Clarinet Experts

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Since 1989

How they’re made

The Process

At our workshop in Marsden, West Yorkshire all parts begin life on our CAD system. We use the latest and best 3D CAD from Delcam and Solidworks. Both systems link in to our CAM systems (Delcam, OneCNC and BobCAD) to control the machines which will produce all parts with exacting accuracy.

When beginning work on the body of the clarinet the centre hole or ‘pilot bore’ is cut first; the best way to do this is by a process called ‘gun-drilling’. Our process enables us to cut a superbly smooth and accurate bore. None of our instruments are injection moulded and this an important part of our production, and is what makes us different to the huge makers of clarinets that use faster and cheaper (but this does not mean better) ways of producing the bore. Look down the bore of our clarinets, compare them to others; the bore is critical to the sound and tone and response, and our bores are both visibly and audibly superior.

Next we get on to the outside profile, tone holes, key post fixings and tone hole ‘undercuts’, which are all made using computer controlled CNC machines using high precision cutters. We manufacture with repeatable accuracy levels of up to six microns – 0.006mm! Equipped with a high speed spindle, our CNC machine can glide through the wood at speeds of up to 60,000 rpm. Can that be right?? YES; at full speed the cutter revolves 1,000 times a second – phew!

We are really very proud of our wood working – all the processes have been worked out by ourselves, often based upon what feels right. Should we artificially ‘fast dry’ our wood or let it dry naturally? Should we use chemicals to treat the timber? Should we dye the wood and fill the grain? We don’t think you would like the sound of any of those things, which is why we don’t do them to Hanson clarinets.