 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: dmax1234
Date: 2009-04-08 11:53
My girlfriend insists on not leaving her wood clarinet in the car. EVER. So if we stop at the grocery store or a restaurant, she's lugging it right there with her wherever we go (even if it's only going to be an hour or so) The temperature here was 35 yesterday.
Is there a range of temperatures where it would be okay to leave a wood clarinet in the car as long as it wasn't sitting in the sun?
Or is she doing the right thing by playing it safe?
Thanks!
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Author: Nessie1
Date: 2009-04-08 12:07
I think it is unlikely that a constant temperature would affect the instrument much although it might depend on whether the instrument was in an exposed position (e.g the back seat or the parcel shelf) or in the boot (U.S. trunk). Arguably, frequent changes of temperature might be worse.
However, another issue which you might want to be aware of is whether the instrument is insured if left in the car (if there were a break-in, a fire etc). This, of course, depends on your policy and possibly the legal situation in your area (which you do not specify, not that you necessarily should). However, I have come across some policies which say that an instrument is not covered when left in an unattended vehicle at all and others that say that it is as long as the vehicle is locked so you might want to check.
Vanessa.
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Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2009-04-08 12:12
Well I live in Iceland were we have different humidity over the day so therefore I don't leave my clarinet in the car. But the main thing is if someone would brake into your car because like if you have double bam case for example the thief might think it is a laptop because clarinets and other instruments are hard to sell on black market specially in small country like Iceland. So if I would have to leave my clarinet in the car then I would hide it in the back so nobody could see it and therefore not give robbers a reason to brake into your car.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2009-04-08 12:52
She is doing the right thing. I do exactly the same.
If you are not comfortable in (insert your own location) dressed in a t-shirt and shorts, then neither is your clarinet. Extremes in temperature will affect the fittings, the glue, the lacquer, pads, corks..............oh and by the way DO NOT EVER blow into a horn if the horn itself is really cold to the touch (if you've accidently allowed that to happen) because you invite cracking the wood. In this scenario warm it up in your hands first.
Buffet makes Greenline instruments whose bodies are resistant to humidity and temperature extremes but the other things I mentioned are STILL vulnerable.
............Paul Aviles
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-04-08 13:48
Never leave anything is plain sight in your car, it's an invitation for a break in. If it's not hidden in the trunk don't leave it. Covering it up in the back seat looks to tempting too. Just never play a very cold clarinet, let it sit a while to get closer to room temperature. It will do a lot more damage it the clarinet get extremely hot. Remember, if it's alike 90% outside the car, or trunk, can get well over a 100 - 120 degrees and that can cause a lot of damage to the bore, pads, joints etc. ESP
http://eddiesclarinet.com (check my article on maintenance on my website)
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
Post Edited (2009-04-08 14:39)
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Author: jsc
Date: 2009-04-08 14:55
She's doing the right thing. Temperature and theft-wise, I just get paranoid. A friend of mine had all his trumpets stolen, the one time he left them overnight in his vehicle. I remember a violin friend of mine from high school left her violin in my car once. The rosin melted onto the scroll (head where the tuning pegs are) and we had to chip it off. Our director gave us one of those maintenance lectures and I haven't left my clarinet in any vehicle more than a couple of times in 20 years. So, what have we learned here? Don't leave rosin in your clarinet case on a hot day or else, feel the rather of your high school director.
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Author: Brenda ★2017
Date: 2009-04-10 03:00
I'm going to guess that dmax meant 35F, only because if we're talking the States (which we may not be, it could be Australia after all where it's fall now) springtime temperatures would easily be just above freezing. However, 35C would be shorts-and-Tshirt-plus-a-popsicle-an-hour or ice-water-over-the-head sort of weather!! OK, well at least for us Canadians who get both extremes of the thermometer, from -30C. to +35C. some days. In either case this isn't room temperature where a clarinet would be basking on the lawn chair enjoying the scenery.
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Author: Paul Globus
Date: 2009-04-11 04:40
I've played clarinet for 50 years now and I have never, ever left my instruments in a car. Never, not a single time. Even if I'm only going into a store for 3 minutes, I take the case with me. Too paranoid about having my horns stolen. It happened to a friend of mine a number of years ago. And the car was locked and the instruments were on the floor in the back seat and out of sight. He loved his clarinets and was devastated. Insurance eventually paid for a new set of Buffets but he always said they were inferior to his older instruments. Termperature is also a factor but for me, the security issue is paramount.
The first poster's girlfriend is definitely doing the right thing.
I do have one modest suggestion. In addition to a double case, I also have a good quality (ProTec) single case. Often, when I have no need for my A clarinet, I use the single case to lug my B-flat for Point A to Point B. Makes the "never-leave-the-horn-in-the-car" dictum much easier to adhere to, if you know what I mean.
Post Edited (2009-04-11 04:47)
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Author: Ryder
Date: 2009-04-11 13:15
My girlfriend questions me each time I take my big altieri double case into Starbucks.
South Texas is HOT. While snow is still falling up north we are wearing shorts and having barbecues.
Be sure when you travel that you never leave the instrument in the trunk. Not even for a few minutes. The temperature in the trunk has drastic swings b/c of outside ambient temperature and car heat. My clarinets are well protected in their altieri bag, but I don't want to risk it.
____________________
Ryder Naymik
San Antonio, Texas
"We pracice the way we want to perform, that way when we perform it's just like we practiced"
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Author: Pappy
Date: 2009-04-11 13:27
I would never leave any instrument in a car. The risk doesn't seem to be worth the convenience. I bring mine into the office if I have a rehearsal after work. Often take it into shops with me if I'm stopping and have it in the car.
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