 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2002-12-18 13:27
The throat E on my A clarinet is stuffy and a tad flat (the 12th B seems to be fine). Throat D and F are okay. The techs at my local shop (for which I'm losing more respect every day as I learn more here -- thanks to all for making me a smarter supply shopper!) are stumped and think nothing short of sending it back to Leblanc will help.
I've swabbed out the tone holes and the problem remains. The key and pad under the throat A key appear fine. Any ideas as to why that one note (and not even its 12th) is a clinker?
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2002-12-18 13:30
Oh, it's a Leblanc LL, standard Boehm, with the jump trill keys.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2002-12-18 14:12
I would guess that sending the cl to LeB would be for the purpose of expert undercutting [fraizing] of tone holes. I'd first try raising the pad height to tune the E, which might sharpen the 12th B, thus requiring some embouchure-tuning. Pros, Help. Don
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Author: William
Date: 2002-12-18 14:24
If the problem is not the heigth of the Eb pad--too closed will cause E to be stuffy--then undercutting is needed. The twelvth should be sharp on a "normal" clarinet. When my LeBlanc Concerto Bb was new, a similar undercutting adjustment had to be made as my E was a bit flat with the twelveth (B) being, in the words of Tom Ridenour, "Too good" (it was perfectly in tune). He undercut the tone hole improving the quality and pitch of the lower E but left the upper twelveth B only slightly affected.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2002-12-18 15:07
Ralph -
How's the clarion B, a twelfth higher? If it's also flat, then the fix is fairly easy -- better venting for the pad-covered hole between the left hand index and middle finger holes.
Check the condition of the pad. If it's bulging downward, then a new, flatter pad may solve the problem, and it's an inexpensive, local repair. Adjusting the height of that pad means sanding down the cork beneath the bridge key strut at the top of the lower joint. This also opens up the pad at the top of the lower joint, however, and may make the chalumeau C play sharp.
If you can find a combination you can live with, between the C and the E, that will probably be the best solution. If you can't, or if opening the hole makes the clarion B too sharp, then the solution is undercutting. I wouldn't send the instrument to Leblanc for this. First of all, the LL model hasn't been made (except in special key systems) for many years. Second, the factory setup is without undercutting. Much better to take it to a top repair tech and have it done, preferably while you are there to make sure the change works for you.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2002-12-18 15:18
Thanks. I'll double-check the pad height tonight. And I've emailed Tom Ridenour's shop for undercutting info.
Ken- the LL is still in Leblanc's catalog on their Web site. Is it out of date?
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Author: Dee
Date: 2002-12-18 16:25
The D, E, and F that you refer to are not really throat tones. The term throat tones really should only be applied to the open G and notes between it and the clarion register. The D can simply be referred to as the chalumeau D. The E and F can be referred to as being at the top of the chalumeau register. The throat tones are also part of the chalumeau but are a subset of it that has its own unique characteristics.
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Author: liquorice
Date: 2002-12-18 16:30
Thank you for sharing that with us, Dee.
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2002-12-18 16:47
I knew that. I just have a habit of calling them that.
Me and my weird terminology. Oh, how you should see the confused looks on my bandmates when I say "throat B."
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Author: Vic
Date: 2002-12-18 17:00
So, do you need antibiotics for "fuzzy throat B" syndrome? Or just a couple of aspirin and some bed rest, possibly.
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Author: William
Date: 2002-12-18 18:31
"And I've emailed Tom Ridenour's shop for undercutting info."
Getting the info is all "fine and dandy" but undercutting of tone holes is not a "do-it-yourself" project. This proceedure should only be done by a trained technician who has the proper undercutting tools and knows how to use them. I've been playing clarinet for over 40 yrs and am capable of completely dismantling my instruments for cleaning, bending keys for minor linkage adjustments and the operation of most carpentry tools, but I would never indertake the undercutting of tone holes on my instrument. That is a task I leave to the trained experts.
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2002-12-18 19:54
By info, I meant estimate, turnaround time, whatever could be given before actually seeing the horn.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2002-12-18 21:11
E2 on many clarinets is often quite flat with the clarion B3 above ok or tending to be sharp. R13s often have this situation. Some people live with it, firming up the embouchure on long notes on the E2 or else opening a lower key to raise the E2 pitch.
Undercutting the hole can raise the E2 without raising the B3. I've even done this to fix Eb clarinets to make them more playable. Mr. Alvin Swiney in Atlanta, I believe, has a story about Hans Moennig on this subject. A Moennig barrel can also keep the B3 and C3 from being too sharp. Good luck!
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Author: Hans
Date: 2002-12-29 20:57
Thanks for adding accuracy to the discussion.
Cheers,
Hans
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