Klarinet Archive - Posting 000528.txt from 1997/02

From: "Lorne G. Buick" <lgbuick@-----.net>
Subj: Re: Clarinet age 1 mo time
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 12:18:48 -0500

THanks to Dr. Ed for a little bit of actual information on this subject,
which has been discussed at length on this list too. (If anyone's
interested, search the archives (via sneezy) for the words "blown out".)
Since Dan L. is temporarily unwith us, let me remind everyone that his
opinion is that the idea that clarinets get "blown out" or lose their tone
after ten (or however many) years is "horse hockey"; in other words, it's
something we imagine happens because we heard somewhere that it happens.
I'm not so sure; I've definitely had clarinets whose bore changed over a
period of years such that the tone quality and especially intonation were
adversely affected. Unfortunately we have only anecdotal evidence one way
or the other ("well I'm playing a 200 year old clarinet that still plays
perfectly" "yeah but my 2-year-old Buffet is completely blown out") until
someone does a 20-year study involving 100's of new clarinets. Any grad
students out there think they can get a grant for this project? Be sure to
post yearly updates to the list... :-)
>
> Grenadilla wood does change with time. The process is called
> "depolymerization." I don't know exactly what that means from the
> standpoint of the chemistry involved, but it is a natural and inexhorable
> process, and it does affect the playing characteristics of an instrument.
> Probably the changes are so gradual that a person wouldn't notice them,
> and would automatically make the necessary changes in playing techniques
> to accomodate them.
>
> There was a thread on this topic on the double reed list some time ago.
> One person related an experience in one of the manufacturers in France.
> As it was reported, they found a block of grenadilla which was around 70
> years old, and they decided to try to make an instrument from it.
> Usually, when the wood is being turned on a lathe, there are long,
> string-like pieces of wood which are removed from the instrument, much
> like you might see if turning metal. However, on the older block of wood,
> only a very fine dust resulted from its being worked on the lathe.
>
> It certainly is true that some people play very well and are very
> satisfied with their 40 or 50-year-old instruments. Unfortunately, due
> to the passage of time and changes in our physical makeup and playing
> techniques, we can't remember exactly how an instrument felt many years ago.
>
> Ed Lacy

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
LGB Lorne G Buick St. John's
lgbuick@-----.net Newfoundland
Canada