Klarinet Archive - Posting 000146.txt from 2001/12

From: Daniel Leeson <leeson0@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Material...was: Clarinet Bores - not me - the internal
Date: Fri, 7 Dec 2001 17:31:26 -0500

Of course I got a cocobolo wood basset horn. And it was for precisely
the reason you said. I like to look at it. It is aesthetically
beautiful and, therefore, I am motivated to play more beautifully on
such a gorgeous instrument. But I also believe it could have been made
out of pot metal and produced the same sonic results, assuming that the
craftsmanship was the same (and possible on pot metal). I love
beautiful things but I don't let that run away with my head. I was even
prepared (and probably did) pay a premium to get such lovely wood with
such a beautiful grain. And when the girls see it, they will love me
more for my aesthetic qualities. I will tug on my cowlick and say,
"Shucks!!"

And when I sell the instrument on Jan. 1, 2007, the choice of wood will
have been shown to be a wise investment decision. I am, first and last,
a businessman with an artistic bent, not the other way round. And I
couldn't care less that it was a more difficult medium for the maker to
work with. That's not my problem.

DNL

GrabnerWG@-----.com wrote:
>
> One other thing Dan!
>
> Didn't you just take delivery of a beautiful new Basset Horn made all of cocobolo wood?
>
> Hmmmmmmmm.......
>
> If material doesn't matter, why wasn't it made from plastic? Or several long rods of hard rubber? or plywood?
>
> I'll tell you a few things about working with cocobolo; it's a pain. The dust is toxic, you have to ventilate extremely well, and the wood doesn't machine as well as Grenadilla, or Cocus, or various plastics. It's oily and dense, and you have to take more pauses because your tools heat up faster.
>
> Gee.....I wonder why cocobolo was chosen?
>
> Yeah, it IS pretty.
>
> Walter
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------

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** Dan Leeson **
** leeson0@-----.net **
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