The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: dtiegs
Date: 2011-11-14 00:10
Just recently I purchased a Leblanc Big Easy Clarinet. The salesman has offered to showed and has oiled the clarinet for me. He mentioned that a dark color is always a healthy sign for clarinets. He said that should it turn grey,the wood, it is time to be oiled. I know, I have read previous post about oiling or not oiling the clarinet, but the color is grey, even after he has oiled it. While he was oiling, it didn't take long for the oil to be absorbed. He used lemon oil. It didn't even take five minutes for the oil to be completely absorbed. He continued a second time, and set me home. I am not questioning his expertise, due to the fact that he's a fellow clarinetist himself, who sells/repairs instruments. I am hesitant to even take my new clarinet out of my case. My insecurity has driven me to insanity. I have to know. Should i continue to play it or await till I am able to have my teacher look at it, this coming Thursday?
Thanks,
DTiegs
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2011-11-14 01:57
Gray wood is dried out wood. I wouldn't use lemon oil to restore the wood. Instead,I would either use almond oil, or (even better) one of The Doctor's bore-oiling products. You can choose from Bore Doctor or GrenadOil. I prefer the latter,but it is more expensive. Both are plant-based oils, which are what the wood needs. GrenadOil is supposed to mimic almost exactly the natural oil from the tree the instrument was made from.
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
Post Edited (2011-11-14 01:57)
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2011-11-14 02:04
I like Jeff's recommendations here. You may wish to do this oil treatment slowly, over several days, very light coats. My fear would be the wood cracking if too much was applied at 1 time.
Perhaps one of the experts will pop in and tell you exactly how to do this.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
Post Edited (2011-11-14 02:08)
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2011-11-14 02:51
It is really prettysimple. Apply a THIN coat of oil to any joint where the wood is gray. Let it sitfor a few hours until it is absorbed. Then repeat until the wood stops absorbing oil. At this point, swab out the bore with a clean swab, and you are ready to go. The process can take a number of applications over a few sdays, if the wood has been neglected for a number of years.
I believe the Doctor has instructions on how to oil on one of the newsletters archived on his site. http://www.doctorsprod.com/store/DP_Newsletter.asp
Jeff.
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
Post Edited (2011-11-14 02:51)
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