The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: BethGraham
Date: 2019-06-19 23:22
Attachment: 20190619_151023.jpg (1102k)
Attachment: 20190619_145757.jpg (665k)
I need to pick your brains. I purchased a used alto Moeck recorder recently on The Site Which Shall Not Be Named, and it arrived today from Germany. The recorder looks to be in excellent condition with the exception of some discoloration on the chamfer in the mouthpiece.
I've attached a few photos of what I'm talking about. It almost looks as though it's been singed (exposed to fire or smoke?) during its lifetime. (It doesn't smell like smoke, though.) What do you guys think?
I've sent an email to the seller to ask her what she knows about the history of this recorder. Certainly, none of my other recorders have had this discoloration.
Thanks in advance for any insight --
Beth
Post Edited (2019-06-19 23:25)
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Author: kdk
Date: 2019-06-20 02:45
How is that vent cut into the wood? It looks like it might have been an overheated cutting tool. Especially if the wood is hard. Or could it be a sealer of some kind where the wood was cross-cut that discolored (or maybe that's its color)?
I don't think I'd be concerned about it if the instrument plays as you expected.
Karl
Post Edited (2019-06-20 02:47)
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Author: BethGraham
Date: 2019-06-20 04:18
It plays beautifully and is well in tune with itself, so I think I won't fret about it.
The seller got back to me, assuring me that it's not heat damage or mold, but a sort of discoloration that sometimes happens to the unsealed bits of the opening when a recorder has been played a lot and not always fully allowed to dry between playing sessions. (The seller seems reputable and knowledgeable, so I'm going to go with that explanation.)
That said, I may get in touch with the Recorder Centre in Quebec and get a second opinion. Thanks, Karl!
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Author: BethGraham
Date: 2019-06-20 15:44
Maple.
I've also got a soprano Moeck Rottenburgh in rosewood and a Roessler alto in pearwood (I think?) . I had my recorders packed away until recently but think I've found a local group to play with, so have hauled them out and am trying to get my playing back in shape.
Beth
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2019-06-21 12:33
I showed the pics to a friend who has some experience with hand-made flutes, recorders and chanters. He said that it certainly looked like tooling marks. He said that he sometimes uses an old chisel heated appropriately to clean up machined holes. It removes any slight woolly edges where wood fibres remain after machining, and it also serves to slightly harden the machined surfaces. I can't vouch for the accuracy of his ideas, but it could provide an answer. I offer it for what it's worth.
Tony F.
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