 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Mel
Date: 2003-10-22 17:55
I am graduate student writing a paper on the organology of the clarinet. I have found lots of great resources on the early clarinets, but I am having a difficult time finding information on new developments within the past thirty years. I am specifically looking for information on the newer plastics used in student model clarinets and the process of making composite wood clarinets such as the greenline clarinets of Buffet. Do you know of any books, pamphlets, WebPages etc. that contains information on this topic?
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-10-22 20:28
The books "Clarinet" by Brymer and by Lawson are within your 30 years, Rendall is from the 1970's but still comprehensive. Have you looked in Grove's Dictionary ---, much info there. Likely much of what info you seem to be seeking falls in the category of manufacturing secrets, some of which is public by virtue of publication by patenting. USPTO Class 84 is Music, Subclasses 380-385 are woodwinds, 382 is clarinets specifically, prob. the best location to start such a search. As to materials of construction, I dont recall much, There is a "Polypropylene Bassoon" pat to Fox, I believe, from PP's early days, have copy, likely some more. Materials are prob. mentioned in many "key" and "pad" patents. Luck, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-10-22 22:04
Apart from acoustic design secrets (there seems to be a lot of changed paramewters in one of Selmer's model), and the Greenline, there's not really much new in the last 30 years.
- Nylon (easily wrecked) or teflon (or nylon)-tipped regulating screws.
- Teflon where there is a rubbing action in the mechanism. (mostly by technicians)
- Use of various forms of synthetic cork substitutes. ('With-it' technicans seem to be ahead of manufacturers here, for quality materials)
- Use of self-adhesive backed cork substitutes (that typically slide off the keys.)
- Buffet's (horrible) pivot screws with a plastic collar under the head.
- Posts (often wobbly!) moulded into the plastic body on UMI student instruments.
- A plethora of adjustable thumb rests.
- Greater use of stainless steel rods and pivot screws.
- Increasing use of stainless steel springs.
- Solid synthetic materials for pads.
- Synthetic hot-melt replacements for shellac glue for holding in pads.
- Plastic reinforcing rings (that actually make the joint weaker!!) on the bodies of cheaper Buffet models.
- ABS plastic bodies instead of hard rubber on cheaper models.
- Nylon connectors between low levers and their respective keys. (They easily break!)
- Is Selmer using their spring-loaded pivot system on clarinets yet, or just on saxes?
In general, the changes are for cost-cutting, and to the detriment of quality design and manufacture.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2003-10-22 22:25
Well done, Gordon, quite a list, many are the use of "special"?? plastics in place of some metals in the past , as you described, often poorer but cheaper. For Mel to "research" these further, prob. the maker's "glowing" description of "advantages" is about as "fur as it can go"! Perhaps you can tell of some skillful-tech replacements needed at repair time! I've seen a few myself! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2003-10-24 10:41
Mel: You probably know this already, but in case you don't:
Howarth offer their professional model clarinets in a synthetic material called Anatone.
Hanson offer a greenline-like material, and also, bizarrely, titanium.
And then there's the Lyons clarinet.
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If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2003-10-24 15:26
Stephen Fox makes instruments from synthetic materials and may answer your questions about acoustics:
steve@sfoxclarinets.com
There are also some white papers on his site you may find useful:
http://www.sfoxclarinets.com/Intro.html
The site lists a forthcoming white paper "Influences of Body Material on Clarinet Playing Characteristics (in preparation)"
He is a sponsor of this board.
Regards
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Author: Forest Aten
Date: 2003-11-01 22:47
Graduate work???
I would suggest that you contact the contemporary manufacturers and ask them for first hand and accurate information. What better place to go than straight to the manufacturer?
First hand information....
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