Author: Micke Isotalo ★2017
Date: 2009-01-07 20:11
Thank you Menendez for sharing your impressions about Seggelke´s clarinets, which was very interesting.
I would also like to fulfill my previous post here on the list, about the outcome of the re-repair of my Wurlitzer 187-set (see my previous posts).
THE RESULTS OF MY LAST REPAIR
When receiving the instruments for the last time, I could immediately see with a naked eye that several of the tone-holes had been treated with a black, shiny coating. The main problem I had was sharp left hand notes in the upper register on my A-clarinet, with C3 being the sharpest one (at most about 5-6 Hz or 20 cent). At the same time the corresponding F1 in the low register was good in tune.
After this last treatment all the left hand notes in the upper register was in very good tune, except that C3 – which now was about 2 Hz/8 cent flat! Had I joined the tuning process personally, also that C3 would without a doubt have been properly tuned (Robert here above who got his instruments in very good tune was joining the process personally). Nevertheless, I chose a suitable file, gathered some courage and just widened that C3 tone hole a little bit by myself until it also came in level with the other notes.
Thus so far so good – but all the corresponding left hand notes in the low register had now turned more or less flat. Actually they had been flattened quite exactly as much as the notes in the upper register, note by note. This shouldn't of course come as a surprise, but shows just that there are hardly any miraculous solutions to these problems. However, as I also told Wurlitzer, if I have to choose, then I would prefer a well tuned upper register since those notes are both more frequent and more audible than those in the low register. Anyway, the statement of the low register is of course far from satisfying, but probably it's just not possible to get both registers in good tune on this instrument. However, I think that those of you that have sharp notes in both registers should be able to get your instruments adjusted to full satisfaction at your next repair by Wurlitzer.
As told before, I have no problems with the C3/F1-notes on my Bb-clarinet (OK, the F1 is slightly flat but within an acceptable range), and also the rest of the left hand upper notes has all the time been in good tune –– so it still puzzles me why the A-clarinet is so different. By the way, these instruments from 2002 has the older bore-design measuring 14,8 mm at the top of the upper joint, and 14,5 mm at the bottom (on both the Bb- and A-clarinets).
MOUTHPIECES
Wurlitzer kindly arranged three mouthpieces for trial for me, which had been recommended by others here on the list: The Wurlitzer N1 for its sound (Tom wrote: "Perhaps the best sounding mouthpiece of all that I tested with the Wurlitzer clarinets"), and the Wurlitzer P4 for its tuning properties. The third one was the Zeretzke K4*. Thus I now have personal experience from Wurlitzer M4, M5, N1, P4, Zeretzke K4* and Viotto N1+2.
My conclusion is that I agree 100% with Tom, concerning the Wurlitzer N1: Excellent sound, and clearly the best-sounding one of those that I have tested (I'm grateful to you Tom, for your recommendation)! Tuning-wise I found the M4 as probably the best one, but the differences compared with the N1 aren't significant (the differences are more pronounced in the highest register, above c3, but not all of those differences are actually bad). Thus the Wurlitzer N1 is now the mp I play on, together with my Bb-clarinet.
However, the picture concerning my A-clarinet is quite different: Here I actually prefer the Viotto N1+2, mainly sound-wise. Compared with the Wurlitzer N1, the Viotto produces less "hissing-noise" (the kind of sound typical to a bad Bb1), as can be heard especially on the B1- and Bb1-notes. Also concerning the overall sound on the A-clarinet, I prefer the Viotto. Tuning-wise the M4 is the best one also together with the A-clarinet (after this last repair), but not with any remarkable advantages over the Viotto.
For me the Zeretzke K4* was quite disappointing: Overall a lot of "hissing-noise", and even more so on the A-clarinet than the B-clarinet. But of course, this concerns my mouth and my setup – which may differ a lot from someone else's.
FINGERINGS
Here comes also an extended list of special fingerings I'm using or have used (including those mentioned earlier), from low to high, and this time up to C#4:
D#1, sharpening it: Normal D#1 fingering + c#1-key.
E1, sharpening it: E1 fingering + lh3 + d#1-side key + c#1-key.
F1, sharpening it: F1 fingering + d#1-key (right or left).
E2, sharpening it: E2 fingering + d#2-key + c2-key
F2, sharpening it: F2 fingering + d#2-key
A2, flattening it: A2 fingering + g#2-key + rh1 + rh3
B2, flattening it: B2 fingering + g#2-key + a#2-key + rh3 + d#2-key (a really complicated one!)
Bb2, flattening it: Bb2 fingering + rh2 and/or rh3 (perhaps also the d#2-key, for more brightness)
Bb2, forked fingering, flattening it: Forked Bb2 + rh3 + d#2-key
C3, flattening it: C3 fingering + lh3 + g#2-key
Hereafter, I use the following system of notating the fingerings: RT 123/123, where R stands for register key, T for thumb, first 123 means lh fingers, and last 123 means rh fingers. - = open hole.
F#3, sharpening the normal RT -2-/---d#2 fingering: Add the key for rh3 (the chromatic b/f#2-key). If needed, the rh trill-key for Bb1 can be added.
F#3, an excellent substitute for the RT 12-/123d#2 fingering (which goes all too sharp): Substitute the d#2-key with the g#2-key (and all the qualities of the the first fingering remains, but now in tune!)
G3, for flattening the normal RT -2-/12-d#2 fingering: As above, substitute the d#2-key with the g#2-key (also a very reliable fingering, really easy to hit also in ppp).
G3, another alternative: RT -23/12-d#2 (may still be sharp, and not at all as reliable as the former)
G#3: RT g#1 -2-/1--d#2 (in good tune, but clumsy in certain passages)
G#3: RT ---a#2/---d#2 (may be flat, but it's a smooth one)
G#3: RT ---/1--d#2 (probably sharp, but also a smooth one)
A3: RT 123/---d#2
A#3: RT -2-g#2/---d#2
A#3: RT g#1 -2-/---d#2 (equivalent of the former, but suites certain passages better)
B3: RT -2-g#2/12-d#2
B3: RT g#1 -2-/12-d#2 (equivalent of the former, but suites certain passages better)
C4: RT ---g#2/1--d#2 (I'm not fully satisfied with this, but I have no better alternative for now. If flat, releasing the d#2-key will sharpen it)
C4: RT g#1 ---/1--d#2 (equivalent of the former)
C#4: RT ---/---d#2 (I'm not fully satisfied with this either, but I have no better alternative)
Comments: The sharpening of the F1 is needed only on my A-clarinet, and the sharpening of E2 and F2 is no longer needed after my last repair. On the A-clarinet, I omit the d#2-key on all the notes above C3, which otherwise goes sharp.
As I have told before, it may be that these suggestions doesn't work as well on the 185 model, than on my 187.
Micke Isotalo
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The Clarinet BBoard
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