Author: Ursa
Date: 2018-02-20 12:38
Christian,
I have had several plastic and ebonite instruments in my studio in my quest to find the best "no worries" clarinet for playing anytime, anywhere.
In my experience, it's folly to compare instruments based on body material alone. I tend to classify plastic-bodied instruments into three categories:
1. Machined bore: Models such as the Vito V-40 or 7214 have a precisely machined bore, as would be found on a wooden clarinet, and have the potential to be fine clarinets once put into top playing condition.
2. Moulded high-precision bore: A relative newcomer to the scene, models such as the Backun Alpha and Yamaha YCL-20 have very precisely rendered bore surfaces and tone hole undercutting, and can be fine playing instruments as well.
3. Moulded bore without much finishing: Finally, we have instruments such as the Bundy 1400 and Artley 17S that are built with an emphasis on keeping costs low. Bore surfaces may be compromised with flashing lines, uneven finish, waviness, air bubbles, and the like. These instruments may play well in spite of this, but--in my experience--a discerning player would have a much greater chance of finding satisfaction with an instrument from the above two groups.
Even with all this, there are other factors to consider. The plastic used to make the Vitos tends to expand and contract to a greater degree with changes in temperature than what I've encountered in other plastic instruments, so one has to set up the action on these with a bit more "slop" in the works to avoid binding keys.
Ebonite instruments can deform if exposed to high temperatures. An ebonite instrument left sitting outdoors on a hot sunny day can warp, destroying it. I don't take my Ridenour clarinet outdoors if it's warm and sunny--it's not worth the risk.
At the end of the day, wood, plastics, and ebonite all have their drawbacks. You really just have to try the instruments for yourself, and choose whatever is the most intelligent compromise for your particular situation.
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The Clarinet BBoard
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