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Crisis in materials

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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