Klarinet Archive - Posting 000286.txt from 1994/02

From: Jordan Selburn <jselburn@-----.COM>
Subj: Popping corks and other ramblings
Date: Sun, 20 Feb 1994 18:12:15 -0500

Cary Karp writes:
> However, cork
>will shrink if left under constant pressure. This shrinkage is largely
>recoverable, but it's preferable not to leave instruments assembled for
>long periods of time. This should also be kept in mind before using a
>case which requires that the bell be kept attached to the lower joint.
>(Buffet's double case for the Elites, despite its extreme elegance,
>suffers from this flaw.)

I had the opportunity to try an Elite this weekend, and the store owner
(who's a very good repairman, according to South Bay lore) also pointed
out this potential flaw in the Elite case. However, I dabble a bit in
collecting wine (primarily drinking it, actually) - there the corks can be
under continuous compression for decades, not weeks, at a time without
suffering serious degradation. Of course, the two situations are not
completely comparable (the cork in wine is continuously moistened) but a
good cork seal in wine is expected to last well in excess of 25 years. If
there's any way to safely leave the bell attached to the bottom joint
indefinately I'd love it, because I'm always concerned about bending the
low E/B rod putting the parts together.

General ramblings about the Elite: Cary is dead on when he compliments the
keywork. Buffet put a great deal of thought into the mechanics and feel
of the Elite, and it's like driving a BMW (or at least what I imagine
driving a BMW to be like). In comparision, the LeBlanc Infinite that I
tried seemed very crude. I also didn't like the sound of the LeBlanc -
certainly not next to my R13. The Elite sounded . . . different. It's
hard to describe without using all those subjective terms that get one into
hot water on the list. It'll take more than a 20 minute trial before I
really know if I like the Elite, but wow! Is it ever put together well!

Last ramble: it's Sunday and the list had about 20 messages. Looks like
any problems have gotten cleared up.

Regards,
Jordan