last night whilst playing at band my clarinet thumbrest fell off!!!!


No don't laugh!!!!! Ok I'll allow you a little one.


Thing is it won't go back on

The thread seems to have gone.

I usually use a clarinet sling and maybe this has caused the problem but really I would not expect it to have happened when using a proper sling and using the sling ring on the thumbrest. The clainet is a Buffet E13 incidently.

Now I'm sure I can get it fixed at the shop I bought it from but any suggestions for a temporary fix? I thought blue tack but am concerned about gunking up the holes etc....

No idea about a temporary fix, I'm afraid, but just wanted to say I'm sorry to hear about your problem. I shouldn't think it would take the shop long to sort it out though.

When similar things happen on my old battered bassoon, I put superglue in the screw holes and put the screws in - that usually holds it for quite a while. If you don't like the sound of that idea, then it's probably better to get a proper fix done at the shop.

Chris

Sorry Chris, might work for an "old battered bassoon" but not my lovely new clarinet!!!! The shop'll fix it but I'll have to get it to Bradford. See no prob with blu tack though so probably do that as a temporay measure - get me through a week or so...

Aparrently slings are not good for clarinets and thumb rests were better non-adjustable!! (so sayeth the experts in the Woodwind Exchange.)

Adjustable thumbrests have their pros and cons. My opinion would be if you need to use a sling, so be it, I really wouldn't unduly worry about it.

Anyway, you're quite right to take it back to the shop. They should do a decent repair for you.

Agree with you Dawn re. superglue, I wouldn't do that either...

And everyone's hands are the same shape and size as each other's.....oh and all of us are equally strong in the hand and arm.

Ok mechanically non-adjustable thumbrests may be simpler and easier but at worst if one comes off you re-fill and redrill the holes. Far better in my opinion than causing pain to the player.

I think I'll go and hide, I feel on the verge of a rant.

No offence taken here CJB. I do respect the people at the woodwind exchange and I do know what she was meaning was in the purely mechanical sense - She basically meant that slings put pressure on the thumbrest/instrument and that the adjustable rest is not perfect and more bits means more things can go wrong. Does seam a bit silly to put the sling ring on the thumb rest screw really... Anyway, they are nice people there - helpful AND know what they're doing - Despite this.

The exact same thing happened to my B12 before I upgrade to an E13. The only thing you can do is get it repaired. I bought a new thumbrest for around £25 and did it myself, seeing as it was the cheaper option! I never used a sling for my B12, but do for my E13, and I don't think it affects the thumbrest.