# Should I let my friend borrow my bass clarinet? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 14, 2013, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-let-my-friend-borrow-my-bass-clarinet/660945 "2013-06-14T00:06:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![chewsick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@chewsick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chewsick)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2013, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-let-my-friend-borrow-my-bass-clarinet/660945/41 "2013-06-16T17:37:36Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > From context, the OP’s is a few inches bigger than a regular bass with some extra keys for the low notes. That’s what I was guessing as well – I love bass clarinet, but not quite enough to go get lost in a forest of variants from the standard by googling. OTOH, IIRC there are some saxes at least that have a few extra keys to facilitate fingering higher notes (maybe not risking the extra harmonics from overbreathing just to make it easier on the embouchure), without an extended range from increase in overall (integral of?) diameter size. I’ll shut up now, but this has been puzzling me since yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2013, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-let-my-friend-borrow-my-bass-clarinet/660945/42 "2013-06-17T00:57:48Z")
> [@chewsick](#): > > … > > Any reason why the “show” can’t be re-scored for a standard instrument? Any reason the friend can’t find something locally? > > And, if he or she is not going to personally pick up and return the instrument, that’s an instant fail right there. Shipping delicate instruments is just not an option if you aren’t able to rely on backup instruments WHEN your instrument gets damaged, destroyed, or lost. Well, he lives far away from most big music shops. And yes, he would come and pick up the bass clarinet and return it. Another thing: if he does borrow my bass clarinet, I could still practice on my regular (B-flat) clarinet. But bass clarinet is a bit difficult especially if you don’t practice it every day. ---
**Author:** ![chewsick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@chewsick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chewsick)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-let-my-friend-borrow-my-bass-clarinet/660945/43 "2013-06-18T19:20:08Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > Well, he lives far away from most big music shops. > > And yes, he would come and pick up the bass clarinet and return it. > > Another thing: if he does borrow my bass clarinet, I could still practice on my regular (B-flat) clarinet. But bass clarinet is a bit difficult especially if you don’t practice it every day. Well, by standard instrument I meant a standard bass clarinet, which is a common instrument with its own repertoire. Look in any orchestration book and you’ll find the range of the instrument written down. After hearing your reply, I conclude your friend is not a professional (otherwise he would know how to procure an instrument, rescore the “show” or any of a million things a working musician would know how to do). So I say no – it’s causing you some grief and he’s not doing the things a working musician knows how to do, like so, no. And he apparently lives in hill country way outside of civilization and not incidentally doesn’t live anywhere near you. Another fail. So, just to satisfy my morbid curiosity, what kind of “show” are we talking about that is far from any other musicians or music shops, can’t be rescored, and isn’t run by regular, working musicians? Community theater? That magically needs your variant bass clarinet? ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2013, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-let-my-friend-borrow-my-bass-clarinet/660945/44 "2013-06-18T19:37:43Z")
[QUOTE=Zebra] So EmilyG, are you a professional musician? What are you going to need it for? What is the instrument you play the most? (when you are getting paid?) Or is all just for fun. That’s OK too. But saying you won’t lend it out because you are emotionally attached to it. Well… Why? Was it your Dad’s instrument? What is the story behind this emotional attachment? Maybe then I can understand better and not be such an asshole. [/QUOTE] My two cents… I played trombone from elementary school through the first year of college. In 8th grade I got a brand new one with an F attachment so I could play bass trombone in Jazz Band. I was voted Most Protective of Her Instrument in Junior High. But it’s been a good 10 years since I’ve used it. To this day, it is still the first thing I’d go for if the house caught on fire. I considered selling it, even whipped it out early this year to find it is sort of falling apart, thought about fixing it up and donating it, but I can’t let it go. I’m not a professional musician, but I spent years protecting that instrument from harm, and that instinct is hard to die. It’s my baby. Honestly I’m really surprised you never developed that kind of attachment to your instrument. It’s very common among musicians, professional or otherwise. Personally I don’t know if I would lend it out. Context is everything. But I think the decision not to should be respected. Many musicians can’t be rational about that sort of thing; you can’t just shut off your feelings. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-let-my-friend-borrow-my-bass-clarinet/660945/45 "2013-08-16T23:05:30Z")
Just thought I’d bump this thread to say that I did end up lending the bass clarinet to my friend, and he did return it, and it was just fine. 🙂 He was a bit reluctant to return it because he really liked playing it, but he wasn’t just going to steal it away from me or anything. It’s nice to be the owner of such a likable instrument. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-let-my-friend-borrow-my-bass-clarinet/660945/46 "2013-08-17T02:45:42Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > If you have any doubt, say no. > > No matter who you lend something to, you HAVE to take the position that it may be lost, stolen, damaged, etc. (This goes for books, too.) Don’t lend anything out unless you can live with yourself if you never get it back in one piece. > . Though I’m not the OP, thanks for your post. That’s the principle I apply with money (assume that I’ll never see again any money I loan) but for some reason it never occured to me to apply it to items. It makes perfect sense, and I’ll follow this advice from now on. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-let-my-friend-borrow-my-bass-clarinet/660945/47 "2013-08-17T03:04:36Z")
Are you ever going to tell us what kind of “show” this was? ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-let-my-friend-borrow-my-bass-clarinet/660945/48 "2013-08-17T03:32:47Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > Just thought I’d bump this thread to say that I did end up lending the bass clarinet to my friend, and he did return it, and it was just fine. 🙂 I was among those recommending the loan and I’m so glad it worked out perfectly. Your friend got to use a rare instrument for an important performance and you made it possible. For your friend, this was probably unforgettable. On your end, there was clear risk which you considered and decided to take on. I say well done. Your friend owes you big, though 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-let-my-friend-borrow-my-bass-clarinet/660945/49 "2013-08-17T12:21:04Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > Are you ever going to tell us what kind of “show” this was? A performance of Les Miserables with a large orchestra, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2013, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-let-my-friend-borrow-my-bass-clarinet/660945/50 "2013-08-17T14:48:58Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > Just thought I’d bump this thread to say that I did end up lending the bass clarinet to my friend, and he did return it, and it was just fine. 🙂 He was a bit reluctant to return it because he really liked playing it, but he wasn’t just going to steal it away from me or anything. It’s nice to be the owner of such a likable instrument. 🙂 I’m glad it worked out this well for everyone. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-let-my-friend-borrow-my-bass-clarinet/660945.md?page=2)