Klarinet Archive - Posting 000485.txt from 1996/07

From: Doug MacDonell <dougmac@-----.ORG>
Subj: Re: boxwood vs ebony
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 1996 17:11:59 -0400

Boxwood is a very light wood. Most modern clarinets are actually made from
African blackwood, also know as grenadilla. It is usually stained black. A
couple of instrument manufacturers do offer clarinets made of ebony, which
is even denser than grenadilla.

There are probably as many opinions as to whether material affects the tone
of the instrument as there are players. Most studies indicate tone is
largely independent of the material with which an instrument is constructed.
(Of course, this is in reference to wind instruments.)
Doug MacDonell
Ashland, Oregon, USA
dougmac@-----.org