Klarinet Archive - Posting 000084.txt from 2004/01

From: Tony@-----.demon.co.uk (Tony Pay)
Subj: Re: [kl] Cracks, cracks
Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 16:58:54 -0500

On Sat, 03 Jan 2004 16:30:31 -0500, FrankLucciano@-----.com said:

> Due to my cracking incident, I decided to read some old posts on the topic.
> Most said pinning is the way to go. Then I thought of this... if a violin
> repairman/maker uses GLUE to fix a cracked surface of a good instrument
> that costs anywhere between $18,000 and $2,000,000, why not use glue on a
> $1,800 clarinet? Value aside, the vibrating body of a violin would suffer
> with metal pins afixed to it.

The important part of a clarinet repair of this nature is first, to make sure
that the crack doesn't lead to leaks via cracked toneholes, and second, to
make sure that the bore doesn't become more distorted.

The most important thing about a clarinet is the vibration of the 'tube' of
air contained within it. So distortions to that tube, via distortions to the
body of the instrument, are very important.

The vibration of a clarinet body is a second order effect, which is not true
of a violin.

> BTW, I had the cracked fixed by an excellent well known repairman... he
> used superglue. You can't even see the crack anymore. Pinning most
> likeley will become obsolete in time once the "tradition" of using that
> method dies. I guess it's hard for some to commit to a new and better
> method of doing things once one is steeped in tradition. That's not to say
> all traditions are bad though. The super glue method seems to be the way
> to go now in 2004.

You know not whereof you speak.

'Pinning' stabilises the bore against further movement in a more profound way
than superglue does, even though superglue may assist the stabilisation, or
be a temporary solution until the crack can be pinned.

And, whether or not you can see the crack is a rather superficial way of
judging the matter. Analogously, buildings that look good may actually be
very prone to imminent collapse.

Tony
--
_________ Tony Pay
|ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd Tony@-----.demon.co.uk
| |ay Oxford OX2 6RE http://classicalplus.gmn.com/artists
tel/fax 01865 553339

... The reason Santa is so jolly: he knows where all the bad girls live.

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