Klarinet Archive - Posting 000378.txt from 1997/11

From: Dee Hays <deerich@-----.net>
Subj: Re: your advise about huge crack
Date: Mon, 10 Nov 1997 11:10:46 -0500

**I am resending due to problems with list.

I do not think you can effectively glue the crack and I don't really
know of
any "temporary fixes". If the instrument is out of warranty, it is
quite
common here to have a crack pinned rather than replace the joint. This
works
very well as it seems that the repair is very strong and does not
generally
affect the playing of the instrument. Another benefit is that since the
wood
has now seasoned and settled a bit, it is much less likely to crack
again in
the future. I have two clarinets that had been pinned before I bought
them and
I have now had them for over 30 years. There is no sign of either one
cracking
again. With a new joint (new wood), you will once again have to wait
and see
if it is going to crack. But if it is still under warranty, you deserve
to
have the company replace the joint.

Please do not consider the concert hall responsible, they are not in
control of
the weather (or perhaps you were just joking about suing the concert
hall).
Here in the US there are parts of the country where the humidity is even
lower
than 34% for most of the year. When we turn on the heat, it gets even
worse
(right now my house has a humidity less than 20%). When I moved from
Illinois
to South Dakota, my daughter's oboe cracked within 3 months. She now
keeps a
humidifier in the case and we oil ALL our wooden instruments regularly.

I do not know if continuing to play will make the crack worse or not.
Sometimes, a crack will get smaller as the wood settles. When they
repaired
the crack in my daughter's oboe (almost full length of the upper joint
and
requiring 5 pins), they first let it sit for 2 months so that it would
close as
much as possible. However, it was just sitting in the case on the
shelf. She
was not playing it.

May I suggest that even if you do buy another clarinet, keep your Buffet
for a
backup. No wooden clarinet is totally immune to cracking. This way you
will
have a decent instrument to play if something does happen. When I sent
my
Leblanc (40+ years old) for a complete overhaul, which including
refacing the
tone holes and replating the keys, I was stuck playing my old student
clarinet
for 3 months. It did not really need the overhaul, but I wanted to be
sure
that it was in the best possible condition since I really like this
instrument.

Jeroen T. Salm wrote:

> 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 Netherla=
nds,
> yes, Frits Philips is the founder of the Philips (electronica) company)=
:
> the hobo of our principal hobo-player cracked (lor=E9e), so did the Buf=
fet
> 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 t=
he
> lower part of the clarinet. (left side, below the left B-key to the tw=
o
> scres left below the B and Cis key). While playing there comes water/sa=
liva
> out of it, but really problems with resistance or tone-quality isn't (y=
et)
> audible. Due to (problably) arrogance of the BuffetCrampon factory in P=
aris
> 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 El=
ite
> 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 ti=
mes
> 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 com=
e!)
> 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 e=
arth
> could this happen? (Of course I will sue the orchestra/Frits Philips Ha=
ll).
> *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 wi=
th
> 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 Eli=
tes
> 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 (putti=
ng
> your right hand down while playing these notes wasn't good enough: stil=
l 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, s=
o
> also the pitch problems could be solved. Well: that is definitely somet=
hing
> 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