Klarinet Archive - Posting 000454.txt from 1995/01

From: Gordon Tulloch <Gordon_Tulloch@-----.CA>
Subj: Re: Bass clarinet again
Date: Sun, 29 Jan 1995 01:13:04 -0500

Piotr Michalowski writes:
> offices again. I have been advised that the Vito instuments are good for
> what they are. Could anyone comment on how they compare with Bundy and
> Yamaha? They seem to be rather similar, although I have been told that
> the Bundy's appear to be sturdier. I will be playing jazz and need an
> instrument that has good intonation and a relatively good deep bottom. I
> also wonder if having a plastic horn may not be wiser given the fact that
> where I live it is not easy to get common repairs done. I thank everyone
> in advance!

A number of people have commented to me (I'm also looking for a horn of my
own - right now I play a Selmer horn owned by the community band I play for)
that there's so little difference between the sound of a wooden instrument
and a plastic one, it's hardly worth paying the premium for a wood
instrument unless you're a professional - and I think a pro would get a wood
horn more for status than for sound. I've used a Bundy horn and was pretty
happy with it, and my Selmer sounds really nice (I'm often complimented on
the tone, although I fervently hope I have something to do with that too :)
although I can't comment on Vito. I've tried several Selmer student horns
of the same model as mine (I think - I'm not sure what any of the models
were, I assume they only make one) and have had similar results. The bottom
on both Selmer and Bundy are pleasant. I think the only real difference
between the Selmer I play right now and a $4000 (Cdn) wood instrument I
played (and can't for the life of me remember the make or model) was the
throat tones sounded more in tune - this may just be a problem with my
current horn, which certainly deserves some quality time with a tech.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Gord