Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-03-25 01:02
"I find the metal used on the Yamaha clarinets to be much more brittle and pliable than on other makes. "
The engineering term "brittle" means that a point is reached when the material is distorted, where the material no longer behaves in an elastic manner, but SUDDENLY breaks, rather than permanently distorts.
Glass is brittle. Ceramics are brittle. Even rubber is technically brittle.
Do you really mean that you have experience of bending clarinet keys and having them suddenly snap on you? Having worked on over 110 makes, and far more models of clarinet, the only reasonably well known one where this occurs is B&H Regent where many have their keys made from pot ('muck') metal.
In my experience it would be VERY difficult to snap a Yamaha clarinet key.
As far as I understand it, "pliable" means the total opposite to brittle. It refers to a permanent distortion definitely taking place rather that the material breaking.
It is in the nature of the copper/nickel/etc alloys used for clarinet keys that they are pliable.
Perhaps you mean "easily bent", which is the only derogatory thing I think one could say about about key metal (apart from brittle) with respect to clarinet mechanism being unreliable.
'Easily bent' would refer to a low elastic limit. I think of solder, or lead as an extreme example. This is a major failing of many Chinese sourced instruments, such as Lark or Hsinghai. A repair technician, during adjustment processes, exerts far more force than a player ever will, bar accidents. As such, he is the best judge of the toughness of the keys. Personally, I find no problems with Yamahas in this respect either.
Intonation: Well I would have to take your word for that.
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