I am ordering a clarinet soon. What is the more popular type: Rubber, composite wood or Rosewood? I think the rosewood is very pretty and may have good resale value! Any other advice would be much appreciated
Thanks..

The most common materials are African blackwood (sometimes called Grenadilla) & various types of plastic. Hard rubber/ebonite was sometimes used before suitable plastics became available although it is still used by a small number of makers. Also Buffet make 'Greenline' versions of their professional models which is blackwood dust bonded with epoxy resin.

As you say rosewood looks beautiful. I have seen it used more for oboes than clarinets - it sounds excellent but from what I hear it is more prone to splitting than rosewood.

Thanks for your opinion.

Get the African hard wood! Rosewood is very hard but much more apt to crack since it's grain is not as tightly intertwined. If you are not ready to spend the time oiling your clarinet. Then get a Greenline clarinet from Buffet. These are amazing but still not as pretty as a real wood clarinet. If you buy wood get Naylors Custom Woodwind bore oil and follow the break in instructions if you buy new. People do not oil their clarinets nearly enough and they simply will not sound good once they start drying out. Even if they do not crack the instrument will be hard to play and will just sound dead. Oiling the instrument will keep it playing like new and keep it like new. Then again you could just get a greenline and never do anything and get a clarinet that sounds like wood without the hassel. But wood is so pretty!!!