 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Michelle
Date: 2006-03-22 20:04
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I know there are an overabundance of "is my clarinet a good one" posts in the archive and I have searched them diligently for information. Now I'm presenting what I have to you for your perusal. I will try to make this as easy as possible by providing as much information as possible, including pics.
First off, this is NOT a Buffet! It's a french-made clarinet and in my amateur opinion, looks well-made. It has the cut-outs under the crow's foot, it has the offset lower posts (see pic). The wood looks very nice and smooth. There is a metal sleeve on the upper tenon of the lower joint. I admit to no experience with undercut toneholes so I can't say yay or nay there, but if pressed I'd guess not.
Most of the posts I read were in regards to R13's or not, so I don't know if the presence of these traits applies to non-Buffets. What I'm trying to decide is whether to put money into an overhaul (the pads are brown and worn and one rod is bent, and there is a small crack in the upper portion of the lower joint, over the metal sleeve, terminating in the first tone hole). This would be for non-professional use, mainly for my enjoyment and possibly my step-daughter's use when she gets to high school. She is currently using another french-made wood clarinet (Pierre Dumont) which has none of the above characteristics and appears to be an average wood clarinet. It also needs an overhaul but is playable as-is. I believe the one I am asking about is a cut above the Pierre Dumont and I believe the money would be better-spent on it.
Pictures of the clarinet in question are attached. All replies are appreciated!
Thank you very much....
Michelle
(retitled for clarity)
Post Edited (2006-03-22 22:34)
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2006-03-22 22:36
No responses yet, Michelle? My 2 bits worth, it depends, if the crack is "minimal", also your ref. to sleeve made me wonder if it has already been "banded" %2
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2006-03-22 22:40
Guess I got cut off by a BBoard "crash", I DID finish my sentences !! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-03-23 08:55
If the crack runs into the tonehole, it won't spread any further than that. The best way to repair this is to fill the crack and bush the tonehole (cut out the tonehole down to the lining and glue in an ebonite insert, then cut the profile and drill out the tonehole to the same size as the original) - the socket ring will keep the wood tight and the bushed tonehole will make sure if the split does open it won't run through the tonehole. Most repairers should be able to do this work provided they have the equipment.
Most clarinets I've seen wth metal socket linings have split in the same place as this is a weak spot (as on my Selmers) - and as wood moves more than metal the chances of a split happening at this point are high, but by no means the end of the world.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2006-03-23 14:45
Michelle -
It's an imitation of the Buffet look, but the bell ring, the shape of the bell (not as flared) and the trill key guide show it's not a stencil.
Looking for undercut tone holes is easy. Just look down the holes and down the bore to see whether the holes are larger at the bore than at the surface. In the first and fourth photos, you can see that the holes for the right ring finger and the left ring finger are perfectly cylindrical, not flared, so it's unlikely that the others are flared. Also, the bottoms of those holes appear to terminate in the bore with a sharp edge. Benade's research, and practical experience, found that tone and response improve when these edges are very slightly rounded, and Buffets and other top professional instruments have that feature.
The metal insert in the top socket of the lower joint shows that there was a severe crack there. It's not unusual for the crack to re-open, particularly when the instrument has stayed in a closet for several years (as you can tell from the deteriorated pads). You will definitely have to get that fixed if you decide to put the instrument into playable condition.
Also, the bottom tenons of the upper joint and the lower joint appear to have metal caps, which Buffet has never done as far as I know. They may have been put on when the lower joint socket was installed, because of additional cracks there, or they may be original. At any rate, you should have them checked.
There's no way of knowing whether the instrument will play well after an overhaul. Fixing the center joint will add cost to any work. Try playing the instrument as well as you can in its current condition. (Saran Wrap under leaking pads can help.) Check the intonation very carefully, as that's difficult (i,e., expensive) to improve.
In the end, pro features don't count -- it's all about how the instrument plays.
Ken Shaw
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