 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: acbrendler
Date: 2003-04-01 23:35
Hello again. Last time I was here I was inquiring about repairing a snapped 7212. Well, the glue worked for about a year, so I guess we can't complain. Now we have a few options:
1. Replace the broken piece for "less than $200."
2. But for not much more we can have a brand new 7212 from wwbw.com.
3. Then again, my son has been playing a 7212 for three years, is now in sixth grade, and may be up to a better clarinet. 7214's seem to get better reviews here than 7212's.
4. And then there are the V40's for a bit more.
5. But the guy at the local music store said the Vito plastic clarinet specs were too similar to justify the price jump. He said that if we were going to sink any real money into a new clarinet, we should buy wood!
My son likes playing the clarinet, but he is a typical kid in that he doesn't usually like practicing. Our school system has a very strong music program, and since he's not into sports we would like to see him continue. They also have a good (?) marching band, so there is a definite plus to owning a plastic clarinet.
I've gotten great advice here before and I'm sure I will again. Thanks in advance.
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Author: leonardA
Date: 2003-04-02 00:55
I submitted a thread recently called "To repad or not to repad," which might be helpful. It's just a few pages inside the board. It was basically the choice of whether to repad my Vito plastic or get a wood clarinet. The response was overwealming in favor of overhauling the Vito since it's a pretty good horn and other student or even intermediate clarinets would not be that much of an improvement. Hope this helps.
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Author: acbrendler
Date: 2003-04-02 10:59
Thanks. Interesting advice in your thread. My son's clarinet also came from eBay. It proved to be in mint condition for just $70. It would probably be easier to spend this kind of money on a repair if the purchase price hadn't been so low.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-04-02 13:42
I hope this is not seen as advertising, especially as I am in a very remote place.
People praise the Vito 7212, but I consider the plastic Yamaha to be superior in significant ways. Just one reason is that I have worked on quite a few broken 7212s, but only one Yamaha, even though Yamahas are much more common here.
Part of the cost of replacement of a joint is that it is usual for significant fitting work to be needed to transfer the keys to the new section.
I have developed a method to deal with these breaks, which involves gluing, with the reinforcement of 6 or 7 stainless steel pins, about 40 mm long and 1.2 mm diameter, inserted into the wall of plastic across the break. The result exhibits almost no evidence.
With significant experience now, this routine takes me about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, and has been extremely reliable for the approximately 50 times I have carried it out over the last 15 years. I have repaired tenons this way, and then later had the same instrument come back the next time it has been sat on, to repair the corresponding socket, the same way.
It seems that this produces a result that is much stronger than the original, and no transfer of keys is necessary.
I have a copy of fairly detailed instructions if you can find a cooperative, more capable than average, well-equipped, innovative, interested repairer to carry them out.
What is broken, a tenon joint, its socket, or the body itself?
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-04-02 17:53
As is customary, great advice from Gordon. If an inferior fix lasted a year, do it again, only better.
And having seen many young players at work, I would no more buy a sixth-grader a wood Clarinet than I would buy him a silk jacket.
Regards,
John
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Author: Bradley
Date: 2003-04-02 18:01
I agree with John on the getting the 6th grader a wooden clarinet- especially when Grenadilla is getting so rare.......
Bradley
Perfect practice makes nearly perfect!
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Author: acbrendler
Date: 2003-04-03 12:26
The original break was just below the top joint on the lower keyed section. It turns out the glue mostly held and the break this time was a little higher than the first. Either this clarinet did indeed have a weak spot, as supported by some other appends I've read, or he's been a "bit" rough with it, or both. A second gluing attempt lasted a week.
We mentioned the pin repair to the shop the first time around and they gave several reasons for not trying it. Maybe they just didn't know how and didn't want to try.
The price came back significantly lower than $200, in fact less than $150, for a new lower joint plus key transfer and adjustment. We have opted for the replacement piece rather than a new purchase.
And thanks to those who advised against a wood clarinet for this age. We'll be waiting several years now before we consider this plunge again. We won't risk a piece of Grenadilla until he's a bit more certain where he wants to go with his music and when he has demonstrated a bit more responsibility.
Thanks again,
Andy
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-04-04 11:58
Tenons break easily. Tenon sockets, much less common.
If this break was below the socket, in an area that is actually structurally stronger than the tenon or socket, then there could be other reasons.
A post could be inserted too tightly, such that when the plastic shrank in cold weather it was under great stress. This is one of the benefits in screwed-in posts as used in Yamaha plastic instruments.
I encountered a batch of Accord clarinets that all cracked at the thumb tone hole insert, presumably for this reason.
Another cause can be the use of inappropriate solvents. These can leave the surface visibly intact but break down the molecular structure of the particular plastic, deep into the plastic, making it far more brittle. Even alcohol can do this with some plastics.
Perhaps a technician once cleaned the instrument with a solvent.
Perhaps the glue that was used involved such a solvent, preparing the plastic for a second break.
I can assure you there are no problems with a pinning method if all details are carried out appropriately. But I an understand the reticence of the average technician.
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