From: bass@cs.utk.edu (Vance Bass)
Newsgroups: rec.music.early
Subject: Re: Plastic recorder recommendations
Followup-To: rec.music.early
Date: 5 Jan 1993 17:08:40 GMT
Organization: University of Tennessee, Knoxville - CS Department
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: duncan.cs.utk.edu

In article <EARLYM-L%93010501302975@AEARN.EDVZ.UNIVIE.AC.AT> Ken Koester <MAINT2@ERS.BITNET> writes:
>On Mon, 28 Dec 1992 18:27:09 GMT Richard Hargrove said:
>>On a related topic, some of the local recorder players here in Dallas
>>have said that unless you can get an exceptional instrument, wooden
>>recorders are generally no longer worth what you pay for them.  Comments?
>
>Yeah, I don't believe them, except as regards cheap wood.  Moeck's are
>probably worth it, if you get a discount on the instrument, which most dealers
>will give you.  Handmades, under the reasoning of my first paragraph, are
>definitely worth it.

I'll offer an opposing (or complementary, depending) view.  Wood instruments
are MUCH harder to manufacture due to the nature and variability of the
materials.  Over the years I have seen Moecks which were stellar, and
instruments made of exactly the same wood type which were mediocre at best.
I played about 20-25 rosewood and grenadilla altos before I found one which
spoke effortlessly over the entire range.  They are NOT all the same.

When I visited the Moeck factory in the mid-'70's, the "lower-grade"
instruments were completely machine-made.  Only the "high-grade" instruments
(the rosewood and grenadilla Rottenburghs for example) were voiced by hand.
The voicing consisted of the master instrument maker running a scale, shaving
a little bit off the lip or the top of the block, and then into the "out"
bin it went.

I imagine that controlling such variables is MUCH easier in plastic.

I would strongly recommend that you buy a wooden instrument from someone like
Philip Levin, who is himself an instrument maker and who personally does
careful voicing on every commercially-produced instrument he sells.

This is partly superstition, granted.  But I know people with instruments which
were really grotty players who have simply had them revoiced and had wonderful
results.  (This was what sent me to the Moeck factory in the first place -- I
got my plumwood alto revoiced and it made all the difference.)

Vance
Newsgroups: rec.music.early
Subject: Re: Plastic recorder recommendations
Followup-To: vrbass@vnet.ibm.com
Distribution: world
Organization: VDGSA wannabes

In article <EARLYM-L%93010501302975@AEARN.EDVZ.UNIVIE.AC.AT> Ken Koester <MAINT2@ERS.BITNET> writes:
>On Mon, 28 Dec 1992 18:27:09 GMT Richard Hargrove said:
>>On a related topic, some of the local recorder players here in Dallas
>>have said that unless you can get an exceptional instrument, wooden
>>recorders are generally no longer worth what you pay for them.  Comments?
>
>Yeah, I don't believe them, except as regards cheap wood.  Moeck's are
>probably worth it, if you get a discount on the instrument, which most dealers
>will give you.  Handmades, under the reasoning of my first paragraph, are
>definitely worth it.

I'll offer an opposing (or complementary, depending) view.  Wood instruments
are MUCH harder to manufacture due to the nature and variability of the
materials.  Over the years I have seen Moecks which were stellar, and
instruments made of exactly the same wood type which were mediocre at best.
I played about 20-25 rosewood and grenadilla altos before I found one which
spoke effortlessly over the entire range.  They are NOT all the same.

When I visited the Moeck factory in the mid-'70's, the "lower-grade"
instruments were completely machine-made.  Only the "high-grade" instruments
(the rosewood and grenadilla Rottenburghs for example) were voiced by hand.
The voicing consisted of the master instrument maker running a scale, shaving
a little bit off the lip or the top of the block, and then into the "out"
bin it went.

I imagine that controlling such variables is MUCH easier in plastic.

I would strongly recommend that you buy a wooden instrument from someone like
Philip Levin, who is himself an instrument maker and who personally does
careful voicing on every commercially-produced instrument he sells.

This is partly superstition, granted.  But I know people with instruments which
were really grotty players who have simply had them revoiced and had wonderful
results.  (This was what sent me to the Moeck factory in the first place -- I
got my plumwood alto revoiced and it made all the difference.)

Vance
-- 
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+        
Vance Bass			  Reply-to: vrbass@atlvmic1.vnet.ibm.com     
IBM Professional Services	I work for IBM.  My opinions are my own.
Nashville, TN				 The facts speak for themselves.