 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: yaseungkim
Date: 2015-02-18 10:27
Does anybody have an image of a cracked clarinet, how do you recognize it ?
How do you determine the difference between natural wood grain separation to a crack ? Or, is there such thing as natural wood grain separation ???
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Author: maxopf
Date: 2015-02-18 10:41
Attachment: IMG_2346.JPG (346k)
Attachment: IMG_2347.JPG (333k)
I just had a clarinet crack a few weeks ago; here are the pictures. The cracks were quite big on the first day (which was hot, dry, Santa Ana weather), then closed up as it became more humid, to the point at which one of them was nearly invisible.
Luckily they didn't go through to the bore, so my repair tech just sealed them with glue and gave me instructions on how to properly break in the clarinet. It had barely been played since the 1940s/50s, so the wood was dry and not used to being subjected to moisture, no matter how much the bore was oiled.
Repair technician's advice:
"To best break in a clarinet it should be played no more than 20 minutes at a time-one or two times a day, not swabbed, then set on a clarinet stand so that the moisture can be absorbed into the wood. It sounds a little crazy but that's what I have learned works best to stabilize the wood so that it won't crack. The wood is just dry from non use.
The temperature may have contributed but I'm more certain that the dry wood is to blame."
Post Edited (2015-02-18 10:47)
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Author: yaseungkim
Date: 2015-02-18 10:46
ouch... it definitely appear very pronounced. I am sorry about your clarinet. Did your repair tech say how long you should be breaking in your clarinet ?
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Author: maxopf
Date: 2015-02-18 11:02
I'm waiting for an email back about exactly how long I should break it in for. If he doesn't get back to me in a couple of days I'll try emailing him again, maybe my reply got lost in his inbox. He gave me the clarinet back on Saturday, and I've been doing the break-in process since Sunday. The wood does appear to be less bone-dry inside the bore now.
Unfortunately I don't think it'll be totally broken in in time to bring it to all state on Thursday, but luckily I've got another Bb I can use.
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Author: BartHx
Date: 2015-02-18 21:40
For the benefit of those not familiar with California weather . . . .
"Santa Ana weather" (pronounced "Santanas" by the old timers as a general reference to the resulting winds) is a weather condition fairly unique to Southern California and generally most pronounced in the Los Angeles area (San Fernando Valley). Cool air from the adjacent mountains begins to sink into the lower valley, across the valley, and out over the ocean. As it sinks, it is heated by compression. Since it travels over no significant bodies of water, it is unable to pick up any additional moisture as it warms and the result is a major drop in humidity. The net result is an off shore movement of air that can be quite warm (hot) with extremely low humidity. This can present a challenge for a wooden instrument already stressed from lack of moisture.
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Author: maxopf
Date: 2015-02-19 04:03
yaseungkim: I actually don't know yet. Once we get there tomorrow, we'll do a blind re-audition for seating/ensemble placement (the audition excerpts are from the Mozart concerto) and find out those results tomorrow night. Then we get our sheet music on Friday and rehearse Friday and Saturday. The concert takes place either Saturday night or Sunday morning depending on which ensemble you're in.
BartHx: Thanks for clarifying for those who aren't familiar with it. Yes, from what I understand it is most intense in the LA area, but it certainly affects us down here in San Diego too. It's not fun weather for woodwind playing, that's for sure - hot, dry weather means sharpness, dry reeds, chapped lips, and an increased risk of cracks.
By the way, the repair tech got back to me and said that it should be broken in for about a week.
Post Edited (2015-02-19 04:24)
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Author: Jamnik
Date: 2015-02-19 12:00
After not playing the above horn for a week, the cracks closed up. The joint seals and the two tone holes the crack passes through have inserts so they do not leak either. Instead of fixing this horn again, my daughter plays it every other day for four hours instead of every day as long as the cracks don't appear to be open. She alternates with another horn that also has a repaired crack that opens when played daily for four hours also.
Jamnik
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Author: Ben Shaffer
Date: 2015-02-20 02:58
These look like so called " Checks" in other words not the whole way through the wood....generally on the left hand section at the top.
best just to do a bead of crazy glue, go on and play it and leave it like that. if you feel like it go ahead and get a fine file and gently shave the bead down and then use fine steel wool....at that point you may not even see where there was a check.
That said though don't be surprised to see it open up again, repeat the bead and process and you may even need to do it a thrid time. as the wood is just seeking its natural state..... now if it opens up a 4th time I would go ahead and have it pinned
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Author: kararae02
Date: 2015-02-20 03:07
I had a clarinet once that cracked and I never even realized it. It was just a hairline crack and I personally couldn't tell that it was a crack and not just wood grain (I was a freshman when it cracked so my knowledge about clarinets was very limited at the time). I have no idea how long it was there before I sold it.
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Author: Jamnik
Date: 2015-02-21 00:22
The front crack has two pins already. The crack on the rear runs from the top joint to the thumb vent. When this crack opens, the register key has a lot of side to side slack. I am really considering buying a new upper joint pillared and sprung. I'm not sure what tuning adjustments will have to be made, but I'd guess the original keys would need new pads to seal properly. Has anyone had this done before? Any other unforeseen expenses? The horn is 15 months old and Selmer has declined fixing it under warranty.
Jamnik
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