Sorry for the many gramatical errors on my recent reply...

I can give you two things to check for. First, the adjusting screw is opening the first finger (LH) key or the key got bent causing the front of the pad to leak. To check, take a small sliver of cellephane, like that from a cigerette pack, and put under the key, close key and if it "leaks" the pad will not grab the cellephane. If this is happening, you are going to have to replace the pad or bend the key back and re-seat the pad. Hope this works,NILS

The selmer clainets are made by union labor. The V.P. of Selmer told me that there was nothing he could do about the shotty labor put into the assembly of the horns. It seems that every factory has at least one "drunk" working for them. One time we got a shipment of about 500 selmer saxes. None of them played. When I asked why I was told by the selmer folks that I should always check for playability of there finished product. Needless to say we dont buy selmer saxes any more. Look at the quality of a S, clar. from the 60s and compare it to a new one. I would pick the one from the 60s. Nils

I don`t know if you did this or not but did you look carefully over the clarinet for any other problems that there could be. I would suggest checking all of the pads how they sit on the holes. It could be that the humidity changed and they might not be sitting right. Do you use a humidifier for the case? I will look furher in to it for you. Hope that I can help you.

Yes the pads could absorb moisture but a good repairman copensates for this by first making sure that the clairinet will play with out putting a seat in the pad. Then he will put a slight seat in the pad. I do this because I have found that with excess playing you are putting a lot of moisture in the clarinet and yuu still want it to play even when the pads would swell. I use lucien deluxe pads with a pressed woven felt. Most pads that the factorys get are woven felt that are crappy but, they can put a deep seat in the pad, correcting for the lack of talent these hacks have. NILS

I am blessed to have a god like repair man in my town. The man is a geniouse. He has never given me any problems. He always does exactly what I ask. I do most of my own repair stuff now though.

-Jen

I am really glad to hear that you have a trustable repair man. When I found out what he did to mine I was ready to spit nickels because it was so close to the state championships. The good thing is that before the championships came my parents surprised me with a new on with gold keys.