Klarinet Archive - Posting 000543.txt from 2003/05

From: GrabnerWG@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] RE: klarinet Digest 20 May 2003 20:15:00 -0000 Issue 4539
Date: Thu, 22 May 2003 11:16:50 -0400

In a message dated 5/22/2003 8:46:59 AM Eastern Standard Time, charette@-----.org writes:

> Considering that Steve Fox hand-made that particular basset
> I'm sure he had a reason for putting the lacquer on in the 1st place ...>>

I am assuming that this basset horn (like Dan Leeson's) is made from cocobolo wood. If not, the rest of this post is irrelvant.

But, if so, using a light shellac on the cocobolo might make a lot of sense.

I have done a lot of work with cocobolo. It's a fine wood for making wind instruments (if your not allergic to the dust raised when working with it).

It tools nicely and is VERY lovely when polished. It is, however, more porous than grenadilla (or mpingo, or what ever you want to call it). Initially, it absorbs more water and swells more than grenadilla.

So, perhaps, the light coat of shellac is there to help resist some of this moisture absorbtion.

Walter Grabner
www.clarinetXpress.com
World-class clarinet mouthpieces!

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