 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: HighSchoolSoloist
Date: 2000-12-01 23:55
Hail all and thanks. I have another quick question regarding my instrument. For information, it's a Buffet R-13, and I bought it last december. I've been using it ever since and its an amazing instrument but I have a big problem.
A couple of months after I got it a small fissure appeared in the upper body piece from the top down to the A key tone hole. It wasn't much at first but over the year its gotten a little deeper and now its about halfway through the wood, looking from the top down. My question is whether there is a way to fix the crack without bolts, so as to ensure tone and intonation don't get ruined. I've heard what bolting does and I don't want to ruin an instrument like this, so is there any other way?
Other than that I have a cracking policy, so if I want I can turn it in for a replacement, but should I get it fixed or just let it crack and get it replaced? I spent a long time picking this one out of the selection, and I don't know if I can be assured of the tone or the tuning of anything new. Any suggestions? Thanks!
- Robare -
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bob Curtis
Date: 2000-12-02 01:51
Robaire -
You can and do have the beginnings of a MAJOR problem, but it can be solved by taking it to a repair man who specializex in clarinets, etc. It may be able to be repaired with out screwing it together, but I doubt it. Best to have a specelist in this area check it out, and soon!!!.
Did you apply bore oil to the instrument after you purchased it? If not, get some good instructions from your specialist and follow that and it will save you tons of future trouble. It's kid of like taking care of your car motor by changing the oil, etc. to avoid future motor problems.
Take care of the instrument properly and it will last you a very long time. I have two clarinets over 50 years old and the bores look almost as good today as they did when I purchased them. Clean them out each time you play and oil the bores, etc. on a regular basis.
Good luck in getting it fixed
Bob Curtis
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Daniel E. Self
Date: 2000-12-02 02:00
>If all else fails, use black tape to seal it! I play the Bb bass and Eb Contrabass clarinets & it usually works until you see an instrument repair person.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William
Date: 2000-12-02 03:11
Take it to a repairperson, get it fixed, and forget about it. The repair should not harm the tone or accoustiocal configuration of your instrument. At least, it will be better than letting the crack work its way completly through to the bore. Some of the best clarinets I have ever played have been pinned, glued or banded and look like they belong in the junk box. Good luck.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: HEY!
Date: 2000-12-03 23:38
Hey Mr. Charette
Why does Buffet not recommend oiling?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2000-12-04 00:09
Hey Yourself!
Each Buffet is supposed to come with a care instruction sheet which recommends against oiling the new instrument. Francois Kloc of Buffet reiterated the statement (if you'd check the Klarinet archives you'll find the full explanation). The short answer is that Buffet treats all new clarinets to an oil bath treatment and feels that further oiling for quite some time is unwarranted - the wood is oiled more thoroughly than can be done via someone with a bottle of bore oil and a swab and will last for quite some time.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Anji
Date: 2000-12-04 15:08
The repair (pinning) should make no accoustic changes, for better or worse.
This is my first year in the cold Northeast, and I had my first crack. It sounded like a firecracker going off.
I was convinced the repair would ruin the horn that took me months to find.
It plays as it ever did.
Check out the better repair guys listed on the "Friends of Sneezy" pages.
Jimmy Yan in NYC is terrific, too.
I went to a local guy, had the work done for under $50 and the repair is almost hardly noticeable.
***
A no crack policy that implies a complete replacement is terrific. Do you get to choose from severaly horns?
Have you considered the R13 Green line? These are supposedly rugged at temperature extremes.
If you could choose one that closely matches the original horn, that would be a real plus.
Sorry for your mishap,
Been there, done that , bought the T-shirt and worked at the hot dog stand.
anji
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
