 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jeff
Date: 2000-08-17 16:57
OK, I noticed today what I believe is a scratch on my Buffet, and I was just wondering: It looks like just a scratch on the wood, but could it be a crack in the wood?
Jeff
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Author: Bob Gardner
Date: 2000-08-17 23:04
Odds are that it is a scratch. I have one on my lower joint, took it to a tech and sure enough it is a scratch. All wood products are subject to scratchs and also cracks. never worry never fear they both can be fixed or forgotten about.
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Author: J. Butler
Date: 2000-08-18 16:54
A crack will start at the edge of a tone hole and work it's way along the grain of the wood, usually upwards. Does the "scratch" start at a tone hole, ie. the widest part (?) then taper off until it disappears? If it does it is a crack, if not.... a scratch.
J. Butler
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Author: mark weinstein
Date: 2000-08-18 23:39
Don't overlook the fact that some wood can be VERY GRAINEY. I have a Yamaha YCL-62 that is very grainey. I thought that I had at least 1 crack. The clarinet has been looked at by several knowledgable players and repair persons & they all answer the same, NOT. But ... "the GRAIN is really coming out in that clarinet" is what they have all said !
John, comments about looking to the tone holes is correct. I have a question with the use of this with, say, the thumbhole. IMMSMR, I have seen some (I think) thumbholes which have recessed outer wall which is "up & away" from the tone hole (I may not be describing this intelligibly); a situation where there is a clear distance from the actual hole INTO the clarinet's bore. John ... what do you think? mw
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Author: J. Butler
Date: 2000-08-19 11:20
I'm not sure I'm following you accurately, but yes cracks can develop in the thumbhole and travel to the wall of the thumbhole socket. This distance isn't too great, just a few mm but it does happen. The crack will usually stop when it reaches the resistance of the socket wall.
John
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Author: mark weinstein
Date: 2000-08-19 15:37
John, I agree ... was talking about where I saw a rather grainey clarinet ... & the "line in the wood" (I wouldn't call it a scratch, per se) comes from the other direction INward ... e.g. from the area withOUT the tone hole towards the outer wall of the tone hole & then STOPS ... and there is no line INSIDE, NOTHING is present.
More to the point, while at ClarinetFest I saw a Yamaha Eb (and played it) that looked exactly this way ... IMO, Yamaha's have very pretty wood & the GRAIN comes out more in many of their wooden clarinets. No doubt. we all see some wooden clarinets where VERY little of the actual grain shows at all.
Am I any clearer ???
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Author: J. Butler
Date: 2000-08-19 21:34
Yes, I understand. I've worked on older clarinets that were so "grainy" that they didn't hardly have a smooth place on them. I'm a little surprised about the Y Eb. The Y's I've worked on have had very tight grain to them. I still would like to own a new Y SEV, but there are other priorities at the moment.
John
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Author: mark weinstein
Date: 2000-08-20 01:27
No to say that there was a large, gaing line in the wood. It was jyst noticeable on very close examination.
On the Y SEV, better not wait too long, unless they are gonna make you an Artist! I think that some of these manufacturers make a mistake not "going a courting" band directors. Oh well, I guess there isn't a market for clarinets to sell to, like there is for sneakers!
Anyway, the Y prices have never been lower. WW&BW still has some stock that they are liquidating, although its not clear exactly which models remain. Good luck. mw
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Author: Jeff
Date: 2000-08-20 01:45
After having my private teacher look it over, she said its just the grain of the wood...No reason to freak out I guess...I just never noticed it before and it kinda caught me off guard...I like to think that I baby my instrument, and I didn't think I had done anything to cause a crack, since it is humid here and I haven't dropped it. I was very relieved after she looked it over
Thanks everyone
Jeff
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Author: mark weinstein
Date: 2000-08-20 15:41
Hi, Jeff. YES, in your instant case, this sounded like a "line in the wood" to me. You get this with grainey woods. mw
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