What Not To Do: Clarinet Instrument Repair

There are many wrong ways to fix your clarinet, some of which will do more damage than repair. Master Sgt. Dale Barton points out some common mistakes made when trying to fix your own horn.
The U.S. Army Field Band's Instrument Repair Series highlights how to care for and perform basic maintenance and repairs to your instrument. These fixes are intended to get you through difficult situations. Please consult a professional technician for proper guidance and advanced repairs.
For more information, please visit our website:
www.armyfieldband.com
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Educational Activities Coordinator
The United States Army Field Band
4214 Field Band Drive
Suite 5330
Fort Meade, Maryland 20755-7055
#clarinet #musiced #armymusic

[@DaveSmithCW4retired]

I stumbled across this video on KZbin by complete accident. Imagine my surprise to look up at the monitor and see Dale Barton featured on the video. Great work on this...now I need to look at the rest of the series. What a great outreach-to-young-musicians tool.

[@purplecatloverrandompizza]

My mom fixed up a wooden clarinet she got at work and now I play it for band Also I don't think weve ever had to pay for reeds Perks of my mom being a music major and working at a music store(reimans

[@ArmyFieldBand]

Thanks for your question. A flame provides a gentle heat source and the temperature can be controlled by changing the distance from the flame. An electronics heat gun will have to touch the key to provide heat. This may damage the key and leave a visible burn mark and you will not have as much control over the amount of heat.

[@JoMidnight]

Thank you for your service❤

[@Bennjammin]

Thanks for the video. I played for 8 years way back, and want to get it ready to play again. I've missed the feeling ever since.

[@josiahaustin8295]

Thank you so much!! Just what I needed.

[@tannerjordan2010]

Those who use the lighter, please bear in mind that if a flame is lit longer than 30 seconds at a time, you are risking the lighter exploding. Be safe!

[@charloteconnway7092]

you guys are awesome! I love this channel

[@dennisdougherty7538]

Guys sounds a little "plural".

[@snowm6472]

Dennis Dougherty i know im a little late but it is plural, he’s referring to the people involved in this production which obviously is in excess of one

[@Steve-xy2tl]

For a quick easy fix when you don't have replacement cork available, I have had good results fixing a loose joint problem by applying a thin film of Gorilla Glue (with my finger) over the (dry) tenon cork and letting it dry / cure (Obviously, don't assemble your clarinet while the glue is still wet.). Gorilla glue will foam while curing if exposed to water before curing (avoid). Gorilla Glue takes about 4 hours to cure, so try it only if you can wait that long. When the glue is dry, try assembling the affected joint. If it is too tight, you will have to remove some of the glue (or all of the glue and try again). One advantage of a Gorilla-glue-covered tenon is that you may not need to use any cork grease afterwards. And you will then be able to fix the cork properly at a later date if so desired. Gorilla Glue can be easily scraped off, so it does not make replacing the cork later any more difficult.

[@ilciavo]

Cool video !! Thanks 🙏🏽

[@ArmyFieldBand]

You're very welcome!

[@ilciavo]

I managed to replace a broken Pad with shellac 💪🏽 Isn’t there any risk to get intoxicated with Teflon ?

[@timbrendle5153]

Thanks for your excellent videos. Any suggestions for how to fill a chipped out screw hole at thumb rest?

[@40daffgroup84]

Thanks for your excellent videos

[@40daffgroup84]

Please a litell sloly

[@tamasfoldesi2358]

That's not something that you should attempt on your own.

[@therealzilch]

You forgot to mention another thing not to do: drill extra holes in your clarinette. Nice work, always a pleasure to see you guys, cheers from sunny Vienna, Scott (instrument maker and longtime wind player)

[@chrisr03]

I think that's too obvious

[@ladydragon111]

I really want to know the story behind this comment!

[@therealzilch]

@@ladydragon111 I'm an instrument maker, and it does happen- usually by drilling a hole in the wrong place, and having to fill it up and make a new one.

[@ladydragon111]

@@therealzilch 😁as youre making them this makes perfect sense... had visions of students “correcting” tonal quality 😂

[@therealzilch]

I don't actually make clarinets, but I do make recorders and chalumeaus, which are any early form of clarinet. The problem is the same.

[@dionisischristodoulopoulos9690]

Hi i would like to inform me a method of painting an old clarinet to look like New again.. I knew the procedure of refurbish but i have not Good enough solution with painting.. Any advice of method or paints Will be wellcome... Thank you

[@dansots]

I don't think even having the lighter secured is a good idea. Although its a bit more time consuming, taking the key off and replacing the pad is a much more safer way for both you and the clarinet.

[@denisgriffiths70]

Agree will be easier and won't damage plastic or bakellite body of clarinet

[@MichaelTomlinson00]

Evidently you never make sure your pad is properly seated on the tone hole.

[@irishcrowe8]

Seeing this video as a repair technician myself, I hope to not have nightmares tonight. Lol! I think the most important thing he said was to be sure to visit your instrument's doctor A.S.A.P.! He could not hve said it better. We take pride in what we do and your instrument deserves the love put into it.

[@rustic35]

Jennifer Crowe a good musician should know their instrument back to front and should be competent at least the basic repairs like pad replacement etc. It's not rocket science!

[@tamasfoldesi2358]

@@rustic35 It's more complicated than you imagine. Trust us. We've seen some really weird shit. The only job of the musician is to play on the instrument, not repair it. It's considered a profession for a reason.

[@rustic35]

@@tamasfoldesi2358 it's really not. I've got a clarinet and I've replaced pads on it. I have a background in construction and working with my hands. Like I said, a good musician should know their instrument and be competent with at least minor repairs. I've also made my own flutes out of various materials.

[@tamasfoldesi2358]

@@rustic35 We often have customers who think that, because they just think that it's just about gluing back a pad and the job is done. But they don't level the pads because they don't know that they should have and they definitely won't adjust and regulate the keys, or setting up the key heights, and don't even talk about key fitting or tone hole leveling. You may have been lucky, but others haven't and their instrument didn't even play. And even if you reglued a pad and it sealed good enough, it won't be as good as it could be. It doesn't really matter if you have experience in other fields. In fact, sometimes it can even be dangerous because you can overestimate your expertise on the subject. I've seen some instruments damaged almost beyond repair because some engineer or carpenter or smith thought that they could repair it. And they couldn't, they only made the situation worse. On one occasion, a part of the tubing of a tuba was melted. So if you are not a qualified instrument repair technician, please leave the instrument alone.

[@rustic35]

@@tamasfoldesi2358 you're amusing. I agree about engineers. Engineers are like text books, they know all the information from their university degree but, they lack hands on experience. I wouldn't let an engineer change a tap washer. I totally get it that, many Americans are pretty average. I'm not American and I learn about something before repairing it. Sometimes, yes it's better to get someone else to do it but, that's usually because it would cost me more to buy the necessary tools than to get someone else to do it. I'm confident in my abilities and I know I'll do a quality job. In fact, most the time, I'm disappointed with the work from the so called experts. I have attention for detail and perfection. You seem to be confusing me with people from your area of the world. People always ask me to do the jobs that need a fine detail because they know I'm competent and have pride in my work. So, thanks but, I'll continue to repair my own instruments and make instruments to a quality standard.

[@gondronglarospetualang2487]

🙏🙏

[@vanesarubio12]

Ok so I have a clarinet and one of the corks fell off .what can I use instead of a cork just for a while because I have to play on a concert .and it starts at 8:30 its already 6:30 . Ineed to do something fast. Im still going to get it repaired.but later

[@MegaMindyLou]

For your heat source, why not try a small heat gun we use for electronics?

[@deeznutz_911]

My clarinet is stuch from the lower and uper section, any advice?

[@mehmetyolyapar7453]

In my opinion it is bad to use a flame for anything near the wood. Instead of that a hot air soldering gun can be used to apply controlled heat very precisely just on the area needed.

[@Satchmoeddie]

Hot air solder rework station! No flame, and it gets hot enough to melt lead & tin or tin and copper solder. Repad/spring kits for Yamaha's $38,000 flutes cost $10,000 just for new springs and new pads.

[@ahmo8454]

Is there a way to remove tarnish for clarinet?

[@tl1358]

MSG Barton, Have you considered using Floratape for loose tenon corks as an emergency? It seems to work well.

[@saxmusicmail]

Tenon corks... teflon taper aka plumber's tape. Ditto sax neck corks. That's all I have to say on that subject.

[@LuisDiaz-dy5sm]

When I press the bridge key connected keys they stay in the same place they stay pressed help

[@danvanlandingham3854]

I just acquired an old clarinet with a stuck bell.How do I remove it without damaging the lower body?

[@ArmyFieldBand]

Sometimes, instead of trying to twist it off, you can (GENTLY) rock the bell back and forth off of the lower joint. Better yet - take it to the music store and have them do it!

[@ArmyFieldBand]

Good idea. In an emergency, do whatever works as long as it doesn't damage the cork or wood.

[@afeeblepanda1559]

So, on the upper section of the clarinet, one of the tone hole rings are loose... Me and my dad have tried almost everything we can. Any advice?

[@ArmyFieldBand]

Hi there! Our current instrument repair technician recommends you check out our video on loose rings and corks: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gZnEooKVhNyAiq8

[@kevinm.pfeiffer5037]

Teflon tape (for the cork)

[@rodolfodepaula8517]

Why don't you make videos about flute repair??? Please, your videos are great.

[@ArmyFieldBand]

Rodolfo de Paula Unfortunately Master Sergeant Dale Barton has retired from the military. We have discussed producing some other videos with our new technician, and you request has been noted. Thanks for checking us out!

[@rodolfodepaula8517]

thank you

[@godschild5189]

I bought a brand new clarinet a few years ago but didn't play it. I tried to recently put it together but can't. What causes this and how do I fix it?

[@ArmyFieldBand]

We recommend taking it to your local clarinet repair person to get it fixed.

[@bethany8801]

What clarinet did you show?

[@bethany8801]

Like what type. I use an R13

[@mr_awesome9994]

He used a priapism clairinet.Put it in google and images and youll see a resemblance.Well the difference is hard to tell

[@TchenZMary]

I superglued my clarinet together :D

[@guy5134]

Guys if your ligature breaks you can get one on Amazon for like 9 to 10 dollars

[@maniestacio9245]

What a chaotic video lol

[@lionsareus]

Great vid, but isn't it funny that all the background music is accordion, and not clarinet?

[@heyitsalejandrochavez420]

Mine broke today because i put super glue

[@a.v.3531]

What was this video even about? I literally learned nothing…