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Re: Key modification?

Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-04-30 17:31

Any kind of keywork alteration is possible and can be done by most woodwind specialists - no two people have the same physiology, so building up keys or altering touchpiece heights, lengths or angles can be carried out so they fit the individual's hands better.

At the moment, you can build up the F key touch yourself by glueing cork to it to raise the height of it more if it's too low for you, then that will give you a good idea how much it needs building up by. Then you can either leave it as is if that works fine or have the touchpiece built up with sheet metal shaped to fit it (or the key filed down and then built up with a thick piece of nickel silver which is more expensive to do) - it can either be soft soldered or silver soldered depending if you want this alteration made permanent or reversable.

Depending on what the keywork spec is, if you're finding the RH finger spacing a stretch, you may not be able to have an extension plate fitted to RH3 to bring your fingers in closer if it has a split D#-E split plate as that may interfere with the mechanism unless you can do without the D#-E trill or don't mind the increased height of the fingerplate extension (and an extra spring will need to be fitted to the outer ring). If it has a plain fingerplate for RH3 without a hole through it, then it's a relatively simple job to solder an extension plate to it - either semi-permanently by soft soldering it so it can be removed later on, or permanently fitted by silver soldering it on and having it silver plated so it's now part of the mechanism but this will be more expensive to do and also to revert back to its former condition.

What make and model oboe is it?

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

Post Edited (2012-04-30 17:41)

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