Klarinet Archive - Posting 000047.txt from 1994/01

From: Cary Karp <nrm-karp@-----.SE>
Subj: Re: Tom Ascher's comments
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 1994 17:54:25 -0500

On Wed, 12 Jan 1994, Tom Ascher wrote:

> Okay, I too can go either way. I have no great stake in the wood vs
> plastic vs banana peel cartel! Let's take the other side. Suppose it
> IS true that there is no difference between the sound of wood and plastic.
> Then, next question. Why can't THEY make better clarinets out of plastic?

THEY certainly could make better clarinets out of plastic, but WE expect
plastic instruments to be cheaper than wooden ones. Since the production
of a plastic instrument isn't inherently cheaper, the price is held down
by cheaper keywork and pads, and no individual voicing, tuning or
adjustment. Since most clarinetists assume a priori that any inferior aspect
of a plastic clarinet is because of the material, the industry might
understandably be reluctant to buck this prejudice and risk the substantial
expense of designing, producing and marketing professional quality
plastic instruments.