Measuring Clarinet Pad Cups

By Curt Altarac

If you are removing the old pad before measuring the pad cup, your job may be a little easier. You will need to use a ruler with millimeter marks and measure the pad that has been removed.

Measuring the felt of the old pad is the easiest way to proceed. In doing this, you are assuming that the previous installer put the correct size of pad into the instrument.
If you would rather measure the pad cup there are a few ways to proceed:

1. If you are measuring the pad cup while the key is on the instrument. Measure the outside diameter of the pad cup. Subtract 0.3mm from that measurement.

2. If you have the key off the instrument and the pad removed. You can measure the inside diameter of the pad cup. This is the part of the cup where the cardboard backing sits. Once you have this measurement, add 1.0mm. The result will be the pad size you need to order. For example. If the inside diameter of the pad cup is 8.0mm. Add 1.0mm to this measurement (9.0mm total) and order that size (9.0mm).