Klarinet Archive - Posting 000680.txt from 2004/07

From: "Dee D. Flint" <deeflint01@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Character of sound based on medium
Date: Sun, 18 Jul 2004 07:29:59 -0400


----- Original Message -----
From: "Gary Truesdail" <gir@-----.net>
To: <klarinet@-----.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 17, 2004 11:59 PM
Subject: Re: [kl] Character of sound based on medium

> Armchair theorist here again,
>
> I any of you think the material from which an instrument is made makes
> no difference in the instruments tone, then consider three things:
>

The discussion has been that the material of the clarinet does not matter
since it does not vibrate. So here are comments on the individual points.

> 1. a pine or douglas fir reed compared to one made of cane

A reed vibrates so material can matter.

> 2. a plastic guitar compared to a wooden guitar

Are you speaking of electric or acoustic guitars? In an acoustic guitar,
the body is a sound board/amplifier and does vibrate so material can matter.

> 3. why violin makers not only use very specific woods for the tops,
> backs, necks, of a violin but when selecting these woods they look for
> specific grain density.

In a violin, the body is a soundboard/amplifier and does vibrate so material
can matter.

> 4. There is no reason why a plastic blank can't be machined to the same
> specs as the wood used for clarinets. Would you play a plastic one for a
> living? (Oops, shouldn't have said that, my Wurlitzer BsCl is plastic
> and plays great).
>

Yes. Problem is there is so much resistance to the idea among most people
that there are very few professional plastic clarinets made. They have to
"fool" people like Greenline does by touting the grenadilla filler (which is
merely sawdust) to enhance their marketing.

Get your hands on certain old student wood clarinets and you will see that
they are terrible if you think wood is so great.

> If these things don't make a difference why aren't there a lot of people
> out their getting rich making clarinets out of redwood, cedar,
> manzanita, Nylon, PVC or any of the more plentiful and cheaper materials
> instead of busting their tacos in rehearsals.
>

Most other woods won't reliably stand up to the machining used to produce a
clarinet. You will get too much scrap, leading to increased costs. As far
as manmade materials, such as Nylon and PVC, the industry has already
settled on those which work best in this application.

Material cost is NOT a significant driver in the price of a clarinet. You
can find new wood student clarinets that cost as little as the plastic ones.
On the other hand, the Greenline (they get the sawdust filler for the
plastic "free" from other manufacturing) costs as much as any other pro wood
clarinet.

Manufacturing costs are the main driver. Pro instruments are made to a
higher standard of finish and workmanship than student instruments.

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