Klarinet Archive - Posting 000771.txt from 2003/02

From: "Raycraft" <raycraft@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] cracks
Date: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 15:36:07 -0500

Kelly,
I know, I thought of that, too. There could be something to
it, but I wondered about it because the clarinet was in L.A.
for years before I bought it, so it came from a dry climate and
had not cracked in all those years before ME. Of course I don't
know who played it or any details about it's past except that
it had been stored for a long time in Southern California.
It was a nice brown color when we had it shipped up here,
but after oiling it, it turned "black" again...... I am in Southern
Oregon, which has been very, very dry (believe me, it does
NOT rain all the time here!) I have also wood heat in the
winter, so you could definitely say that it is dry here.
But not everyone who lives here and plays on wood clarinets
has a cracking problem. A friend teases me that I have so much
condensation from my breath because I drink too much coffee.
I've never heard that one from anyone but him! I DO have
a LOT of it though, sometimes I wish I had a spit valve on there
somewhere! And I had to have several of my pads replaced
with cork ones because they were so wet all the time, even
thought I blotted the extra out from under them with a little
piece of paper towel after I played the thing. I play a lot,
like from two to five hours a day, and those particular pads
were only lasting a few months!
Sue
----- Original Message -----
From: "CBA" <clarinet10001@-----.com>

Subject: Re: [kl] cracks

> Sue,
>
> Just curious about your particular situation with the cracking
> instruments...
>
> Is your apartment/house particularly dry?
>
> I know people who have the "crack jinx" but it really isn't the
> person as much as the environment. But that goes back to the
humidity thing, and if you humidify your apartment or house
regularly, the clarinet shouldn't be too dry to play.

> Kelly Abraham
> Woodwinds - New York City

> --- Raycraft <raycraft@-----.com> wrote:

> > Now that we are on the subject of CRACKS.......
> > Within a couple of months, it cracked. Why does it crack when I
get my hands on it?
> > Sue

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