 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Joarkh
Date: 2009-11-17 16:09
Hello all,
Recently the spring for my key number 7 (side Eb1/Bb2) on my A Buffet Festival broke. I suspect it can have been due to rust from blowing water out of the tone hole. Nevertheless, I need a new spring. Does anyone have any recommendations for where I should order one, or what make I should get? Are there any differences, or is a spring a spring?
Sadly, there are no qualified repairmen where I live.
Temporarily, I am able to play with a rubber band over the key. It is, however, not ideal.
Joar
Clarinet and saxophone teacher, clarinet freelancer
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2009-11-17 18:54
Basically a spring is just a spring so a standard flat spring should fit this position OK.
(Just ocassionally manufacturers use a preformed special shape that is harder to copy onto a flat spring)
I assume you have a Buffet Bb clarinet (Festival/R13/RC or similar) so take this key off and measure the length (and ideally thickness) of the Bb spring and that should fit equally on your A instrument.
Any decent repairer in your country should be able to post you a replacement for a modest cost.
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2009-11-17 19:21
Make sure to keep the new spring lubricated after installing it. A thin application of key oil or even cork grease can protect the new spring form corrosion and breakage.
Jeff
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2009-11-17 20:56
"...I assume you have a Buffet Bb clarinet (Festival/R13/RC or similar) so take this key off and measure the length (and ideally thickness) of the Bb spring and that should fit equally on your A instrument.... "
The thickness is quite important for most flat springs, at least to within about 0.1 mm.
Unless you have a vernier calliper and be mindful of the bur formed when the metal was stamped out, then thickness is not too easy to measure.
May I suggest that you post the remains of the spring (and the required length, if you don't have both parts) to any repairer who will cooperate in sending you a suitable one.
Music Medic are very helpful re selling small items, and may send you a suitable one anyway, even though they may not be listed in any catalogue.
Or buy from Ferrees Tools. This is from page 132 of their on-line pdf catalogue (But do they have a minimum value purchase?):
D70 FLAT SPRINGS FOR
CLARINET
These blued steel springs
are rust resistant.
THICKNESS LENGTH SUGGESTED USE
.010” X 44mm Octave key short
.011” X 58mm Octave key long
.011” X 13mm A key short
.011” X 17mm A key long
.011” X 29.5mm Side Bb Trill
.016” X 16.5mm Trill Keys
.016” X 19mm Trill Keys
.016” X 22mm Trill Keys
.016” X 30mm Trill Keys
D70 Flat Clarinet Springs-state size
Post Edited (2009-11-17 20:57)
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Author: Joarkh
Date: 2009-11-18 13:09
Thank you all for your help! I will make sure to keep the new spring lubricated.
Today, I went to the music store in my small North Norwegian hometown - something I hadn't done before because my previous experiences with them told me that they wouldn't have any clarinet parts. However, as the springs I ordered from a studio in Oslo (Norway's capital) did not seem to arrive, I was forced to hope for the best. And guess what I found there: Three original Buffet Crampon spring sets!!! I was utterly astonished. Apparently, this wasn't something they regularly carried, but rather something they'd ordered after using six months to order a single spring last time they'd repaired a clarinet.
I believe one could order spring sets directly from Buffet in Paris?
For this set, I paid 290 Norwegian Kroner, which equals about $52 or €35. Would you consider that expensive? At least I can replace whatever spring gets broken now...
Joar
Clarinet and saxophone teacher, clarinet freelancer
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2009-11-18 13:42
Given how rarely springs actually break on any given clarinet, I think buying a whole set was probably overkill.
Jeff
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Author: Joarkh
Date: 2009-11-18 15:43
Well, I find it comforting to know that I have them at home, as springs usually are quite difficult to acquire from where I live (northern Norway).
Joar
Clarinet and saxophone teacher, clarinet freelancer
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2009-11-18 15:52
Yep. I had a friend who recently escaped from Lillehammer to move back to the US (Cincinnati). ![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif)
Jeff
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Author: BartHx
Date: 2009-11-18 22:40
Be very careful to keep track of the screw that holds the spring in place. To place the new spring, clamp the key with the spring side up. Put the screw into the hole in the spring and hold it in place with your screwdriver as you carefully bring it up to the hole in the key. If you are having trouble finding a spring, imagine how hard it would be to find a replacement screw that size.
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Author: Joarkh
Date: 2009-11-19 06:19
Thanks for the tip! Looks like an amazing site.
Joar
Clarinet and saxophone teacher, clarinet freelancer
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