 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jeff Gegner
Date: 2000-11-15 13:33
Well I just got my "new" horn back from the shop. I had it repadded and recorked. It is a Malerne I purchased off of ebay. Wow, what a difference compared to my plastic Yamaha. The sound is much richer and very deep, great resonance. My teacher played it side by side with his Buffet. They each had a terrific sound. The Buffet seemed to have more punch while the Malerne had a what I believe everyone is calling a darker sound. I have only been playing for a little over 1 month and it was able to improve MY tone. As to the debate if materials matter. I think they do, at least between plastic and wood. The density of the plastic is just not enough to hold the resonance needed for good dark tone.
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Author: Dave Spiegelthal
Date: 2000-11-15 14:07
Jeff,
Congratulations on your 'new' clarinet! I must, however, take issue with your statements: "As to the debate if materials matter. I think they do, at least between plastic and wood. The density of the plastic is just not enough to hold the resonance needed for good dark tone." Your assertions are based solely on a single comparison between two entirely different instruments --- different manufacturers, different bores, different tone holes, different levels of workmanship, etc.etc.etc. There is NO WAY you can single out one sole factor (the density of the material) as being responsible for the differences in playing qualities between the two instruments. Perhaps you should try to understand the scientific method a bit better before you make such claims!
Sorry, I'm off my soapbox now. Enjoy your Malerne ---they're excellent clarinets.
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Author: Jeff Gegner
Date: 2000-11-15 14:32
I should have said "my plastic clarinet". I know in theory the materials shouldn't matter, but until I hear someone make a student model plastic horn sound as good as a nice wood or rubber horn I will hold to my beliefs that the density of the media does make a difference. Maybe some manufacturer will take the time to make a really good ABS horn and see what it will do.
Thats the beauty of the this world. We can all hold to our own beliefs.
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Author: Dave Spiegelthal
Date: 2000-11-15 14:42
I've have read that Charles Bay re-manufactures someone's plastic clarinets, resulting in a very fine professional instrument. Also, as you probably know, many professional oboes and bassoons are now made of plastic. As has been discussed many times in this and other forums, there is little or no incentive for manufacturers to go to the trouble to make professional clarinets out of plastic. They would cost every bit as much to make as a fine wood clarinet (less maybe $20 for the difference in material costs, but offset by the increased tool wear from cutting plastic); and in the end they would not be able to sell them, because of the PERCEPTION that top-of-the-line clarinets MUST be made of wood, because, AS EVERYONE KNOW, wood sounds better! Marketing drives the product, not science! Currently Buffet is making a tentative baby step in the direction of plastic professional clarinets with the R-13 Greenlines, but in order to get people to buy them, they have to pound home the fact that they're made of powdered grenadilla WOOD, mixed with resin.
Yes, it's great that we can all hold to our own beliefs. But we should also endeavor to eliminate ignorance, confusion, and false myths whenever we can!
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Author: Jeff Gegner
Date: 2000-11-15 16:02
I ASSumed all top grade instruments were wood, rubber, wood composite(Greenline). I am a real newby to the woodwind stuff, but having a ball with it. I'm just glad I got a good deal on a nice wood horn. For homeowners insurance reasons, anyone have any idea what a Malerne clarinet it really good shape is worth? I have to list things or their not covered.
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Author: Bill
Date: 2000-11-15 16:36
Jeff: what model Malerne? Profressional, Intermediate, or Standard? Funny Charles Bay's name should be mentioned. My favorite mouthpiece (and there are quite a few legends in this comparison as well as my crystal) is my Charles Bay "Equalizer" student plastic mouthpiece.
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Author: Jeff Gegner
Date: 2000-11-15 20:35
It has some star markings on it. The serial # is H26641. My tech didn't know much about them but he felt is was a pretty descent horn manufactured similarly to a Buffet.
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Author: RON B
Date: 2000-11-15 21:04
Please allow me to raise an old and controversial issue.
:]
Woodwind (and brasswind) players need to keep something in mind, but are, it seems, reluctant to do so. And that is: a wind instrument has no inherent resonance.
uh, oh .... :
RON B
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Author: Jeff Gegner
Date: 2000-11-15 23:29
Devils advocate time. You know there are lots of theories that the material doesn't matter. It is the quality of manufacturing, etc. If you think about it, Do instruments vibrate when played? If they do, the preasure wave that flows down the instrument when you blow will be affected slightly by this. Why wouldn't that affect the sound. There are a lot of unknowns in acoustics, everything has not been mapped out. If the theoriticians had everything figured out why does the laws of physics tell us bees can not fly.
Everyone has there beliefs. I have yet to hear a plastic horn that sounds as good as a wood one. ONCE again, perhaps its because most good horns are wood or rubber and plastic ones I have heard are student models. I don't know, I don't pretend to know. I just know my wood horn sounds a lot better than my plastic one.
I used to play trumpet, my cheap Conn sounded just OK. When I played a Bach, it sounded great. I could also hear a difference from a brass Bach to a silver Bach. Was the sound do to the different metal composition? I don't know, I did like the silver horn better.
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Author: Ken Rasmussen
Date: 2000-11-16 02:30
I liked Dave Spiegenthal's response so much that I'm just responding to endorse it. I'm also glad Jeff is enjoying his horn. I just bought a wood bass, but if I had a metal or plastic bass that was as good I'd be just as happy.
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Author: Jeff Gegner
Date: 2000-11-16 13:37
I agree. I really don't care what the material is. Interesting problem occurred. My 5RV lyre mouthpiece was very tight going into the barrel. Took it in, it seems the end ring of the mouthpiece was 2 thousanths too big. Luckily I didn't crack the barrel. I had the end turned down. It worked fine on the Yamaha barrel, I suppose the lower friction of the plastic allowed it to slide in easier. Oh well. Thanks for all the input on this. I have learned a little, although I am still a skeptic. Back to practicing.
Thanks
Jeff
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