[saxandstrings86]

I had a student bring me a Yamaha Custom clarinet during my schools honor band program. (My college sponsors a high school honor band every year, and I'm on hand at rehearsals for emergency repair work).

Anyway, she'd had it for 3 months, and the top joint has been replaced by Yamaha twice for splitting, on the front, from the top register key up to the joint.

Anyone had issues with this or heard aobut this being a yamaha issue?

 

[tictactux]

well...what climate are you living in? (I don't think it's a Yamaha specific issue)

 

[SOTSDO]

If it were from the top of the instrument to the register key vent hole itself (on the back of the horn), I'd suspect having the vent bushing jammed in too tight was the cause. However, these have both failed part way down on the front, a different kettle of fish altogether.

Unless there was some evidence of abuse, or some indication that the case had stressed that point and had been dropped from some distance, I'd say that there's some sort of coincidence involved rather that a specific issue.

I've owned many clarinets over the years, almost all of them made of wood, and have never had one crack yet.