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Please advise: got alto clarinet with a hairline crack

Author: Noverbuf
Date: 2012-03-30 08:43

I just received the 'goose neck' Leblanc alto clarinet off the Evil-bay (which once again proved it's deserved name) and on the first examination I found a hairline crack on the upper section running from the neck receiver down about three, maybe four inches. I can't clearly see if the crack is all the way through to the bore or if it's only superficial but looking inside the neck receiver I can also see where it starts on the inside but the wood is really thin in that location where the neck goes in. Maybe further down the section it's only on the outside (yet).

This is an older Leblanc 'goose neck' alto clarinet model perhaps from 70-s ? with the serial in the #4XXX range.

I got the clarinet for under $500 less shipping and before spotting the hairlines I was prepared to boast about the "bargain" I got but as I now realize I never ever got a real bargain on the Flea-bay: if it was low priced or low winning bid it was alsmost always in accord with the item condition on receipt. I often read something like: 'I got this bargain... I got that bargian ... on the Err-bay' and I always think I hear that from very lucky people whom I never meet in real life.

I want to ask your advice: should I consider returning the clarinet to the seller without any other options (who by the way is well familiar with clarinets but didn't mention the cracks for whatever reason) or is it wise in this situation to negotiate a reasonable refund and repair the crack?

I never dealt with the cracks in wooden and especially alto clarinets and I don't know what to expect: if the crack is pinned or banded or whatever repair method is chosen is there a good chance it won't develop any further (provided there is some knowledge about how Leblanc alto clarinets hold up after such repairs) or will it most likely progress?

Any advice and opinions are welcome.

Edit: I can post a picture later on today when I'm back home from work.

Post Edited (2012-03-30 10:08)

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