 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Reedirect
Date: 2011-01-18 13:01
Hello everybody:
May I ask you for your help doing some background research and compile information about the Pan American "Propeller Wood" or "Violin Finish" Clarinets. In recent years I have bought some in pitiful condition and restored them investing much time. Now, they play fine and look great. I'm quite fond of these rather unique instruments.
The already well-known story is that the Conn Corp. was in short supply of grenadilla wood after WWII and therefore started experimenting with aviation propeller plywood made from cocobolo. Soon, they advertised the then called violin finish clarinet as particularly sturdy and unbreakable student's models. That statement was obviously put literally and the clarinets soon became indeed notorious for cracking so that production, which obviously started in the early '50s stopped a few years later after a few thousand items.
I did not find much more on that although I googled it extensively. I therefore want to gather whatever is available on this clarinet and compile it. Everything would be interesting: photographs, sketches, advertising, blueprints, construction details, first-hand information from workers at the plant, even gossip, serial number lists, etc. p.p.
I would follow every available link you may be able to provide and will place everything here at the board once a reasonable chunk of information has been compiled.
Thank you in advance
Best
Jo
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Author: Wes
Date: 2011-01-18 20:55
Hi Jo!
Yes, I bought one of those Conn Pan American "propeller wood" clarinets at a swap meet for $75 last summer with a very fine case. After a complete overhaul by me, it plays quite well with 12th intervals and throat tones reasonably in tune. There was no need for extra tuning work. It has no cracks and is simply beautiful. It was built in the same way as other Conn clarinets of that time with set screws on the posts and silver plating. To complete the picture, I found and refaced a Conn mouthpiece from that era which sounds pretty good, although I like to play it with my regular mouthpiece I use on my recent R13.
There are some ads for this clarinet you can find from the early 50s on the internet from magazines of that time. I've found no evidence that they were sold in the 40s. There are sometimes negative comments about that clarinet indicating that some may have cracked.
Good Luck!
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-01-19 10:23
They didn't crack as a solid wood clarinet can, more likely they delaminated as the glue failed in between the laminates once water got in.
I've seen a few Pan-Am oboes listed on you-know-where which look smart - although most have been flush-banded.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2011-01-19 14:15
Jo -
The Pan American "propeller wood" clarinets have been discussed many times (165) here and on the Klarinet list.
Click on the Search link at the top of this page, click on the Unique threads only box (to avoid duplication) and also on the box for the Klarinet Mailing List Archives. Then search on:
propeller OR propellor
Also, I got 580 results from a Google search on:
clarinet "propeller wood" OR "propellor wood"
Many of the results repeat the story you told, but that has been thoroughly discredited. The outer layer did not come from aircraft propellers and is not even wood.
The clarinets I've seen have been beginner-level quality, though they certainly look striking.
When you finish your research, I think many of us would like to know your results.
Ken Shaw
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2011-01-19 14:39
The misinformation bouncing around the Internet about these clarinets is sometimes hilarious. Just the other day I stumbled onto a UK retailer of used instruments who offered one of these Conns for sale, with a marvelous spiel about how they were made from the same wood 'used in WWII B-24 Liberator bombers'. I'd sure love to see any aircraft with engines of that much horsepower using wooden propellers......
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Author: Reedirect
Date: 2011-01-19 17:49
Indeed, David, I stubled upon the same ad. But that and other erratic bits an pieces of information are the reason for me to try a decent research on them. They deserve it for clearly being quite unique concerning the wood.
It probably requires several weeks to get hold on the majority of the stories and to find the "truth" underneath. I also intend to ask the national music museum in Elkhart, IN.
In the end, I will provide a file with a summary of everything I found and place it here.
Best
Jo
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2011-01-20 14:50
You should also get in touch with Deborah Check Reeves, the Curator of Education & Woodwind Instruments of the National Music Museum at the University of South Dakota. She writes a column in The Clarinet about unusual clarinets in the museum's collection.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Reedirect
Date: 2011-01-21 07:57
> Ken Shaw wrote:
> You should also get in touch with Deborah Check Reeves, the
> Curator of Education & Woodwind Instruments of the National
> Music Museum at the University of South Dakota. She writes a
> column in The Clarinet about unusual clarinets in the museum's
> collection.
>
> Ken Shaw
Thanks for the information
Best
Jo
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