 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: saxlite
Date: 2016-03-25 19:54
Nice 50"s Selmer low Eb Bass Clarinet- but, can't get the double register key mechanism properly adjusted. Spent lots of effort, read all the manuals, but still not working properly. Lower speaker key does not open enough to get a decent pinch Bb; upper register key opens a small bit when "A" key open and thumb key fully depressed. Have taken out all the slop in the rocker lever and increased tension on upper register spring, but still not enough for proper operation. There does seems to be a little play in the pivot of the rocker lever- can this be the cause of the troubles? Is there a standard sequence of operations to adjust this mechanism? Could use some help on this one.
Jerry
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-03-25 20:40
Make sure the RH3 pad (on the side of the lower joint) has loads of venting to give more 'throw' on the linkage between the joints and that will ensure the vents open sufficiently. You'll have to bend the keywork to increase the venting.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: saxlite
Date: 2016-03-26 04:00
Bent the lever under the "A" key to increase the throw - everything seems fine now!! That old Selmer is a great player now!
Thanks,
Jerry
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-03-27 03:44
I overhauled a Q series bass (to low Eb) a fair while back - great player and nicely made, but I encountered several dry joints on some RH main action keys. Fortunately the keys were unplated so hard soldering them didn't mean having to get any keys replated.
Dry hard soldered joints are always something to expect on old Selmers of his era, so be cautious when bending keys near any solder joints - if they go, they go. But at least finding them will eliminate them.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: greenslater
Date: 2016-03-30 15:07
Hello all
Sorry to hijack the thread but it's quite related.
I have a Ridenour Lyrique Low C bass clarinet and am having some troubles with the adjustment of the double register vents. My googling didn’t really bring up much useful info on how the two speaker holes and mechanism should operate.
Firstly can I ask if my understanding of the function of the two speaker holes is correct?
• Throat Bb up to D# should open the speaker vent located on the side of the main body but not the speaker vent on the neck.
• E and up should open the neck speaker hole and not the side one.
My problem is that when I play C or D, for example, sometimes the neck speaker key almost closes but there is a slight gap – width of a sheet of paper between the key and hole. The note still speaks but I suspect I compensate somewhat with voicing. Sometimes if I just hold my fingers on, say a long C, I can see the neck key gradually open. A quick flick of my fingers and it closes again.
There is an adjustment screw on the linkage between the two body joints (like a second bridge key) that is operated by the 3rd finger of the right hand. Should I tighten this screw? Or could it be the spring tension in the neck speaker key needs to be increased?
Now the obvious answer is take it to a good technician and I’m quite happy to do this, but I would like a better understanding of the mechanics involved so I can ask him/her the right questions and know what to look out for in the future.
One final query, I often find F and F# (written pitch top line of the treble clef) hard to speak cleanly. Anything mechanical I can look out for here?
Many thanks
Brad
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-03-30 21:05
On basses with a crook key, make sure there's a gap between the shift lever at the top of the top joint and the crook key itself to ensure the crook key pad closes. If there's no gap, then gently bend either the crook key or shift lever to create a small gap of between 0.3mm to 0.5mm maximum.
If the crook key opens when playing upper register B-D#/Eb (when RH3 is held down), then you need to get more movement in the long connecting rod running up the back of the top joint. If the throat A key is switching over the speaker mechanism correctly but RH3 isn't, then check there isn't a gap between the bridge key by the side Eb/Bb key (across the middle joint) connected to RH3 as that won't allow the lower speaker vent pad to open enough and can also make the crook key pad open too early. If there's no gap between the bridge key at the side of the instrument, then the RH3 pad will either need more travel or the speaker key is moving too much. But still check the speaker mechanism with the throat A key to see which is working best and aim to get the speaker mechanism working the same with both the throat A key and RH3 key.
Sorry - it's a fairly complex bit of mechanism to adjust and you will end up going round in circles eliminating and adjusting things.
As for the upper register F and F#, that's a bad note on basses with the double speaker mechanism as you really need an extra vent in between the two you have, so somewhere in the region of the socket at the top of the top joint which will clear up the upper register F and F#. I have trouble with these notes on my bass - especially when slurring from throat A up to the F or F# or staccato tongueing the F# with the standard fingering. The alternative F# fingering is better (Sp. Th. xxx|xo,o) as there's less resistance. The German makers have been fitting their full Oehler basses with a fully automatic triple vent mechanism, so the lower vent is open from throat Bb to upper D#/Eb, then the middle vent is open from E to G#/Ab and the crook key opens from A to C - the middle vent being controlled by the LH3 fingerplate (as on saxes and automatic oboes/cors). But to my knowledge, no Boehm system basses have the fully automatic triple vent speaker mechanism. I think Stephen Fox is experimenting with it, but it's not found on Buffet, Selmer or Yamaha basses - more recently added to that is Uebel who ought to do something along those lines seeing they're German and make Oehler system basses as well as the Boehm system Emperior bass which is an excellent Buffet-style low C bass.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: greenslater
Date: 2016-03-31 15:02
Thanks Chris
As always your diagnosis and explanations are spot on. I appreciate the time it took you to write up the response and share it.
You're spot on about there not being a gap between the shift lever and crook key. I don't think I can bend either part but think I can get it better through the other adjustments.
Good fun learning some more about the bass clarinet
Brad
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2016-03-31 17:47
Depending on model, the neck key can either be bent by breathing on it or pretty much impossible to bend. The mechanism that operates it can usually be bent, but you need to figure out where and how.
No gap between the lever rod and key might be a problem, but not necessarily. If the neck is slightly open all the time that's a problem for the entire low range. Sounds like this not the case.
The simplest DIY option is to check the thickness of any plastic sleeve on the lever rod and/or cork on the key and change to something thinner. This will put more distance between the lever and the key and depending on amount of misadjustment, might be enough to solve the problem.
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