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Wooden clarinets?

Author: Rikki
Date: 2000-08-13 05:44

I want to buy a good clarinet because mine is very old and breaking apart. I was just wondering if wooden clarinets are better then plastic? Thanks

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RE: Wooden clarinets?

Author: Dee
Date: 2000-08-13 12:36

Material seems to make very little difference. Brand, model, and quality of design and construction are far more important.

Depending on the original quality of the instrument that you have now, it may be worthwhile to get a complete overhaul. It is quite possible to return most instruments to like new condition. In addition, a new, good quality mouthpiece often makes a huge difference in sound and playability.

Basically you need to decide whether you need a beginner, intermediate, or pro level instrument and investigate quality brands and models. Leblanc, Buffet, Yahama, and Selmer all produce quality products across the entire span of instruments. At the pro level, there are also several small and custom makers.

You also need to look at the use you plan. If there's going to be a lot of outdoor work in questionable weather as is common in marching bands, a beginner plastic instrument is the wisest choice. On the other hand, if you are going to be a performance major in college, a professional model might be your goal. If playing the clarinet is going to be a hobby, then it depends on how much money you are comfortable in investing in your hobbies.

Here's a brief summary of what's available as far as wood versus plastic.

Beginner grade instruments:
Available in both plastic and wood. However the wooden beginner ones are made by companies with poor reputations for quality. The Leblanc, Buffet, Selmer, and Yamaha beginner instruments are all plastic.

Intermediate grade instruments:
As far as I know, these are all made of wood. There are good instruments and bad instruments. Again stick to the "Big Four" mentioned above.

Pro grade and premium pro grade instruments:
The only readily available plastic one is the Buffet Greenline. From reports of people who have tried them, it is comparable to the standard wooden Buffet pro model. The rest of the readily available pro instruments are wooden. In addition to the major makers listed above, several smaller makers (Rossi, Patricola, Peter Eaton) have fine reputations.

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