 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: skygardener
Date: 2008-02-18 02:51
I have a pointed question about one thing that many of us fear- CRACKS. It happens on all makes and all models, but maybe there is a pattern of how cracks form.
I would like to take a little informal survey about the prevalence of them and try to get it down to some numbers that can really be looked at.
Please answer the following questions as honestly as you can. Just to make things as accurate as possible- in the answers to these questions DO NOT include instruments that had suffered gross abuse (like being dropped on a hard surface, for example). Please try to be brief, but give all information you deem relevant; including brand and model.
Please send your answers to my email address.
All these questions are only asking about wood clarinets. WOOD ONLY!
1. How many clarinets have you owned or used for a term more than 1 year?
2. From answer 1, how many were between brand new and 2 years old upon receipt?
3. From answer 1, how many were older than 2 years (ie. "used")?
4. Do you go through a "break in" process with your new clarinets? Y/N/ not sure
5. From answer 2, how many cracked within the first 2 years?
6. From answer 2, how many cracked after 2 years?
7. From answer 3, how many cracked within the first 2 years?
8. From answer 3, how many cracked after 2 years?
9. For those that sell new clarinets, what percentage (that you know of) of the clarinets cracked within the first 2 years? If you have been selling clarinets a long time- Do you find that the rate of cracks was greater or lesser in the past?
10. For those that repair clarinets, what percentage (that you know of) of the clarinets you work on have cracks that you repair? If you have been doing repair a long time- Do you find that the rate of cracks was greater or lesser in the past?
11. From answers 5-8: of the clarinets that cracked, how many crack more than once? In the same place/different place?
12. From answers 5-8: of the clarinets that cracked, how many cracked through the bore?
13. From answers 5-8: how many cracks were in the upper joint/lower joint/barrel/bell?
14. From answers 5-8: did you keep any humidifying device (damp-it, wet sponge, etc) in the case?
15. From answers 5-8: what you think the cause of the crack was? (select: A. bad wood (including improper curing of the wood), B. I did not break in the clarinet properly, C. personal negligence (explain breifly)[ie. not warming up the joints before playing, not putting a humidifying device in the case, forcing joints together that were very tight], D. environmental factors that I could not avoid [playing in shows with hot stage lights, for example], E. other (explain briefly), F. No idea what could have cause it, but it did.)
16. From answers 5-8: what seasons did these cracks happen in? (Please note if you live in tropical climates that have little or no climate change through the year)
Please send your answers to my email address.
[Edit] For statistical accuracy, I appreciate responses even from those that have never had a cracked clarinet.
|
|
|
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2008-02-23 01:25
set to top of list by request to elicit more responses.
|
|
|
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
