 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ginny
Date: 2002-08-03 18:15
I know I've read about this being a problem. The Bb tube seems to be ripping my son's
swab when he cleans out his new A clarinet. Not good.
He tends to drop the swab in backwards first (someone told him to, I probably told him
not to.)
So is there some advice for swabbing out the A clarinet?
Ginny
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-08-03 18:30
Try a silk swab (a number of good ones out there - including one sold by our very own "Doc")...GBK (who has never had a silk swab rip or even get stuck after 40+ years)
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Author: beejay
Date: 2002-08-03 19:15
A clarinets have a longer chimney on the register key. Always swab from the barrel end.
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Author: Marcia
Date: 2002-08-04 01:26
And ALWAYS take the time to make sure the swab is not bunched up, even the slightest bit, before runnng it through the bore. If this is done diligently the swab is unlikely to catch.
Been there, done that!
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-08-04 14:50
"He tends to drop the swab in backwards first"
Whaaaat!! Is that to make it jam and rip?
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2002-08-04 15:38
IMHO - Go silk, and drop the weight down first. Hodge, Jewel, me, etc. make good swabs. I saw Ann Hodge at the NAMM show and convinced her, I think, that her "light pull chain" weight was not the best design and that if the clarinet were not posititoned properly the chain might, would, could, slither through one of the tone holes defeating the whole process. I shared an easy fix with her and perhaps there will be a new design on the horizon. Some silk swabs have a bad mechanical design an may catch on the register tube. Stick with a "name" brand that has been around for a while and wash the swab (see other posts) periodically in a detergent meant for silk.
The Doctor
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Author: William
Date: 2002-08-04 16:34
Beejay--I'm sorry to diagree, but even if the chimmney is longer in the A's, I still advise swabbing from the bell end. With silk, this should be "no problem." Like GBK, I've never been stuck with silk.
In addition, notice to all of you sax doublers--don't forget to swab your instruments after the gig. IMS (as probably many other good music shops) have custom-made swab sets that do a great job of keeping the sax from smelling up too bad (other than playing bad licks). Sax swabbing--highly recommended. Name of custom sax swab available off-site, just drop me an "E".
And, clean those mpcs once in a while.
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2002-08-04 23:01
All- Hodge makes a new line of sax swabs that they were showing at NAMM - they appear to be easy to use and work. I'll second the clean the MP suggestion. At one show I was doing free cleaning of MP's and by a non scientific poll the sax MPs were by far the worst and often required repeated cleaning to return them to something that resembled a normal MP!
The Doctor
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Author: William
Date: 2002-08-05 02:21
Since we are naming names, my swab "geru" is Judd Carver and he produces and markets great sax swabs under his own name. There is one small swab for the neck and a separate larger one for the main instrument body. The swabs come in different sizes for each sxophone and feature colorful designs (clowns, wild patterns, etc to appeal to younger players) with long strings and covered weights to prevent scratching the instruments interiors. They are not silk, but cloth fabric that can be washed without fear.
And, although Judd (who is an excellant professional repair technician as well) and I have been friends for years, he did not ask me to do this promo nor am I receiving any pay or "freebies." I just like his swabs and thought some of you might also.
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Author: Mark S.
Date: 2002-08-05 14:16
Couple more thoughts -- your instrument technician may ultimately suggest cutting down the insert in order to get rid of some unwanted subtones when playing the A clar, which has the nice side benefit of reducing the snag problem. Bit draconian, though.
A handy little gizmo I was clued in on many years ago has come in handy when swabs have jammed at the worst possible moments (middle of a concert, for instance). If your son is ripping the swab, he may be applying enough force to dislodge the tone hole insert or worse. Go to a medical supply place and buy a long hemostat (essentially a longnosed surgical clamp, if I have my ER jargon right...). If the swab gets stuck, take apart the instrument, insert the hemostat into the end of the joint behind where it is stuck, clamp the swab and gently back it out.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-08-05 15:15
I've used a Gigliotti swab for years. It's nicely absorbent, made of silk (or perhaps rayon) and long enough to go through an A clarinet easily. Most important, it has a long "pigtail" at the bottom that lets you pull it out backward on the off-chance that it gets stuck.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-08-06 03:50
I'm not sure aboput the hemostat, but I use a biopsy tool for oboes. I've altered the little biopsy chopper at the end to make a little pincer, occupying about 5.5 mm diameter when open. It can reach most of the way through an oboe and grap stuck bits of cloth.
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Author: Sandra F. H.
Date: 2002-08-06 13:04
I've had my clarinets (Bb & A) for several years, and I've never had a silk swab jam, rip, shread, get stuck, or ruined when I've swabbed. I tend to have the opinion that one should swab from the bell end with the weight (of course) inserted first. I use "Gem" swabs, available from Muncy winds. The weight is coated with rubbery plastic material and doesn't scratch the bore. I've had my swabs for 20 years and they perform and look like new. I also use a silk swab, made by Gem, in my oboe.
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Author: Todd W.
Date: 2002-08-06 21:07
Ginny --
One other possibility that no one seems to have mentioned (unless I didn't read the posts closely enough) is that perhaps the finish on the end of the "chimney" inside the clarinet is not smooth -- perhaps it has a small burr -- and that is what keeps snagging the swab. Maybe that's not very likely, but when you have your clarinet serviced next you might have the technician remove the tube and check it.
Todd W.
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