 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: rgoldem
Date: 2020-02-21 19:25
I read in some posts that Greenline clarinets used to have problems with their middle tenon splitting due to stress. Apparently this used to happen on the early ones but the problem was taken care by Buffet. Can anyone confirm if this is true and not really a problem to be currently afraid? What can be done in the case of accidents like these?
Post Edited (2020-02-21 20:05)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2020-02-22 00:58
This Board did voice the opinion that Buffet had done something to the material to strengthen the tenon, but I have not heard independently (or word from Buffet) that this was done.
It's not a huge issue, as long as you don't hurtle your clarinet toward the floor. Wood is inherently stronger in this regard because wood is comprise of longitudinal cells and fibers. Greenline is much like hard rubber, so whenever a point reaches it stress limit, it will break. The middle tenon is the most exposed point because it holds two long sections together (physics is not on its side).
I suffered a freak accident a long time ago where I had the stubby end of a lyre still attached to the middle joint. I carelessly placed the horn on its bell (we can all see this one coming) upon a concrete floor. As I reached for it, I bumped it forward rather than cupping the barrel in my hand. The clarinet just toppled forward and the stubby lyre attachment hit the floor first causing just enough shock to tenon causing it to snap off clean.
So the Greenline material behaves a bit like glass. It has MUCH more compressive strength and not so much in the tensile strength department.
I have also witnessed someone snap the lower joint tenon when attempting to force off a stuck bell.
These are uncommon scenarios and I'd say that if you take care of a horn properly there should be no problem with it at all.
.................Paul Aviles
Post Edited (2020-02-22 03:56)
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2020-02-23 18:10
The problem with the early models was that there was oil left on the wood dust from the machining process (the blackwood dust is collected from machining wood clarinets). They "dried up" this oil or took care of it somehow. The instrument can still break but it is not common. If an assembled wood clarinet is dropped it can break as well - usually at the top of the lower joint.
Steve Ocone
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