripped threads. If you can't do that at all, then the thread's been snapped off in the pillar which will make extracting the rod screw more difficult (as it can't be pushed out), but not impossible.
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: clarnibass
Date: 2026-10-11 10:10
You can also turn the screw and try to look at the other end to see if it's turning with it. It's usually possible to see.That way you might be able to tell which of the option Chris wrote it is. FWIW the former is much more common than the latter.
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Author: m1964
Date: 2026-10-11 21:12
If the thread in the pillar is destroyed, your tech may install a replacement pillar (if he got one).
R13s have not changed much in decades, so a donor pillar will fit fine. Maybe even E11/12 pillar will fit.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-10-11 22:49
Replacing the pillar won't always work as chances are it won't line up once tightened as they're drilled and faced off once they've been fitted and the pillar thread orientation in the joint won't be the same on all pillar holes, even between identical model instruments.
A pillar that doesn't line up correctly both rotationally by a fraction of a degree and in height by a fraction of a millimetre will only cause the key to bind up once the rod screw is tightened as being just that bit out of alignment will cause the rod screw to bow.
And with it being the Ab/Eb key, that's not a key you can swage to make it fit better between the pillars if there's too much lateral slop because of how the touchpiece is soldered to the key barrel.
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.
Post Edited (2026-10-11 23:06)
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2026-10-12 16:02
Is the leak from that pad related somehow? It seemed to suddenly start after about 90 minutes of play. I noticed no problems with that B or other notes from before that point, though it's possible I was playing through a gradual onset. Slightly possible.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2026-10-12 16:26
>> Is the leak from that pad related somehow? It seemed to suddenly start after about 90 minutes of play. <<
It's possible that the rod screw is a little loose, causing the key to sit differently than it was before. That said, 99% of the times I see a key with a rod screw and a stripped thread it doesn't affect the pad seal.
When doing the blow test, if you blow hard enough (and it doesn't have to be maximum power), that pad can blow open slightly even if it seals perfectly. It is mostly depended on the spring tension but also the instrument/key itself, some are just more prone to this.
If the pad repeatedly starts leaking after a consistent amount of time then this can be the pad swelling from moisture. I had this happen before. For a while it only leaked a tiny bit, enough that I could feel something, but not sure what. The difference was so small that I wasn't sure if I was imagining it and it wasn't always happening. Of course it suddenly started to leak much more than that during a concert... in another country. I guess the different weather was enough... at least it was easy to find the problem pad then.
Post Edited (2026-10-12 22:07)
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2026-10-12 16:59
There seems to be some multi-directional play in the key. When I grasp it, I can wiggle it a small amount a couple ways. Same with the key beside it, also on the same rod. The two keys below (low E and F#) don't have any wiggle in them. Repair appointment set for Friday.
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2026-10-12 19:44
Hi clarnibass. That's very interesting, because just before the problem appeared that pad had leaked moisture, quite a lot of moisture that blew out across the wood of the lower joint. So did the pad in line below it. I've never seen moisture in those toneholes before.
If the pad swelled due to moisture, I'm guessing there's a hole in the outer covering and the pad will need to be replaced. In that case the screw will need fixing as well.
Or maybe the pad returned to normal, undetected by me as I've been playing my A clarinet since the problem appeared. I should give the Bb another try.
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