Contrabass Digest

2002-01-13

From: MVinquist
Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2002 16:13:16 EST
Subject: [CB] Contra Repadding Surgery

Grant says:
>  the inside of the key [on a Leblanc contra] is constructed differently,
> and doesn't have the wide *flat* space for shellac that all the other
> woodwinds...have.

Grant -

I just looked at my Leblanc BBb and my Selmer Eb, and you've got it
backwards.  The Selmer, which uses floated-in-on-shellac pads, has rounded
cups, just like a soprano clarinet.  The Leblanc, which has screwed-in flute
style pads with resonators, has a perfectly flat cup.  I doubt that you would
be able to use flute-style paper shims to seat the pads if the cups were
rounded.

Perhaps the flat cup wouldn't hold as much shellac, making the bond less
strong, but that's theoretical.  Clark Fobes, who is a premier repairman and
used to overhaul contras, wrote to me that he routinely removed the spuds on
Leblancs and floated plain pads in on shellac, which he found easy and
reliable.  The only reason I kept the screw pads on my Leblanc was that they
were in good condition, and my repair technician used to work at Haynes and
had actually preferred using paper shims.

Best regards.

Ken Shaw
***End of Contrabass Digest***

 
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