 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2012-09-28 02:10
blike4 wrote:
> How do I know if a clarinet is wood or plastic?
It should be pretty obvious just by looking at it. Wood has grain lines, plastic doesn't. It should be noted that some manufacturers have taken to scuffing the surface of plastic and hard rubber clarinets with wire brushes in order to give the appearance of grain lines so you may need to look carefully. If you are in doubt look down the bore of the instrument. A plastic or hard rubber clarinet will generally have a perfectly smooth bore while some grain lines and pores will be visible in the bores of wooden clarinets.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2012-09-28 04:17
Try to light it on fire
[I hope the smiley was enough to explain that you shouldn't really... but in case it wasn't...]
Post Edited (2012-09-28 04:17)
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Author: Loliver
Date: 2012-09-28 12:06
Surely the smell should help? Not sure how you would tell the difference between plastic and ebonite though...
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Author: blike4
Date: 2012-09-28 13:12
I tried posting a pic but I'm on my phone and its not letting me. It looks wood to me but I read some plastic ones were made to look like wood. I also read that the Artly 17s were plastic so I may try to take it into a music shop again. I did last year and now don't remember.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2012-09-28 15:06
look inside the tenons, you can generally tell if your looking at wood or plastic. You may need to clean up inside the tenon to remove old grease, etc. Use a rag and some alcohol or dishwashing detergent for this.
Tony F.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2012-09-28 17:42
You might be able to feel a difference too. Plastic clarinets often get polished and have a very uniform look and very smooth feel to them. Wood clarinets won't looks as uniform of a color inside and out and might not feel as smooth.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: BobD
Date: 2012-09-28 21:37
It can be very difficult to tell the difference by sight. I've had...and still have...a couple of wood ones that have such a tight grain that you would swear they are plastic(non wood). A red hot piece of thin wire touched in an obscure place might reveal he difference.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-09-28 22:25
If you are going to carry out a hot needle test, do that in one of the spring slots milled into the body (at the screw end) beneath the side/trill keys or throat A key or the cut-outs beneath the LH lever key barrels so it'll be well hidden.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Jim22
Date: 2012-09-29 01:08
I have had a lot of trouble telling too. I have a hard rubber instrument. The bore does look quite smooth compared to another wooden one I have. I didn't know for sure until I washed the body in cool soap and water, at which point it turned a little greenish. Then I needed to open up the barrel socket a little, which resulted in a foul sulphur smell.
Jim
Jim C.
CT, USA
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Author: MarlboroughMan
Date: 2012-09-29 04:21
"How do I know if a clarinet is wood or plastic?"
The "pinging" or "cracking" sound is different when hitting a baseball. Some people say the speed of grenadilla makes up for the loss of overall "pop" from the plastic. I say the only way is to try for yourself.
Eric
******************************
The Jazz Clarinet
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-09-29 08:36
You'll also find the middle tenon is more likely to break when you use a plastic clarinet as a baseball bat.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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