 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2002-12-09 03:59
I have a question relating to weather. Which clarinet material would fare better in the tropics where the heat and the humidity are high almost all year around? Wood, plastic, hard rubber, etc?
I have heard of fungal growths inside of wooden clarinets.
Also, would stainless steel springs be better than blue steel springs in this kind of environment since they won't rust?
Would synthetic pad material be best?
Or, if I just never closed the case, would it make any difference what the instrument was composed of?
This may be a rather unusual question, but I really do want to know.
Again, thanks in advance.
Dan Shusta
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Author: jim lande
Date: 2002-12-09 04:42
I will put in my plug for metal clarints.
I vote for keeping the case closed. Don't forget the effects of sunlight. I have a plastic clarinet that turned army green. Sulfur in the air tarnishes silver plating. Point taken on the springs. Many people, however, prefer the needle springs. You should read Gordon's last posting on the spring diameter thread before you change them all out. Maybe a container of desicant crystals would be a good idea.
They sell cans of dry gas for blowing dust out of computers. Maybe one could get an attachment to a tiny hose, put an entry & exist vent in the case, and then plow this stuff through after you put the horn away.
I hope someone has some better ideas.
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Author: Rick
Date: 2002-12-09 15:07
Hi:
I took my clarinet with me during my time in the Navy and was stationed for a time in Thailand, also in Guam and even a month or two in some really hot places...
If you are going to be in the tropics temporarily, I'd vote plastic. If this is long term, then you might as well take a wood clarinet just be prepared to spend a lot of time getting it acclamized to the humidity.
The only place I had any problems with a plastic instrument was this island on which the average temp is around 100F and humidity is at 90+ percent. Anything wet grows stuff, including people, so the only defense is keeping things clean and dry.
Good luck
Rick
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Author: Mark S.
Date: 2002-12-09 16:31
Dan,
I think you can divine from your basic knowledge of those materials what will be the most stable in the climate you describe. Regardless, keeping your horn dry is critical if you don't want a funk farm growing inside.
What you didn't ask about is sound. If you are looking for a serious high-quality axe but are afraid of climate effects, check out the Buffet Greenline clarinets. Most (if not all) of the sonic benefits of Grenadilla, but dimensionally stable.
Best, Mark.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2002-12-09 21:26
Jim,
If it changed color, are you sure it wasn't hard rubber? Hard rubber is often mistaken for plastic.
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Author: ken
Date: 2002-12-09 22:22
A friend in Singapore keeps his top of the line Powell flute in a small humidity-control cabinet. These cabinets are used by many people there for the storage of camera gear, instruments etc.
But then, are you going to a city or are you going to spend a few months in a South American jungle?
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2002-12-10 03:55
My thanks to all of you for your suggestions. I have a son who lives on a tropical island just north of Honduras. He has asked me a few times to come visit him and of course I would like to take along a clarinet (I have both wooden & plastic).
To Mark S and Ken: your responses brought back a long forgotten memory. I used to live in the Republic of Panama. Down there it was mandatory that all clothing and books be kept in a closet with a light on at all times. This dried the air and prevented everything from turning green from fungus.
So, now, with your help, I have an answer to my question. Either composition material would do just fine as long as I kept it in a low humidity environment (closet with light on or something similar).
My thanks to all for your help.
Dan Shusta
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Author: Willie
Date: 2002-12-10 05:02
I live on the Texas Gulf Coast where the humidity and salt air will ruin most anything. I take a small Q-tip and rub 90w gear oil on my springs to keep the rust off. Once rusty, they snap off too easily. The flat springs found on the upper section will fair better if you can take them off and oil them as 90w doesn't "flow" that well into tight places unless you use large droplets which I try to avoid. Check around the neighborhood for the local "car nut/hot rodder". They will almost always have some around the garage and all you will need is less than an ounce to last years.
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Author: Dan Shusta
Date: 2002-12-10 15:34
Thanks Willie, I never heard of that nor would I have thought of it on my own.
Dan
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