Author: Clarimellonet
Date: 2019-03-11 20:37
With the rereaming process, usually I'll notice a "tightness" in the throat tones. Because the register tube doubles as a vent for throat Ab on a 5-key clarinet, that area of the bore is extra sensitive to changes dimension. If the throat Ab and Bb don't respond the way I want them to, I'll check the bore dimensions. If they're undersized, I'll reream, repeat the oiling process, and let it sit a few days. Typically a 5-key boxwood instrument should be have the top joint rereamed every year or so to keep the original dimension intact. The top joint tenons and up to an inch or two into the bore are usually the main culprits of swelling and constricting.
Cracks are tricky on boxwood, but not impossible. Many makers in the 18th and early 19th century used stabilizing pins to strengthen the wood around certain parts of the instrument when they were initially making the clarinet (around the A and Register keys are the most common areas). I've only once seen a period clarinet top joint cracked beyond repair after a period of heavy use and I suspect it was because the player was neglectful in swabbing between playing sessions and oiling the relatively new instrument. That particular clarinet had cracks that went through 5 parts of the bore including the register key, A tone hole, and up into the engrain of the top tenon. It would have been easier to make a new top joint at that point, especially since the piece of wood the maker used was of a lesser quality with multiple knots that seemed prone to splitting later on. For minor cracks, I recommend the lowest vistosity superglue you can find and a whole lot of crossing your fingers. I've had a hairline on my favorite August Grenser Bb copy that I made in 2013 that I glued in September 2014 and hasn't reopened since despite hundreds of concerts and thousands of hours of playing.
~Thomas
Thomas Carroll
Historical Clarinets and Chalumeaux
http://carrollclarinet.com
lotzofgrenser@gmail.com
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The Clarinet BBoard
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