 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Fred
Date: 2002-03-11 18:38
Are Leblanc pads inherently different from generic pads? I've seen several instances where Leblanc pad sets were specifically offered when generic Ferree's pads were not used. I guess to broaden the question a bit, what are the general guidelines for pads for the Big 4 manufacturers? I'm not talking mm sizes - I know that can vary. Is it thickness, taper, or ??? that causes the pad requirements to differ?
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Author: jbuter
Date: 2002-03-11 20:06
Fred,
Without getting into a lot of pad construction details, pads are sized to fit the cup. Now having said that manufactures make their pads cups differently, requiring different thickness and "bevels" on the pads. Some pads are constructed with "needle felt" (firmer)and some use "woven felt" (softer).The Vito clarinet takes a thicker pad with a straight bevel. On Buffet clarinets I like to use a thinner pad with a step bevel and float the pad in on a bed of glue (George's glue). This way I can control the depth of the pad. I like the pads to protrude about .046" on the upper joint and about .075" on the bottom four pads. Believe me, I don't measure rather just go by sight, but this gives you an idea. The LeBlanc Corp uses pads from Martin Chanu which are quality pads. It is a little thicker pad and not as firm as the T101's I use normally. It also has a quite noticable step bevel. I like to use them on LeBlanc clarinets because they make the job go easier and TIME is MONEY in the repair business. I also like to use the stock Yamaha pad sets on Yamaha's. The stock pads just go on so much quicker and better, especially on flutes. Yamaha also sizes their pads a little differently. Rather than say and 11.5 mm pad they use an 11.2 mm pad on the lower joint ring key and alt. B. An 11mm is a tad too small (diameter) and the 11.5 mm is a little to large. Saxes, bass clarinets, bassoons, oboes all have their uniqe set ups also, but since this is a clarinet BB I'll not delve into them.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-03-12 17:00
Fred -
The special (and hard to get) Leblanc pads I mentioned were for their metal contras. They're attached like flute pads or sax pads, with a screw through the center and sometimes with resonator-like washers.
As Clark Fobes told me, and as Patrick Scully says in the thread below on "paperclip | leblanc," these pads are unfamiliar to clarinet technicians, who often ignore or even remove the screw spud in the pad cup and float bass clarinet pads in on shellac. Fortunately, the pads on my paperclip BBb were in good shape when I got it. I took it to a flute technician, who reseated them in the standard "flutish" way by inserting semicircular pieces of paper underneath.
I don't think the installation method makes much difference, as long as the seating is tight. The presence or absence of resonators might make some difference, but I've never had two contras, with and without, together to test.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: jbuter
Date: 2002-03-12 17:08
Ken,
You are, once again, correct. It takes a LONG time for LeBlanc to get these from Martin Chanu. Most of the time I can get them seated without the aid of a shim, sometimes not. The trick is to get the tone hole absolutely level and the pad cup "aligned" to the tone hole properly. Some techs call this "bending" but I think it more of getting the pad cup back to where it originally was! Otherwise, shimming is the only way to keep the integrity of the instrument. I also put a small amount of adhesive on the outer edge of the pad to keep it from "spinning" or "turning" when the booster and screw is installed. I've ordered an extra set of these pads to keep on hand so the next time I get an overhaul so the customer doesn't have to wait five months before they come in.
jubtler
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