Klarinet Archive - Posting 000023.txt from 1994/08

From: Roel de Vrijer <rdv@-----.NL>
Subj: cracks
Date: Mon, 8 Aug 1994 14:45:08 -0400

In the recent discussion on oiling the bore of a clarinet, the issue
of cracks (and how to avoid them) came up. I would like to pose the
question: how bad is a crack?

The interest in this question is more than purely academic: my B flat
clarinet has a crack. As a matter of fact, it was already there when I
bought the instruments (a second hand pair of Buffet Crampon RC's)
three years ago, and it is still there (cracks never go away).

It is in the upper part of the top joint, more or less parallel to
and slightly longer than the register key. Often it is hard to find,
just a hair. But sometimes it opens up a little bit, and that looks
quite scary (altough you get accustomed). On the whole the situation
has been stable over the last three years.

The instument plays and sounds fine. So here is a partial answer to the
question: a crack does not necessarily mean the end.
However, there remain some doubts: how long is this going to last?
Forever? Would the sound not be even better without the crack?

I am curious what the experts say. And has anyone on the list
similar experiences?

Roel de Vrijer
Amsterdam