Klarinet Archive - Posting 000359.txt from 1997/11

From: "Jeroen T. Salm" <J.T.Salm@-----.nl>
Subj: your advise about huge crack
Date: Sun, 9 Nov 1997 08:28:33 -0500

hello dear clarinet-players/-lovers,

A week ago there was a very low humidity (someone measured a humid. of
34%)in our rehearsel-hall (Frits Philips Hall in Eindhoven-The Netherlands,
yes, Frits Philips is the founder of the Philips (electronica) company):
the hobo of our principal hobo-player cracked (lorie), so did the Buffet
Elite clarinet of my principal and mine (also BC Elite). We (the two
clarinet-players) have a huge crack (5 cm.) on the same place/spot on the
lower part of the clarinet. (left side, below the left B-key to the two
scres left below the B and Cis key). While playing there comes water/saliva
out of it, but really problems with resistance or tone-quality isn't (yet)
audible. Due to (problably) arrogance of the BuffetCrampon factory in Paris
I will have to wait two months before they can give me a new lower part of
the clarinet (i.e.: new wood) on wich they put on my old keywork
(applicatura). (This has happened to me a half year ago also!). At the
moment I haven't got a fine instrument to play on, for the time being
(those two months) and Buffet isn't prepared to lend me an identical Elite
clarinet for that time. (I have to give them my whole clarinet) Well,
folks, I will send my cracked clarinet to Paris after New Year (when times
are not so hectic anymore) but what shall I do in the meantime: *is it
possible to fix this crack for just a while,* I mean: can we "glue it
together"? If so, I will try to find someone to do this for me. *Not
fixing it: is that dangerous?* (I have pretty important concerts to come!)
BTW: The Elite clarinet of my principal is 8 years old and was never
cracked before, now, suddenly, a crack at the same spot as my Elite
clarinet (one year old) at the same day!!! (as the hobo). How, how on earth
could this happen? (Of course I will sue the orchestra/Frits Philips Hall).
*What can we learn from it?*

And: just a few days ago (one day after the cracking-experiences) came a
representative of the LeBlanc company (also here in The Netherlands the
rep. from the Vandoren company): he had 14 clarinets with him, and I've
tried them all. I am (by origin) a Wurlitzer player (Reform-Boehm, so:
german setup) and now for a year BC Elite player. I was very pleased with
the LeBlancs (Opus) and immediately in love with the Rosewood Symphonie:
very characterfull... There was only a Bb available at the moment, and
Paris could make the A available aprox. in februari 98. Well, I cant't wait
to try them, really! I, I would never have believed I would seriously
consider buying LeBlancs, and, well: I think I will (after I get my Elites
back, crackless and sell them).
The only problem I had with all the LeBlancs was: the throught (how do you
spell this), I mean: g', g#', a', bflat' very, very high pitched (putting
your right hand down while playing these notes wasn't good enough: still 15
cents to high!). But, "Mr LeBlanc" told me, that I could come to the
LeBlanc factories and let the make a special designed LeBlanc for me, so
also the pitch problems could be solved. Well: that is definitely something
else than the somehow arrogant attitude of the Buffet factory: "if they
sound not well it is your fault, not ours"

OK,
it seems my clarinet looks like bleeding,
snif, snif,

yours,
Jeroen T. Salm
The Netherlands
jtsalm@-----.nl