Moe Custom Clarinets
- Pennsylvania -
Pennsylvania -
But only the Globe is the Limit
Concept - Design
Pottsville, PA
Grenadilla
From
Mozambique
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Keywork material
From
Japan
CNC Machining
In
China
Mother of Pearl
From
Australia
Pads
Clarissono Pads
From Germany
Assembly, Setup, Finishing
Pottsville, PA
Concept - Design
A lot of steps are necessary to be able to build a really good clarinet.
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Our journey includes:
Comprehensive training to become a builder of musical instruments in Germany.
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Decades of repairing, improving, modifying, setting up high-end clarinets of all brands to grow knowledge base and understanding to a remarkable level.
Experience in a variety of fields, not just limited to clarinets but including double reeds and saxophones and even brass winds, so that solutions can be transferred from all kinds of instruments to a clarinet wherever they benefit its design.
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At one point it becomes clear to us how a clarinet should be built.
The concept is established.
Building one is the natural next step. Discussing options in every detail, trial and error, decisions in the hundreds until the design is in place.
Grenadilla
Grenadilla - African blackwood from the species Dalbergia Melanoxylon.
We consider the Grenadilla from Mozambique used for our clarinets as very valuable.
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In general, Dalbergia Melanoxylon is greatly over-harvested and illegally exported for all kinds of products, oftentimes for decorative purposes.
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When we use this wonderful, rare wood that is protected by law we don't want to make any compromises in the use of it.
It needs to be justifiable to use this material.
So we make only top end clarinets from this wood. Combining this fantastic material with the highest possible craftsmanship, with love and passion for players who can value it, is the responsible thing to do.
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We take all kinds of measures to prevent the instrument from cracking to not waste any of that great material, and we know that our customers will take loving care of their Moe Custom Clarinet.
CNC Machining
​We strive for consistency and perfection. 'Custom' doesn't mean we accept results by chance.
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CNC machining has become state of the art when it comes to precision, there is no way around.
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But with our custom series there is no chance to invest in that kind of technology that needs to mass-produce to justify the investment. We would need to charge outrageously high amounts for a clarinet to pay for that kind of machinery.
We don't want that. — You don't want that.
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The next best thing is to out-source this part of standardized production. So we did.
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We were able to establish a trust-based relationship with a small, highly qualified manufacturer in China who does the CNC and metal work for us.
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And our partners are accommodating us with our concept even though we don't need clarinet blanks in the thousands, not even in the hundreds.
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However, there were hundreds or thousands of emails necessary to convey all the details and endless patience and know-how on the other side until the blanks were finalized, and the computers fed.
Pads
We decided for Clarissono pads, hand-made in Germany. They are in our opinion the most advanced pads currently available in the world.
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There are two types we are using:
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Quartz Resonance Pads (QRP)
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​It is a layered pad with aluminum backing, a silicone core, and a quartz infused top layer that offers a surface smooth like glass.
While sealing air tight, it functions as a full-size resonator reflecting sound waves to a high degree due to its firmness. The reddish color is a result of ferric oxide that supports a warm and rich sound.
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Unwanted cancellation of sound waves is additionally avoided by the elastic silicone core. The silicone will never collect any moisture like felt or foam does, hence it will not stay wet after playing when the instrument is already inside the case.
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The aluminum backing guarantees absolute evenness and will never warp due to moisture. Warped pads are a major cause for leaking.
The second sort of pad is a
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Black Viennese Kit Leather Pad with Carbon Fiber Backing and Silicone Core (CFS)
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In this configuration they are exclusively made for Moe Custom Clarinets.
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Due to the chosen materials the pads will keep their shape, won't warp, and will not protrude into the tone hole. The silicone core offers the same benefits as described with the QRP pads.
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The leather is not exposed to long lasting moisture trapped in the felt of conventional pads after playing. That way this pad has a remarkably longer life span than standard leather pads. But the glove leather provides the desired warm sound characteristics.
They also seal better than standard leather pads because of the airtight silicone core.