Klarinet Archive - Posting 001554.txt from 1998/04

From: George Kidder <gkidder@-----.edu>
Subj: [klarinet] sound, shape, and material
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 17:25:43 -0400

If one grants (and I know that many won't) that the essential quality of a
clarinet is the shape and size of the bore, this leads to a question about
the manufacturing process of plastic vs. wood clarinets. Wood instruments
have to be bored out, a manufacturing process which is inherently accurate
and reproducible, although costly. Plastic (at least some plastic) can be
molded or extruded, which is less accurate. When I look into the relatively
poor-quality plastic instruments I own, I see no evidence of machining marks
which I would expect if they were bored. I assume I don't find such marks
in my R13 because of careful polishing, which I would not expect on cheaper
horns.

So the question - does anyone know for sure if plastic instruments are cast
or extruded without any additional work done on the bore? (Of course, the
holes have to be put in somehow.)

It this is true, it might explain a lot.

George Kidder
gkidder@-----.edu

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