Un funk

Carl H.

Carl H.

Distinguished Member
Distinguished Member
How would you guys go about un funking an old wooden clarinet for the purposes of giving it a good play testing?

A friend gave me her Albert Eb (LP) and I'd like to spend some time with it, without having to get a total overhaul and new case. I can deal with the case, I've had experience with that funk, but a wooden instrument is new territory for me. In the past I'd just get it overhauled and be done with it but I don't want to spend anything on a borrowed/loaned instrument that isn't a performing tool I can use or purchase.
 
Carl: I recently was gifted a C-Albert System marked LOW PITCH (no other markings). I'm guessing it is early 1900's. Anyway, it too was FUNKY, but had all the parts, including a Bb mouthpiece. None of the joints had much cork left but I was able to put it together and blow a few notes with my Bb mouthpiece. Horn was in tune and had a nice sound.

It is now in pieces in a plastic tub at Scimonetti's in Lancaster, CA, getting a total re-do, including cleaning up the wood body and all the keywork (which Jim described as "German nickel"). He showed me an old Buffet A-Boehm that he'd just finished and it looked great. I will report when my C is returned to me.

I suppose one could have a tech go over it and just plug leaks, but I'd go for the complete fix if I intended to play it (or even just try to teach myself Albert, which I know already but not proficiently). DAVE
 
Apparently it is playable as-is, but I'd rather not get the aroma on my fingers.

I'm thinking about anti-allergen Pledge on a cloth and giving it a good rub down. Any reason not to use this?
 
Carl H. said:
Apparently it is playable as-is, but I'd rather not get the aroma on my fingers.

I'm thinking about anti-allergen Pledge on a cloth and giving it a good rub down. Any reason not to use this?
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A drop of mild liquid hand soap on a damp cloth should do. I routinely wash (stripped-down) overhaul candidates with hand soap with no adverse effects.
Let dry, then polish with a drop of olive oil. (or woodwind oil, if you have)
 
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I just found an Edgware in a local discount second hand music store the other day. I've never had the opportunity to mess with a B & H horn for any extended period of time, so this one will give me the chance.

The horn was in flawless condition other than for the barrel, which shows signs of having been forcefully removed from the upper joint. No cracks or anything like that, but not in perfect cosmetic condition.

Like most other old and used clarinets, it stinks to high heaven, but dumping the case and scrubbing down the horn, lightly pickling the keys and installing new corks and pads will fix that up right proper and Bristol fashion. I doubt that I'll go with a silver plating job on this one, though - I'd never recover the expense if I (or, more likely, my widow) were to try to sell it.

The shop owner was desperate enough to move the "non-school music program approved brand" horn to drop the price by 50% for the chance of a quick sale.

I really like Selmer Series 9 horns, so I imagine I'll feel much the same way about a B & H.
 
My C-Albert gift was really smelly when I got it. I left the case open, took out all the old reeds and a bore brush that was one swipe away from complete decomposition, then vacuumed the case. Those actions alone removed a lot of the foul odor.

I'm hoping the complete tear-down at Scimonetti's will cure the remain light odor.

One suggestion (which I haven't tried but think might work) is to put an open container of baking soda in the case with the horn, isolate the case where it can't be unintentionally overturned or moved, and close the case for a week or so. DAVE
 
Odds are pretty slim I'll ever own it.

As to the baking soda, it is in a clarinet pouch and not a traditional hard case.

I guess I'll try soapy water on strips of cloth and see what happens. I don't mind replacing a pad or two but I don't care to invest in something I'll never own or play out.
 
The funky smell is primarily going to be from the pads and corks, not from the wood or metal -- although I think some oxidized metals smell a bit, too.

You can always invest in a clarinet-sized ozone generator and that'll kill off the smell. That's only $400 for a small one :).

I'd say that if you want to try to control the smell, as is, leaving the clarinet out on a stand is probably going to make a difference. Bore oil/soap/etc. as mentioned above will help, too. It won't fix the problem, mind you, but it'll help.

If you're just talking "mouthpiece", I'd clean it with soap & water and then soak it in some mouthwash for awhile. Sterisol works quicker, tho.
 
pete said:
The funky smell is primarily going to be from the pads and corks, not from the wood or metal -- although I think some oxidized metals smell a bit, too.
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What works for storing are tea bags. They absorb moisture and odour. Change often, especially while the case stinks. I always have them in the currently unused clarinets' cases - no smell. Also eBay acquisitions got promptly unstunk within a few weeks.
(FWIW, Earl Grey makes for a darker tone than peppermint)
 
Ben,

Don't you end up with a case that smells like tea?
 
I've got some vintage clarinets that had FUNK when I got them. They've been washed, repadded and corked, oiled, polished, and set out on pegs to 'air out'.
They haven't been put back in the cases for over a year and they still stink. Not as bad as they did, but it's still there.
 
Tammi said:
I've got some vintage clarinets that had FUNK when I got them. They've been washed, repadded and corked, oiled, polished, and set out on pegs to 'air out'.
They haven't been put back in the cases for over a year and they still stink. Not as bad as they did, but it's still there.
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use Selmer bore oil.
it's a very good cleaning / defunking agent.

might not do much to oil the bore properly ... but .. hey .. what do you expect
 
tictactux said:
The case continues to have a faintly musty smell, but with more pleasant overtones. Like certain aftershaves do. :)
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Vetiver would probably smell nice in a case.

I'm really liking Vetiver lately.
 
Another alternative

One thing that came to mind when I recently re-read this thread was that you don't need to spend $400 US to employ an ozone generator to help de-funk a musical instrument. Many years ago, I purchased a "shoe deodorizer " from the then au courant Sharper Image firm that does the same thing and much, much more.

In addition to freshening up a pair of shoes (and funky metatarsal molder's boots, worn in steel mills and foundries and the like), it also deodorizes hockey equipment (kid's stuff is particularly bad in this regard; just set the timer on the unit, throw it in the bag, and next day it no longer stinks) and anything else prone to mildew,

On an instrument, you'd use it on the wood body or the case but not the key work (which would oxidize in a hurry with the three oxygen molecule ozone). I've never had the reason to try it on a horn, but it reduced the stink on two old clarinet cases on which I tried it.
 
If you live somewhere where the sun shines hard and the weather is warm, after thoroughly vacuuming the case and using a citrus-based cleaning agent to deal with any discolouration where the corks contact the case, put the open case out in the sun for a few days. As for the instrument, most of the smell comes from the pads and corks, so strip the instrument, wash in a mild detergent with a soft brush and then let it air-dry. Oil the bore with almond oil and repad and recork.
 
I finally get to say this: Nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

Just as a side comment/question, because I'm in Phoenix, AZ and it was 86 or so degrees today, I wonder how much heat it would take to start melting plastic, hard rubber, or shellac or other adhesives. Remember that cars can heat up into the 180 degree range out here.
 
Temperature

pete said:
I finally get to say this: Nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

Just as a side comment/question, because I'm in Phoenix, AZ and it was 86 or so degrees today, I wonder how much heat it would take to start melting plastic, hard rubber, or shellac or other adhesives. Remember that cars can heat up into the 180 degree range out here.
Click to expand...

Our summer temps are generally in the 100-110 range on a warm day. I've never yet had a case melt, although I have seen a banana shaped hard rubber clarinet on a market stand on a hot day.
 
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