Klarinet Archive - Posting 000957.txt from 1997/09

From: the Grouch <d-grouch@-----.net>
Subj: Re: Pan Am composite
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 1997 23:59:47 -0400

-- [ From: the Grouch * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --

LONG ago (03 Sep) Mark Charette wrote as follows:

> Bill Hausmann, who lives "up the road" a bit from me,
> wrote about Pan-American composite clarinets:
> > The composite was made in layers, creating a perfect grain pattern.
> > But apparently the layers were their undoing. Maybe Buffet will escape
> > their fate.
>
> Bill, it sounds as if the Pan American was a laminated
> composite clarinet.

Yes the Pan Am was laminated. I purchased one new as I was entering high
school, I believe it had just come onto the market. It was laminated like
plywood, very thin laminations. Color was a light brown, varying among the
laminations. As I recall, its main claim to fame was that it was not
supposed to crack and that any joint that cracked would be replaced at no
charge. On mine the barrel cracked and was replaced, now it no longer
carried the same grain pattern from bell to barrel.

It was not well received. For one thing, it was not black so could not be
considered by a serious player. For another, my high school band director
said that it was out of tune with itself, although that may have been the
operator rather than the instrument. I liked its looks, but I have always
liked the unique and liked to try out new things. When I left high school
for college I traded it on a Selmer Centered Tone, although the dealer was
not at all eager to accept the trade.

--
Wm Laubengayer
Credibility is far more important than Capability