 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jonny T
Date: 2001-10-05 05:26
Dear Clarinet masters-
I have been playin the clarinet for almost five years now and I just got a new Buffet clarinet about a year ago. Just a few days ago I discovered my clarinet would only play certain notes. I thought it was the reed, and the reed was chipped pretty bad so I bought some more a day later and tryed them out and that still did not work. Then I blew through both long parts of the clarinet, covering all the holes and I found a leak in the top one. Now I was wonderin if there is some way I could fix this problem on my own with stuff from the house, instead of going to a music store and payin mucho bucks for it? I had one more question-what is the best clarinet to have, and reed to have for a high school band geek, and how much are they? Thanx dudes-adios
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Author: Peter
Date: 2001-10-05 06:31
Replacement of a pad or so, and/or minor adjustment should not cost very much money at your local repair place.
Here, in Miami, FL, you can get a clarinet completely repadded and corked for $50.00 or $60.00, sometimes less, by a reputable repair person.
Of course, it also depends on what type of pads you want, but since you don't want to spend very much money on this, you would probably have to settle for the repair person's "standard stock" pads, which are usually more than adequate.
Even though it may sound easily enough done, there are tricks and ways to seat pads that have to be learned through qualified training. Let a professional handle it, you'll be better off.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2001-10-05 07:17
In the Detroit area are-corking and repadding a clarinet will be much closer to $150. A simple recorking of a sax neckpiece was $15. A pad will cost anywhere from $10 to $30.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-10-05 10:17
Fixing a single leak is usually cheap. The problem is that there are often many, even dozens of sources of leaks, including age-related ones, manufacturing deficiencies, and those introduced by home 'repair' with insufficient knowledge/skill/materials/equipment. Discuss it with a technician but first ask a few experienced players/teachers in your area for one you can trust. Keep doing this until a technician's keeps repeating. Some no-good, or well-commissioned, or ignorant types will recommend their no-good technician friends.
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Author: Katherine Handcock
Date: 2001-10-05 10:57
Keeping in mind what people above have had to say about not messing around too much with your instrument yourself, you could check if there are any screws noticeably loose--a loose screw will sometimes produce the same effect as a damaged pad. If that's all it is, you can fix it yourself with a mini screwdriver. That said, though, given how long you've had your clarinet, you should give thought to the investment of going in and getting a full overhaul done on your instrument. Yes, it will be more expensive, but you might be surprised at how much better it plays.
As for your questions about the best clarinets and reeds, that's really up to individuals. The reed that works for me won't necessarily work for you. In high school, you'd ideally want an intermediate- to professional level instrument from whatever company. You should also be playing on reeds that are hard enough to handle the sort of playing you're doing--probably in the range of a 3 1/2 as a rough guide. I like Vandoren V12 reeds best, but any well-made reed will do; just try to stay away from the very rough brands, like plain Ricos, since they're not made with as much care. And speaking of good investments, if you haven't done so already, you should get yourself a good mouthpiece. What's "good"? Well, whatever works best for you. Go into a music store, and they'll probably let you try some of their mouthpieces. Make sure to check tuning on them, but you'll know when you've found the one that works best for you. Hope all this helps,
Katherine
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Author: William
Date: 2001-10-05 14:49
Watch what you "adjust" with that screwdriver and stay away from the A-key mechanism. Over tightening that screw--which appears to be too loose even when adjusted properly--will make your entire instrument unplayable. Go to a repair person--a "playing condition" check up is not that expensive and your R-13 deserves it. Good Clarineting!!!!!!!!!!
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Author: Peter
Date: 2001-10-05 15:53
Hey Mark,
Ouch!
Just curious: Is the $150.00 Detroit corking and repadding for a student or a professional clarinet?
I haven't been home to NY in a long time, and I know things are much more expensive in the "big city," but I guess I've lost track of costs.
I know that from Florida to Delaware (along the East coast,) you can get a student instrument overhauled by a reputable technician for $125.00 to $150.00.
The last time I exchanged e-mails with Steve Fowler he charged $150.00 for a complete overhaul. That being the case, if I lived in Detroit and was on a budget I would definitly consider doing business in one of the other states.
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Author: Anji
Date: 2001-10-05 21:53
I certainly don't have any pearls o' wisdom to impart, the Big Dogs have already chimed in and are right on the money.
5 years with no service is a pretty good haul... now it's time to OVERhaul.
Bite the bullet, pay the bucks, get it done right.
It works out to $25... a YEAR!
Don't be cheap.
About the clarinet saga, "der Zinn pfeift des Nibelungen" also known as the real reason Man was cast out of Eden... It's all good.
Look through the archives, this is a well-trod path.
NOTHING is more important than your mouthpiece.
Reeds are little tyrants... buy the best you can afford.
Clarinets are life-support for the reeds, live with the cheapest one you can stand.
Ciao!
anji
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2001-10-05 22:15
Yes, it's going to be about the same price. The student clarinets are no less trouble than the proferssional ones (indeed, if anything they're more difficult).
John Butler over in Houston, a sponsor, charges about the same.
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Author: Mike Milo
Date: 2001-10-07 01:57
Where are you situated? I know of a local repair guy who does a GREAT job for an unreal price... I had a cork and lower-level pads replaced & adjusted, tenons adjusted, key rings dropped, screws replaced... 40 bucks total. For the quality of work he did, that's a steal in my book anyday!
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