 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: cliveT
Date: 2009-04-18 18:09
Hi,
My yamaha 450 has developed a crack about two inches long in the top joint from the tenon, not terminating in a tone hole. Would this explain why I getting occasional squeaks? I was putting it down to poor fingering, but now that I've found the crack I wonder if it is not my fault.
I've searched the archives and read about pinning and my question is the following - Would getting a professional pinning repair be justified for a clarinet of this quality? It seems that a much easier (and cheaper) alternative would be to fill the crack with super glue and wipe off the excess - is this a good idea. I bought the clarinet (unseen) as having been on display in a music shop. It was quite cheap so maybe I've got what I paid for.
I'm a mature casual player who greatly enjoys playing tunes but has no pretensions to ever getting much better.
Thanks for any help
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2009-04-18 19:03
A Yamaha 450 should be worth repairing but take it to a good pro repairer for advice on appropriate method depending on nature and position of crack. Its not really a do-it-yourself option.
Unless crack is leaking (very unlikely) then it would not be cause of sqeaks.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2009-04-19 04:39
The Yamaha 450 is definitely worth repairing, it's a good clarinet. With the good glues available now (which weren't available when pinning was invented and for many year later) it might not be necessary to pin. It's a much less expensive solution, and worth to do. You can always go back and have it pinned in the slightest suggestion that the crack is starting to open again, but I can tell you I have seen cracks not re-open after just filled with super glue. In fact that's what Yamaha recommend in their repair manual.
But one crucial point is that the entire crack should be filled with super glue. If you (i.e. a repairer) put wood dust first, the glue will absorb into the wood dust and won't fill the entire crack, probably making this repair unreliable.
Just to clarify, I'm not suggesting you do this yourself, even without pinning!
Post Edited (2009-04-19 05:46)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-04-19 14:01
If you bought this clarinet fairly recently, it should still be covered under warranty as it was new when you bought it (even if it was an ex-display instrument).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2009-04-19 14:02)
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