 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Roger Merriam
Date: 1999-12-18 15:05
Is everyone aware of the "crisis" in wood. There was a PBS program a few years ago about how the "grenadilla wood" (I put in in quotes because differnt manufacturers use different woods (see http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet/Equipment/Wood.html) was starting to crack and become more rare. In response Buffet has developed the green line of R-13's (95% crushed grenadilla with carbon fibre and a resin epoxie). (The show indicated that there was only about a 20 year supply of wood left.) The real question is what will be used in the future. As virgin forrest in Africa and South Americal is eliminated something will have to be done. Maybe the buffet solution in the answer.
I really do not know why good clarinets cannot be made of metal. The first clarinet I had was made of metal. They were popular only in military bands and I don't believe that any serious attempt was made to perfect them. One proffesional told me that a clarnet player needed pride in the appearance of the instrument. Personally, I think a gold lacquered sax is beautiful. A sterling silver flute isn't shabby either. Therefore, I think that metal could be a viable solution. (A sterling silver clarinet would not be cheap)
Also student clarinets are made of plastic. There is no reason why more effort could not be put into such instrument such that they could be of professional quality.
Any comments?
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Author: Dee
Date: 1999-12-19 01:59
The only real problem is consumer resistance. It is like the chicken and the egg thing. The buyers, for the most part, sincerely believe that only wood will sound good. So the manufacturer's won't put their best efforts into plastic or metal clarinets since they know that the consumers will be hard to convince to buy them. Thus the resulting instruments are, at best, student grade "proving" that wood clarinets are "best." It's a vicious circle.
By the way, the Haynes profesional metal clarinet was reputed to have been outstanding. So it can be done.
The Buffet Greenline will hopefully blaze the way for other professional level plastics. Don't let that "ground grenadilla" fool you. The resin/epoxy must totally coat the ground wood for it to be properly bonded. Thus the wood acts merely as a filler. However, if this advertising hype is what it takes to break the prejudice against plastics, more power to them.
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Author: Willie
Date: 1999-12-19 03:44
Just think, by the year 2050, nutcase collectors like me may be browsing Ebay for REAL WOOD clarinets!
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Author: William
Date: 1999-12-20 15:31
I think tha Dee is right about consumer resistance. Years ago (late 50's), Selmer tried to market the Bundy Resonite clarinet as the clarinet of the future, and their first models played very well. Some were actually used in major symphony orchestra tests, as I recall. Wood, however, prevailed. I have an old Noblet metal clarinet (#142--age unknown) thatplays very well. I sometimes use it on jazz gigs for effect. There is probably no reason why a metal or plastice material could not be used to produce a clarinet of superior professional quality--congrats to the Buffet company for being true visionaries--Their Greenline clrinets are great!!
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Author: Willie
Date: 1999-12-20 17:03
All kidding aside, Dee And William are right on track here. It is the ignorance and reluctance of the consumer that makes (or breaks) a new design or concept. A good example in the auto industry eas the '53 Studebaker that was the most aerodynamicly clean auto made in the U.S. until just a few years ago. It was to far advanced for the public who wanted more chrome bricka-brack and fins than streamlining. The consumer was USED to boxy, square cars and just couldn't accept this radical design. NOW the car is in style, but Studebaker is gone. This is why manufacturers have to be careful in the introduction of a new product or design. If the public doesn't buy it for one reason or another, they loose big bucks or worse, go under.
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