Klarinet Archive - Posting 000748.txt from 2000/08

From: "Joe M. Rankin" <jmrankin@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Plastic vs. Wood
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 22:02:33 -0400

I'll try to get my friend Jimmy Sclater's opinion of the Howart Anatone clarinets
as compared to the wooden model. I'm almost positive that he played both in the
Howarth shop the summer before I was there. When I was in their shop about 3-4
years ago picking out an A clarinet, they didn't have any "A's" at time in
Anatone. I was there specifically to buy an A clarinet since I had bought a Bb a
few months before. I could have played some Bb Anatone clarinets, but didn't
since I was not in the market for a Bb & wanted to make the most of my time in
their shop. I did play an A clarinet made of Kingwood & it had somewhat different
sound characterics than the Blackwood instruments. That's been long enough ago
that I don't feel I can accurately describe the difference though. But, I can say
that the difference was not drastic, but definitely noticeable.

Two more points that I know are not pertinent to the Wood vs. Plastic discussion:

1) If you're in the market for new clarinets, I suggest you strongly consider the
Howarth's. The pair I have is excellent. They tune better than any clarinet I've
ever played except the Rossi's I just recently acquired. They are probably just
as good though as far as intonation is concerned. The downside is that there was
not a supply barrels available. This may have changed since I purchased my
Howarth's. But, I've never needed any extras anyway.

2) The "pinky" keys were quite different in feel from the R13's I played for so
long so I had to have them "adjusted" so make them comfortable to me. I'm now
doing the same thing with the Rossi's.

I haven't had the time to follow this thread in it's entirety, but I have seen
comments on the combination of plastic/wood combinations in oboes. The Rossi
clarinets I just purchased are made of Rosewood, but they have a plastic "sleeve"
in the upper portion of the top of the clarinets. I know he does that on his
American bore instruments, but I am not sure if his clarinets with other bore
dimensions are built that way or not. I have not asked, but I assume that the
sleeve is used for stability where cracking might be most likely to occur.

Joe Rankin

Bill Houseman wrote:

> At 04:42 PM 8/23/2000 -0700, Kevin Fay wrote:
> >This shouldn't be thought of as a hypothetical question. It's been done.
> >Howarth makes artist-level plastic horns; we just have not heard back from
> >anyone who has made the comparison.
> >
> I anxiously await their posting!
>
> >It's also been done by our double-reed siblings in the orchestral row ahead
> >of us. Loree has made artist-grade oboes for *years* with plastic top
> >joints. My oboe-playing friends that have made the side-by-side comparison
> >(including but not limited to my wife) have told me that there is no
> >difference. I am certain -- at least as certain as one can be in relying on
> >their own ears -- that my wife's sound did not change one iota switching
> >back and forth from the 1/2 plastic to the all-wood horn. I was there. I
> >listened. Couldn't tell, even with my back turned as she tried to fool me.
> >
> >What Mark said about the tooling is likely true -- which is why we paid a
> >$300 uplift to get the horn in plastic. Since it hasn't cracked -- even
> >after a (egads!) outdoor concert -- we consider this $$$ well spent.
> >
> I guess oboists are less hide-bound traditionalists that clarinetists
> (seems unlikely, but...)
>
> >Didn't Selmer do some behind-the-screen testing when the Bundy came out
> >(finding no perceptible difference)?
> >
> Could be, but the plastic Bundy came out a LONG time ago. They don't
> exactly TRUMPET (play on words intended) the results, though, whichever way
> they came out!
>
> Bill Hausmann NEW ADDRESS: bhausmann1@-----.com
> 451 Old Orchard Drive http://homepages.go.com/~zoot14/zoot14.html
> Essexville, MI 48732 ICQ UIN 4862265
>
> If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.
>
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