 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Baz
Date: 2011-03-26 17:58
Does anybody know anything about the Conn Pan -American Clarinet in Cocobolo wood, its known as the Propeller wood clarinet and looks gorgeous, apparently its wide bore and was aimed at the jazz market.
Baz
Post Edited (2011-03-26 17:59)
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Author: Franklin Liao
Date: 2011-03-26 18:03
These are not Cocobolo Baz. The clarinet has been talked about in a few threads in the past. The laminate material is suspect to delamination and as such it is ill-advised to play the instrument generally.
Post Edited (2011-03-26 18:03)
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Author: Baz
Date: 2011-03-26 18:36
Hi Franklin,
This is what the seller has to say about it, I have dealt with him twice before and he carries a fine reputation and is very knowledgeable, I am not surprised you mention lamination as I am sure propellers would benefit from this but why make a laminated clarinet when you could probable buy a block of Cocobola?
An excellent condition Conn Pan -American Clarinet in Cocobolo wood which is having a full overhaul in Pisoni double bladder fishskin pads, and is sold with a year's warranty. This instrument was an ingenious solution by Conn to the scarcity of Grenadilla wood during the Second World War. The same wood was used in the manufacture of WWII Bomber Propellers', hence the nick name; "Propeller wood clarinet". This is a wide bore clarinet; primarily aimed at the Jazz market, it plays with a warm and flexible sound.
Baz
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Author: Franklin Liao
Date: 2011-03-26 19:25
Pan American was a brand under Conn as a line for student-level horns, which normally would not be manufactured using difficult to machine materials. I would speculate that the laminate material was tested during the 50s' production run to see whether or not if Plywood laminate would be feasible for the company to use.
I think that the surviving examples today that have been professionally serviced would definitely warrant a look... given the credentials for the seller you mentioned, one should be inclined to give this a try.
(I personally would lean toward a modern make instead, because if not through a reputable source, the matter becomes a gambit. The horn does make a handsome showpiece at any rate.)
Post Edited (2011-03-26 21:37)
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Author: Wes
Date: 2011-03-26 19:36
Yes, give it a look. I own one of these Pan American Conn clarinets and it is as solid as can be. It may be pressure treated wood. The construction, silver plating, and mechanics seem to be the same as other Conn clarinets of that era. Surprizingly, it was marketed well into the 50s as a "violin finish" clarinet, quite beyond WW2. However, I'm not going to give up my recent R13, which came with power steering and stereo sound.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2011-03-26 20:13
I just love it when people who don't know, quote somebody who is trying to sell something about which they don't know either, and tell the rest of us (particularly those who DO know) that we are wrong.
Human nature, I guess............
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Author: Baz
Date: 2011-03-26 20:31
Here is the website with the clarinet on, No30, some fine instruments there. click on the picture for several photographs.
http://www.clarinetsdirect.biz/
Baz
Post Edited (2011-03-26 20:34)
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2011-03-26 21:14
Clarinets Direct often has good and interesting instruments, but the owner doesn't know as much as he thinks he does. The Conn is definitely NOT cocobolo and is NOT made from airplane propellor wood. That urban myth has been exploded here a number of times, most recently at http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=342502&t=342349.
It's a student-quality instrument, in my opinion worth nowhere near the asking price.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2011-03-26 21:27
I own three Pan Americans and find the marque very interesting...but this is a model I'd steer well clear of as a regular player. The Pan American laminate clarinet and oboe I've personally examined both had issues with delamination, as have many of the examples pictured on internet auctions. This seems most problematic around the thumbrest area.
My favorites in the Pan Am lineup are the hard rubber models. The 58N I have is a solid performer and very nicely made, and serves me capably as a backup, foul weather, and jazzer horn.
Post Edited (2011-03-26 21:29)
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Author: Baz
Date: 2011-03-27 00:50
Thanks for your help on the Conn, I am going to steer clear, this shows you how useful the CBB is.
Baz
Post Edited (2011-03-28 10:22)
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2011-03-29 15:15
Just out of interest, the B24 wasn't fitted with wooden propeller blades, it had either Hamilton or Rotron metal-bladed propellers. I advised the owner of this some time back, but he still trots it out. In another life I knew the B24 quite well.
Tony F.
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