Very flat Rath R9

[BassBoneBlade]

I bought my R9 8 years ago after refurbishment by Rath.

Whichever mouthpiece I used, whether Yamaha 59, Schilke 60, Bach 1G or Rath B1MF, I had the main tuning slide completely in, and middle Bb was flat.

I assumed that as I was only 7 months back to playing, following a 22 year break, that I must be the problem, so I persevered thinking things would change.

After 2 further years, there was no improvement, so I asked Rath to shorten the tuning slide and sharpen the instrument.

This worked, until recently when the problem reversed and I now have a main tuning slide which is nearly fully out!

Before getting the slide shortened, I did try another R9 with my mouthpieces and had no problems. I also got a friend who also played an R9 to try my instrument and he had the same problems.

Looks like I now need to buy a new tuning slide!

[ithinknot]

This might belong in the Instruments forum rather than News.

Anyway, viewtopic.php?p=166429#p166429 ...from someone who'd know!

This worked, until recently when the problem reversed

Sounds like a embouchure question, but in the meantime you can always just play longer on the slide. FWLIW, my impression of most Raths is that they're not so ferociously centered, and almost dangerously forgiving of pitch deviations (whether face or slide) that an old Conn or Bach really wouldn't tolerate.

[BGuttman]

So moved.

[BoomtownRath]

I bought my R9 8 years ago after refurbishment by Rath.

Whichever mouthpiece I used, whether Yamaha 59, Schilke 60, Bach 1G or Rath B1MF, I had the main tuning slide completely in, and middle Bb was flat.

I assumed that as I was only 7 months back to playing, following a 22 year break, that I must be the problem, so I persevered thinking things would change.

After 2 further years, there was no improvement, so I asked Rath to shorten the tuning slide and sharpen the instrument.

This worked, until recently when the problem reversed and I now have a main tuning slide which is nearly fully out!

Before getting the slide shortened, I did try another R9 with my mouthpieces and had no problems. I also got a friend who also played an R9 to try my instrument and he had the same problems.

Looks like I now need to buy a new tuning slide!

It's a process of elimination, is it the instrument or the player!

First of all rule out that the problem is being caused by the instrument being too long. I seriously doubt it but you never know, you could also ask another player to try it as see if they also have tuning issues

If other players are having tuning issues then contact Michael Rath directly and explain your problem and take things from there.

If the other players are not having tuning issues then the problem lies on your side, most likely your chops and a decent teacher should help.

[Matt K]

Are you tuning to 442 or 440? In the US, we almost always tune to 440. But I understand the EU can be 442 quite frequently. Are the Rath models shipped as 442 normally and US players just pull out the tuning slide a little extra? I’ve never played a Rath for long enough to sit down with a tuner and figure it out.

Anyway, if you were determining you were flat before due to tuning to someone else who was tuning to 442 and they cut it short and now you’re tuning to 440 this would explain both changes.

[deanmccarty]

I’ve never had tuning issues on any of my Rath instruments. Mouthpiece and leadpipe combination can really mess with an instrument. I had a Ferguson mouthpiece on my R4 that just made the instrument freak out… tone, response, tuning… out the window. When I put my Doug Elliott back in everything was instantly fixed.

When you tried the other R9 did you also use the same leadpipe? And… slide material and width have a bearing on all of that too. My point is… with all of the modular combinations, one instrument can respond completely differently from another of the same model.

You may want to try a different mouthpiece/leadpipe combination.

[ithinknot]

I really doubt this is a huge mystery.

The OP's Rath is serial #7, according to their bio, and another player had the same issue trying it. There's a whole thread linked above discussing how early R9s often needed cutting down. So that's probably that, for the first half of the story.

Then, more recently, the instrument is playing sharp, with no change of equipment - unless the OP is really burying the lede.

Of course I'm completely guessing, but with age (or - maybe even more likely - post-Covid...) they're moving a bit less air, and tightening up to compensate; pitch goes up, slide comes out.

[Doug Elliott]

This thread started with

I bought my R9 8 years ago after refurbishment by Rath.

I wonder if the "refurbishment" included fixing the problems with the early models, or not.

And without knowing the OP's playing it's hard to guess anything. I remember when I was in high school I typically had my tuning slide far out, but now I play with it all the way in. Things change as you develop, and as you come back from a long layoff. And learn how to use less air without tightening up to compensate.

[CharlieB]

After 2 further years, there was no improvement, so I asked Rath to shorten the tuning slide and sharpen the instrument.
This worked, until recently when the problem reversed and I now have a main tuning slide which is nearly fully out!

So, what has changed ?
Are you using the same mouthpiece and leadpipe as before?
Certain mouthpiece/leadpipe/horn/embouchere combinations just don't work together.