 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: MSK
Date: 2012-12-16 23:15
My son is playing my old plastic Artley. Before he started a year ago, I had it serviced, but only replaced the pads that were bad at the time. Now it seems that every few months another pad goes and the instrument is held hostage by the shop for weeks awaiting repair. Knowing that Artleys aren't highly regarded, I'm wondering whether we'll have a satisfactory instrument if I shell out for a total repad or would the money be better spent on a replacement?
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Author: kdk
Date: 2012-12-16 23:35
Can you find a different shop? Tying up an instrument for weeks to replace a pad is unconscionable. Especially here on the east coast (your ISP seems to be Comcast in the Dover, Delaware area).
Karl
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2012-12-17 01:19
You could learn to replace a pad yourself. There are plenty of articles on the net on how to do it, where to get supplies and such. Its not difficult and for a single pad would only take 10 minutes tops.
Tony F.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2012-12-17 17:44
A good tech will do a better job so a pad won't have to be replaced so ofter, assuming your son keeps them dry. If they stay wet they will rot and fall out. On the other hand it may not be worth getting a really good bad job on a cheap clarinet so you should ask around how much it would cost for a real PRO to replace the pads and how much it would cost to upgrade to a newer clarinet at discount houses. Local stores usually charge much to much. Most techs won't put in highly rated pads in a cheap student model clarinet so you should ask that too.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2012-12-17 17:54
With all due respect, Ed, there's very little price difference between "highly rated pads" and inexpensive pads, parts-wise. The real key to a good overhaul is the competence of the technician, and labor prices for that vary widely. I don't think it's such a bad idea to have a competent tech re-pad an Artley, which might not be a Selmer-Paris or Buffet R-13 but is a decent clarinet if in good condition and set up properly.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2012-12-17 21:58
On the other hand, no one was witnessed dying from having learned to repad (or take basic care of) an instrument. Considering the abundance of Artleys and similar instruments, I encourage everyone to go and buy such a honker off That Auction Site and learn how to do basic maintenance tasks.
- It will save your ass sooner or later.
- You will appreciate your technician for thinking of various things that also should be done along with replacing a pad.
And yes, at some point in time it's better to replace ALL pads at once in order to avoid too much shop time.
--
Ben
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Author: MSK
Date: 2012-12-19 01:12
Well I got lucky and got the current offending pad replaced while I waited, which allows me to procrastinate a little longer about the final decision. I'm leaning toward a total repad on the current instrument rather than replacing it. The clarinet plays pretty well right now which makes me think its worth the investment in a repad. Given the age of the instrument and its numerous original pads, I definitely am going to have to either learn how to replace them myself or pay the tech. I've been watching Tom Ridenour how-to videos but my first attempt wasn't too successful. Guess I shouldn't have passed up on that thrift store junker that I could have practiced pad replacement on.
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2012-12-19 14:12
If your son does need an upgrade to an intermediate or professional-grade instrument later, it might be a good idea to keep that Artley as long as there's nothing seriously the matter with it. He'll need a plastic clarinet for playing outdoors.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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