Thank you for purchasing a clarinet from Okubo Gakki. Proper daily care is essential to ensuring you enjoy playing your clarinet for years to come. Here, we’ve compiled instructions on how to assemble your instrument and perform daily maintenance.
The text in red highlights points that require special attention. Please be sure to review them before using your instrument!
《How to Assemble Your Clarinet》
* Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before handling the instrument. If a sink is not nearby, use a wet wipe or handkerchief to thoroughly wipe away any sweat from your palms. Sweat from your hands not only causes dirt to accumulate on the body of the instrument and damages the plating, but can also cause the keys to malfunction.
● Apply a small amount of cork grease to the cork joints of each section by rubbing it in gently with your finger.
Apply just enough so that the grease doesn’t ooze out when you join the sections. You don’t need to apply a lot.
● While the corks are still new, apply grease every time you assemble the instrument to help the grease settle in.
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| ● When assembling the lower tube to the bell and the upper tube to the barrel, be careful not to apply excessive force to the keys (circled in the photo). |
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| ● With one hand, lightly grip the upper tube while pressing down on the ring key (red circle in the photo on the right). Make sure that pressing the ring key causes the connecting key section with the lower tube to lift up. |
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| ● With your other hand, gently grip the joint between the lower tube and the bell (the part with fewer keys), and assemble the instrument while being careful not to let the connecting keys of the upper and lower tubes collide. If you assemble it by turning it in a large, circular motion, the keys will collide, causing them to bend and throwing the instrument out of balance. |
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● Assemble the mouthpiece and barrel.
● First, insert the ligature, then slide the moistened reed into the space between the mouthpiece and the ligature from above.
● Looking at the reed from the front, position it so that the tip of the mouthpiece is slightly
(about the width of a strand of hair!) visible above the tip of the reed.
《Care After Playing》
● Loosen the ligature screw, and remove the reed, ligature, and mouthpiece in that order.
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| ● Insert a clarinet-sized swab. Do not use swabs that are the wrong size, as they can cause clogs. You can insert it from either the bell or the barrel, but be careful when inserting it from the barrel, as the opening is narrow! |
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● For the mouthpiece, either run a mouthpiece swab through it or gently wipe off any moisture with gauze or a similar material.
● Replace your swabs regularly.
Using a swab that has frayed from repeated washing can not only leave fibers in the tone holes but also cause the swab to get stuck.
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| ● Disassemble the instrument in the reverse order of assembly.
● Wipe away any moisture inside the barrel or on the cork joints with a tissue or similar material. A light wipe of the cork grease is sufficient. Do not use a swab to remove the cork grease! |
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| ● Absorb any moisture on the pad with cleaning paper. Place a piece of cleaning paper between the pad and the tone hole, then move the key back and forth several times. Be careful not to pull on the cleaning paper at this time. If you do, the paper may tear and stick to the pad. |
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● There are products on the market, such as [Pow○er Pe▲r], that come with powder on the cleaning paper, but we do not recommend them.
*Even if the stickiness subsides temporarily, any powder left on the pads will attract moisture and dirt, shortening the pads’ lifespan and causing the instrument’s tuning to go out of alignment.
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| ● Wipe the instrument with a soft, clean cloth. For the keys, simply gently wiping away sweat and fingerprints is sufficient. |
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● Gently place the instrument in a case that fits it properly. If there is any wobble between the instrument and the case, the instrument will be more susceptible to vibration during transport, which can cause the tuning to go out of adjustment.
● Moisture and excessive humidity are the clarinet’s worst enemies. Do not store the swab in the same case as the instrument; keep it separate—for example, by placing it in the case cover.
● Do not close the case with sheet music or other items on top of the instrument. This can cause the keys to warp and throw the instrument out of balance.
● Be careful not to forget to close the case’s zipper or fasteners! Get into the habit of closing the zipper and fasteners immediately after placing the instrument inside the case!
● The clarinet’s body is prone to cracking due to sudden changes in temperature and humidity. Avoid playing outdoors during the peak of summer or winter, and even indoors, avoid playing in direct sunlight or near heating or cooling units.
● Many of you probably know that with new instruments, you should avoid playing for long periods for about a month after purchase. While the risk of new cracks forming is significantly lower with used instruments that have been played for a certain period, they may have been stored for a long time, so please treat them the same as new ones. Initially, avoid playing continuously for more than 30 minutes a day. Also, be sure to swab the instrument about once every 15 minutes while playing.
● After playing, be sure to wipe off any moisture and store the instrument in its case.
● Due to the nature of wood, it may not always be possible to prevent cracks if the wood is inherently prone to splitting.
● When you step away from your instrument, run a swab through it and store it in its case. “Stepping away from the instrument” means you’re not playing it.
Do not leave your instrument unattended with moisture still inside.
What did you think?
That concludes the basic care instructions for the clarinet.
Even when you know what to do, do you ever find yourself neglecting maintenance?
Regular maintenance ensures your instrument stays in good condition longer and keeps adjustment costs down.
Master the proper care methods and enjoy your playing.