Klarinet Archive - Posting 000172.txt from 1994/09

From: Fred McKenzie <Frederick.M.McKenzie.1@-----.GOV>
Subj: Re: African blackwood vs Pl
Date: Wed, 21 Sep 1994 18:54:19 -0400

RE>>African blackwood vs Plastic
Gerald Evoniuk at Arizona State University, stated:

"Many people at the design level have told me they believe it is entirely
posssible to build an acceptable artist level clarinet out of plastic but
marketing keeps telling them the world is not ready."
----------------------

I'm sure that the marketing problem is related to the reputation of existing
plastic clarinets. If the cheap student model instruments worked nearly as
well, and sounded nearly as good, as the professional models, then there should
be little hesitation for a professional to try one that claims to be a "pro"
model, and sells for less than the wooden one. The marketplace changes slowly,
but the product has to be available, before the change can occur!

Over the past two or three years, I've been looking for a used B-Flat
Contrabass. There don't seem to be ANY used ones out there. I'm faced with
the choice of spending up to $10K for a new wooden one, or compromising on a
new student model, presumably plastic, for around $2K.

I've been told that prices have increased tremendously over the last few years.
The reason given, has been the increasing cost of wood. I would be willing to
try one of the plastic models, if I had some assurance that it compared well to
the expensive wooden ones.

Fred McKenzie
Bass Clarinetist,
Melbourne (Florida) Municipal Band