Klarinet Archive - Posting 000216.txt from 2003/01

From: Mark Gresham <mgresham@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] RE: Chinese Clarinets
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 2003 10:52:14 -0500

Bill Hausmann wrote:
> At 09:13 AM 1/8/2003 -0500, Mark Gresham wrote:
>
>> 2) It is also true that "consumer product" is probably not the most
>> attractive way of describing a clarinet.
>
> As opposed to "industrial product?" The description is not inaccurate,
> particularly as it applies to entry level instruments.

As opposed to "musical instrument." Garbage instruments fall outside of
that, of course. But my main objection is to the recipient of the
object as a "consumer." "People" seem have been reduced to "consumer"
as the common term in everyday conversation, not just business strategy.

> I do not object to imported
> instruments per se, just garbage MASQUERADING as instruments, regardless
> of the circumstances.

So do I, even though some of them (in pianos at least) are among the
most heavily advertised in magazines for music educators.

>> So it is quite possible that the lesser Chinese clarinets are for
>> export, but they're finding they have to improve to compete.
>
> I don't know. They seem to be selling far TOO MANY of them as it is!

They can only do that if we buy them... :-)

>> This as the case with Yamaha in "lower-tier" pianos, with new
>> competition from Korea and China, and "middle-tier" pianos with
>> significant competition coming from former Soviet-bloc countries of
>> eastern Europe. Also, the age and experience of the manufacturer
>> plays a role in quality of design and craft. I mean, these guys used
>> to be poor farmers...
[...]
> The biggest problems I have seen have to do more with MATERIALS than
> workmanship -- cast keys instead of forged, very poor pads, etc. They
> LOOK nice, though, which is how folks get suckered.

You're hitting the nail on the head for more than just cheap
instruments, though. A maker of one of the best eastern-European pianos
I've seen in recent years (but a very old company) has become a bit
"influenced" by western commercial non-standards, and it appears
someone convinced them they needed to make the lids of their grands out
of a cheaper material rather than real wood. It's a tragic perversion,
because the piano itself was as stunning instrument only a few years
ago. The piano? Estonia. I don't know if they have reversed the
decision on material for the lid, but the people who WERE handling them
locally (who are themselves fine rebuilders themselves and sticklers for
quality manufacture in the upper-tier lines they carry) apparantly
stopped doing so.
Substitution of inferior materials seems to be a "middle-management"
and "marketing" conspiracy--a kind of short-term bottom-line decision
not limited to musical instruments, but one that can completely
undermine manufacture of anything.

--
Mark Gresham, composer
mgresham@-----.com/
Lux Nova Press http://www.luxnova.com/
LNP Retail Webstore http://www.luxnova.com/lnpwebstore/