 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: superson
Date: 2012-09-04 18:15
Hi
I posted earlier in the week about a bass clarinet I was thinking of buying, I have since more or less decided to buy this clarinet. I sent an email asking about the history of the clarinet and received this reply:
"...history of the instrument is therefore a little sketchy. As far as we can make out the instrument is around 30 years old but may be a little older. It looks as if the previous owner has done repair work on some cracks on the lower joint, also the spike retainers have been lowered at some point..."
the email then goes on to say a complete overhaul is included in the price. How worried should I be about the cracks? What are spike retainers?
I also gather the clarinet hasn't been played in a while and I'm wondering about how to break it in.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2012-09-04 18:21
Cracks can be securely fixed and if done properly, the repairs are permanent and nearly invisible. Although a consideration, cracks should not be reason to reject an instrument outright. It is true that a cracked instruments may be more prone to crack elsewhere in the future than a crack-free instrument of comparable age; but again, this shouldn't be a show-stopper. Most of my best instruments have repaired cracks and play very well nevertheless.
I'd guess that a 'spike retainer' is 'floor peg bracket' in English English (as opposed to American English), but I'm just guessing.
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2012-09-04 18:25
The "spike retainers" are the fixtures that hold the floor peg on which you can rest the instrument when not playing with a neck strap. I wouldn't be too concerns about them having been moved. My bass clarinet had the peg holders screwed into the lower joint at some point but now has a single holder soldered to the bell. The screw holes for the old fixtures were filled in and have given me no issues.
Crack repairs in general shouldn't be much of a concern providing that the repairs were done properly. I've had crack repairs done on a few on my instruments and have had no issues with them. The only crack repairs I have seen fail on older clarinets were repairs that weren't done right in the first place.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-09-04 18:38
I've often seen Noblet and Leblanc basses with cracked tenons and sockets, but they're fairly easy to fix and don't usually cause any further problems if they've been dealt with properly.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Sean.Perrin
Date: 2012-09-04 18:55
I don't know... I didn't worry about cracks for years, and as soon as I started to do things "properly" both my clarinets cracked. The repairs were cheap and did the trick. Now I've stopped fussing again and nothing in 5 years.
I don't know, maybe I'm a bad example, but if you don't fuss with it and just play regularly it seems less likely.
Founder and host of the Clarineat Podcast: http://www.clarineat.com
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-09-04 19:08
That's what gets me - sometimes I've seen very ill-treated wooden clarinets that haven't split at all, but have also seen some where the owners have taken a lot of care over which have split.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2012-09-05 16:26
My Buffet RC Bb cracked through the trill key tone holes. It was expertly repaired, and its only shortcoming (intonation, response, ...) is the player.
Oh, it may have depreciated dramatically; but it is not for sale anyhow.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-09-05 16:54
My first pro Selmer (N series) cracked right through to the bore between the trill toneholes - it was filled and pinned and never caused any further problems.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-09-05 17:52
My Buffet barrel was cracked when I bought it used. I employed advise I got here on this board on how to repair it with thin super glue and wood powder.I filled it one day from the exterior and the next I filled it from the interior. after a light sanding with 1500 and then 2000 grit sandpaper, you would need to bring it into sunlight on the perfect angle to detect that there ever was a crack. I've played it since and see no further cracking. Thanks
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
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