The Optimization is a fundamental reworking of the structure and mechanism of your

instrument to bring a positive feel and stability for years to come.

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People often contact us with the complaint that their instrument played great for a while, but it didn't last, or that certain notes on the horn always feel stuffy, or they just can't do X Y or Z. Sometimes people don't notice until they play a horn that just "plays like butter" and they wonder why their horn never feels like this. This is often because the mechanics are too sloppy to maintain a consistent adjustment, a tenon isn't fit optimally, the bore of the instrument is leaking, or a plethora of other issues that are commonly overlooked. 

 

Our COA takes care of the standard things needed to make your instrument play well, but the Optimization takes it to the next level. This is where we take a deep dive into the key fitting, the tone holes are dressed,  the tenons are addressed, the body is leak checked, and every detail is checked and corrected, but we use the pads and materials that are already in place. This isn't possible for every instrument due to pad and material age, so contact us to see if this will work for you. This option is excellent as a "New Horn Setup" if you want the foundation to be as good as it can be right out of the box.

 

 

• ​The instrument is fully disassembled and gently cleaned.

• The clarinet is plugged and checked for a seal to ensure there are no hidden cracks, leaks around posts or tone holes, etc. (it’s more common than you think!). Serious problems requiring pinning, sleeving, new tone holes, etc. will be discussed with the customer.

• The tenons and tenon corks are inspected for proper fit and corrected if necessary. The middle tenon fit is especially important. Tenon or socket replacement will be discussed if deemed worthwhile.

• The tone holes are inspected and any grains/pits are filled. The tone hole is then carefully leveled and re cut to have a proper thickness and angle for optimal pad seal.

• Once all wood-working is completed, the clarinet body will be oiled to rejuvenate the wood. Excess oil is removed and the bore is lightly polished to help seal the wood from moisture. The oiling process can be skipped if you prefer. 

• All keys, rods, and screws are cleaned, lubricated, and checked for proper function. All keys and mechanisms are meticulously fit to remove binding, excess motion, and noise.

• The springs are cleaned or replaced as needed, and spring tensions are set to customer preferences.

• The pads are cleaned and individually checked for a perfect seal and replaced as needed. ​

• Any noisy or unstable regulation materials (corks, felts) are changed as needed, and timing adjustments are optimized. 

• The key venting is carefully set and tested for proper response and intonation.

• Intensive play testing and adjustments are made until the horn has “settled in”.