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Keeping a clarinet assembled on a stand all day.

7K views 9 replies 9 participants last post by  shmuelyosef 
#1 ·
I keep my YCL 26II assembled and on a stand all day to have it under my fingertips any spare minute.
How does that affect cork condition? My bottom cork (lower joint/bell) is very tight so I have to grease it every time i assemble the CL, the middle cork (lower/upper joints) is just ok and the other two (mouthpiece and upper j/barrel) are quite loose so I don't have to grease them so often.
Anyway, when I keep the CL in my case, all corks are just ok, apart from the bottom one which is tight, and when assembled all day, upper corks tend to get loose.
Is keeping it assembled all day a good idea at all? The CL is made of ABS so no problems here.
 
#2 ·
If where you live isn't too humid you should be fine. Maybe the upper corks loosen up because its too hot?

I would sand a bit the cork in the lower joint so it wouldn't be so tight. If it is that tight its more likely that the cork will suffer from the repeated friction of putting and taking the bell and will need replacement much sooner than normal.
 
#3 ·
The tight cork could be tight plastic.
If you are having to use grease that often then it is likely you are using substandard grease - and most of them are - &/or the cork needs to be made thinner.

If you leave it assembled for long periods the cork will eventually compress and lose its resilience, and then some day you will find it too loose.
The instrument will also get dusty. The dust draws oil from the pivots and makes them more likely to rust. You could consider covering with a plastic bag or similar.
You are more likely to damage it by knocking it over.

That's the downside. If you still think it is worth the ready access for playing more often, go for it!
 
#4 ·
If you live with free roaming house pets, children, inattentive siblings, or room mates it's best to swab and case the clarinet after use.
Damage from accidentally knocking over the stand or a pet taking a **** on/marking it can get a bit expensive.
 
#5 ·
I too sometimes let a clarinet on a stand for airing if it is an instrument which needs to loose a bit of musty odor after treating it with lemon oil ( real lemon oil not lemon scented oil).

If the cork grease is of the dense and sticky type you will find it very difficult to take apart and might even damage the instrument if you unwittingly try to force it.

However, I agree, good grease ( Gordon has suggested good one for quite some time) will not solidify as bad grease does. Compressing of cork is a problem too.

Humidity from the environment ( unless you live in the rain forest) is absolutely not a problem, black wood is naturally impervious to absorb (it does so only superficially) moisture which is the reason why we use that type of wood.

If you want to air the clarinet do so leaving the case open.
 
#6 ·
when assembled all day, upper corks tend to get loose.
Is keeping it assembled all day a good idea at all? The CL is made of ABS so no problems here.
What works for you, do you play the instrument more often when its on a stand assembled.

If so, then continue.

Get it serviced and cleaned every couple of years and let any loose corks be the technicians issue and not yours.

Make sure that the place you get it serviced at, pulls the keys of to service, people have different ideas of what a servicing is.

Its up to you to make sure you are getting what you pay for.

Steve
 
#8 ·
I have a cheap noblet i use for playing outdoors and in marching band. That one stays on a stand in my "music" room all day sa i can pick it up and play anytime i want. Sometimes i swipe it out afther playing but nog allways. The reed(s) stay next to the clarinet in a reed holder.
My "expensive" Buffet stays in the case for all other "important" occasions.
 
#10 ·
I use "Doctor's Product" cork grease and replenish perhaps every 10 times I assemble/disassemble the CL. I swab my horn any time that I have played more than 10-15 minutes. I don't find that it takes very long to open the case and put the horn together...like 30 seconds, so it's not a barrier if I want to play. A bigger concern would be leaving a wet reed on the mouthpiece to dry out. That will substantially shorten reed life unless you are using a Fibracell, Legere, or Plasticover. Even if I set the horn on a stand, for a 15 minute break, I will take the reed off.
 
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