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Re: olive wood clarinet

Author: Chris P
Date: 2023-02-08 13:47

Some of the index rolls for setting out the toneholes, inset tonehole recesses, pillar holes and slots for Gerold's original Amadeus model clarinets are still at the Howarth factory as he used to come over back in the '90s and set out the blank joints that were made there for him. He'd bush the inset toneholes, finish the bore and do all the other finer details to end up with fully finished clarinets back in Austria.

Also his keywork castings were prepped and sent off for plating along with oboe keywork so they all got a decent thickness of silver plating (usually minimum of 25 microns for Howarth oboes and clarinets, unless he specified a much thicker layer).

Having that freedom to innovate and take risks is something that's special about independent makers as large volume makers tend to stick to convention as that's easier, plus there's far too may variables that could go wrong - the ill-fated E11F being a prime example of how innovations can go horribly wrong.

As for the free flat springs - if there's sufficient room between the undersides of the flat spring screws when the keys are fitted, small washers/spacers can always be fitted which would effectively give flat springs a bit more length and allow more movement compared to ones that are screwed directly to the flat undersides of the keys where the springs can make contact at other points with the underside of the keys along their length which can make the action feel sluggish or too heavy. A similar thing could be achieved by filing out a recess on the underside of the key a little distance beyond the screw hole on the free side of the spring.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

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