 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: r small
Date: 2016-08-02 21:57
I would like to re-shape the register key on my bass clarinet to something along the lines of the Selmer sax style register key. In other words, extend the key to the right somewhat. I think that this would be more ergonomic than the straight up and down operation of the key on my Ridenour bass. I've seen examples of something called Sugru (moldable glue) used to extend and elevate certain keys but I haven't seen it used specifically on a clarinet register key. Is anybody familiar with this product and have any idea if it would work in re-shaping the register key?
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Author: smokindok
Date: 2016-08-02 22:16
I don't think a Sugru style product is what you are looking for. Sugru is a silicone rubber product that remains flexible. You need something rigid.
Perhaps something like JB Weld SteelStik would work. It is a hard setting epoxy and will bond to most metals. I think the key to getting to work would be to adequately roughen the area of the key that you are bonding, bond to as large of a surface area as possible, and have enough bulk of material for strength.
Wouldn't it be fairly easy to do it properly, fabricating a metal key extension to solder in place?
John
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-08-02 22:26
What make is your bass?
If you want a true sax-style touchpiece that's mounted (hinged) on the left but the touchpiece extends over to the right of the thumbplate, then a set of pillars will need to be fitted and a key with a linkage arm like a Selmer or Yamaha alto sax 8ve key can me made (or an existing alto sax 8ve key can be adapted) to operate the now shortened speaker key, but that will be expensive.
If you have a lever style speaker key, then that can always be extended by hard soldering a piece of metal to the touchpiece and shaping it to curve around to the right of the thumbplate. That will be pretty easy to do (as far as keywork alterations go) and far less expensive than having the sax style touchpiece fitted.
While Suguru is good for building up key heights where a downward force is applied, I'm not sure if it will work as well when extending the length and shape of a touchpiece where force is applied to the very end instead of downwards onto the entire touchpiece. It could break off from the touchpiece unless you have enough coverage to secure it.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: r small
Date: 2016-08-02 22:28
Soldering a metal extension onto the key sounds like a good solution. But not something I could do myself. Are there any woodwind techs out there that do this kind of work?
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Author: smokindok
Date: 2016-08-02 22:52
I think most well equipped, competent woodwind techs could do this. Soldering repairs and minor modifications are pretty routine for them. I know the three techs that I have used in the past several years would do this sort of work.
John
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Author: r small
Date: 2016-08-02 23:03
I should give Dave Spiegelthal a call. He's done a lot of work through the years customizing and modifying woodwind key work. If the work is feasible he should be able to do it. Plus he livres in my neck of the woods (Northern Virginia).
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-08-02 23:10
I was going to say try David Spiegelthal (seeing as you're in VA) as he's probably the nearest to you.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: r small
Date: 2016-08-02 23:22
By the way, my bass is a Ridenour 925e (low Eb). Great sounding instrument but the straight up and down register key is pretty awkward for me. I'm basically a Selmer sax player and when I played bass clarinet in the past I had a Selmer which had a sax style register key. Old habits die hard.
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Author: CEC
Date: 2016-08-03 01:11
Someone else to consider is Wes Rice in Princess Anne, MD. He's a fantastic tech (he works on my bass) and does custom keywork on a fairly regular basis.
http://www.clarinet-repairs.com
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Author: r small
Date: 2016-08-05 17:29
I talked to Wes Rice about the custom work. He said he could do it but he won't work on Ridenour instruments. He said that due to the inferior metal that they're practically impossible to repair. Not what I wanted to hear. So I took the horn back to the music store where I bought it and got a full refund. Older and wiser and fortunately no poorer.
Post Edited (2016-08-05 17:40)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-08-05 17:59
Hmmm - can you stretch to getting an Uebel bass? They're the best priced pro level wooden basses on the market and have identical keywork to Buffet Prestige basses.
And a sax style speaker key.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: r small
Date: 2016-08-05 18:50
Interesting. This is the first I've heard of this make. I will look into it.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-08-05 23:06
No - only to low C.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2016-08-06 02:10
I'm not familiar with Sugru, but I use another plastic compound that comes in pellets and can be heated and molded. It can be shaped over keys to make an extension.
Steve Ocone
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