Klarinet Archive - Posting 000328.txt from 1996/04

From: Teri Herel <EnsHerel@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Relax about cracks?!
Date: Thu, 11 Apr 1996 18:21:29 -0400

My R-13 has a gaping pinned crack that George in CT regularly fills with goo
to keep sealed. (The pins have stabolized it so the crack doesn't reach the
bore, but it still looks like crap from the outside and the sealer eventually
starts to fall out). I bought the clarinet this way because it had the most
beautiful tone then, and five years later it has not changed. Every time I
give it to George for some minor repair he shakes his head over its sound.
Perhaps not all clarinets retain their original tone after cracking, however
psychologically I've no problem with this cracked beastie.

In a message dated 96-04-11 13:32:33 EDT, you write:

>Well, you are mistaken, but the question which follows your statement is
>still very germane. A qualified repairman, doing a first-rate job,
>will charge between $40 and $60 per pin. I may be a bit off on the
>details, but I think a 1 - 1.5 inch crack would require 3 pins. Multiply
>that by $50 average. Not exactly cheap, but consider the alternatives:
>buying an entirely new joint, or selling the whole instrument and buying
>a whole new clarinet. If a pin is done well and the wood responds
>favorably, there will be no notable change in timbre, response, or
>intonation after the repair is complete. The instrument may be used as
>if there had never been a problem. Some players are psychologically very
>sensitive, though, and refuse to accept that a pinned clarinet is not
>somehow inferior than a clarinet that has not been pinned. I've heard of
>people immediately selling their instruments (at a loss) and buying a new
>one exclusively because they had a crack pinned. It takes all kinds, I
>guess.
>
>Neil
>
>