Bocarina™ part II : The clay original

Before launching the ABS plastic Bocarina^™, Mr Chris Schuermans was used to model (and still crafts) clay nose flutes (among other clay instruments). Indeed, he began creating nose flutes with clay, improving the model (there were 3 major ones) until satisfaction.

Here are 2 samples of the last clay flute model, which follow exactly the shape of the plastic Bocarina^™ (well, it's more truly the inverse, plastic came later). So I won't write a review for them, since they follow the same technical specs and dimensions. Just a presentation.

Both the clay Bocarina^™ presented here are beautiful... One is made of 3 different colour clay, mixed in swirled patterns and just coated with a simple glaze, and the other is made of white clay, and coated with a stunning irregular Delft blue stained glaze.



So, what are the differences between the plastic and the clay Bocarinas^™ ?
For sure the look, the plastic ones more "modern" and the clay one with a "traditional handicraft" character.
Then, the weight. The plastic flute weight a bit less than 20 grams (precisely 19,5g), and the clay ones at least the double (44g for the blue one, and 52g the swirled mixed clay one).
Then the feel. Holding a clay Bocarina^™ on your face gives a cool and fresh contact.
And then, the fact that the clay flutes are made in one piece, and not by clipping a part (the duct cover) on the shield, like on a ABS Bocarina.

For sure, while the technical specifications are the same, and the clay Bocarinas are made with a mould to insure a certain regularity (and efficiency) in the production, they are finished by hand, and more the clay is not as regular and precise as hot ABS injected under pression in a mould is. Therefore, obviously, some very tiny details are not 100% the exact perfection, but certainly not impinging the playablitity, which is quite similar to the ABS model.

Last little but noticeable difference : the clay Bocarinas^™ are marked with Chris Schuermans' logo, symbolizing the four elements, each at work in pottery crafting.



---

On the same topic, you can read :

Bocarina^™ part I : A South African Ferrari
Bocarina^™ part II : The clay original
Bocarina^™ part III : A player's report - by Birdy K.
Bocarina^™ part IV : Chris Schuermans' interview
Bocarina^™ part V : The Ones you'll never have...
Bocarina^™ part VI : The Ancestors
Bocarina^™ part VII : Experiments 1
Bocarina^™ part VII : Experiments 2

---

Where to get a Bocarina^™

Brionski Ebay store
Dan Moi online shop
Grothmusic online shop

And for larger quantities, for sure :

Chris Schuermans
95 Farnham Rd. Lynnwood Manor
Pretoria, 0081 RSA (South Africa)

Cell phone no. +27 83 954 3224
Telephone no. +27 12 361 4659,

email : chris[at]schuermans[dot]org

---