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I figure there must be an instrument repair person or two around here who knows the answer to this. I got a rosewood clarinet for the wife. She does not play well and just putters around on the clarinet for her own entertainment, so it makes no difference if this is truly a first class sound or not. (And yes, it's from China.) The main thing for her is that it is about the prettiest clarinet she's ever seen. When I ordered it, I kind of knew she would love the looks of the rosewood. It came from a "respectable" establishment -- think of something with, oh, at least 3 "w"s in its initials. Everything seems to be nicely made ... except ... (it's always something) ... I'm guessing that the wood might have contracted slightly between when those metal rings that go on ends of the body pieces were put on and now. I suppose they could have been loose right from the factory. I can return the thing, but the wife loves the snot out of it. So the question is: Is there a tool in the normal arsenal of a repair person that squashes the rings down to a snug fit on the clarinet? Is this a common, routine repair?

It may also be dehydrated enough from storage dry. You may just want to try playing it, and see if that is enough to swell it back. Wooden recorders, flutes, clarinets, and oboes all have this. Many times, as bloke suggests, such instruments will crack from swelling too quickly, or having rings too small. Best to just rehydrate slowly.

You will see players "swabbing" their instruments when they are done playing, to soak up any excess moisture, and prevent the opposite problem: swelling too much.

Thanks for the info. My only real woodwind experience is recorders where there are no rings. And Lord, don't ever start a discussion about what is proper bore oiling on a discussion group. (something I've never done and never will do).

Oiling bore...

Yeah, I saw on a PBS deal on Hippos what they do with the other end when it's male against male. It makes one wonder how "evolution" or "intelligent design" either one ever brought that on. I guess since they can't really make the fur fly, so they make something else fly.

I've never been one to do much bore oiling because I don't play any one instrument all that much. If somebody demanded that I do it, based on what I've read, and on all the discussions I spectatored on it, and who said what, I think my inclination is to go with boiled linseed oil. Yep, it's not what most people say to do.