 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Chris22311
Date: 2007-04-19 11:50
I have a great R13 that unfortunately cracked a year after I got it. I had it glued and eventually pinned. The crack ended up going all the way through and goes from top of the joint to the throat tone A tone hole. Is it possible for a crack to ruin a clarinet? I am not sure if I can get this repaired as their are already a few pins inserted. Anyone know what I can do to salvage this fine instrument?
Chris
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-04-19 12:08
The crack won't (or shouldn't) spread any further south than any tonehole it enters, provided the grain is relatively straight (the grain may look straight on the surface, but it can run at an angle between the surface and the bore so the crack can bypass a tonehole and spread further).
Is the clarinet still playable? Joints with cracks through to the bore are usually scrapped and replaced while under guarantee, though on older clarinets that's not always possible - though a crack through to the bore can be filled and the joint stabilised and made airtight, so it's not the end of the world provided it's repaired well. The affected toneholes will also need to be bushed with either plastic or ebonite.
I repaired a cracked R13 where the crack ran from the top tenon down to the G# tonehole, and it ran into and out of both the top two trill toneholes and the trill guide hole. I hope it's held up as the owner had taken to from Japan to Norway where it split, and I haven't heard otherwise, so I assume it's still holding up.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Chris22311
Date: 2007-04-19 12:10
I have been told by a friend who brought it into Roberto's (Manhattan New York) that it was unsalvagable... I emailed Chadash, but have not received a response yet...
Chris
Chris
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-04-19 12:14
If the repair is going to cost almost as much as a transplant (that's replacing the top joint and fitting your existing keywork to it), then it's probably best to have the top joint replaced - though you will have to treat your clarinet like a brand new one again afterwards by playing it in gently.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Chris22311
Date: 2007-04-19 12:17
"replacing the top joint"
What exactly do you mean by replacing the top joint?
Chris
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-04-19 12:31
That's scrapping your existing (and cracked) top joint and replacing it with a new one, but fitting all the keywork from the original (cracked) one onto the new one.
Or, how about replacing the top joint with a Greenline one? They do oboes and cors with synthetic top joints, so why not clarinets?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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