What are clarinets made of?

Clarinet is made from many materials. These materials include wood, metal, plastic, hard rubber and ivory. The professional clarinet is made from wood gotten from Africa and Honduras, examples of these woods are Mpingo and the grenadilla. The reed is made from hard rubber called ebonite, the reed can also be made wood, plastic, glass, ivory and metal.

The ligature which holds the reed in place is made from silver, nickel, wire, gold, leather or plastic. The keys are made out of alloy known as German silver, stainless steel are used on the keys too. Wax and cork is also use for finishing and lining joints which helps hold certain parts of the clarinet in place.

Clarinets can be made of several different materials including wood, plastic, hard rubber, metal, resin, and ivory. The majority of clarinets used by professionals are made of exotic hardwoods from Africa or Honduras. Most of the clarinets that beginners use are made of plastic resin.

Mouthpieces are generally made of hard rubber, however, some of the more inexpensive clarinets may be made of plastic. Glass is another material that has been used to make clarinets. The buttons are often made of metal and plated with silver, nickel, or gold.