Klarinet Archive - Posting 000044.txt from 1995/10

From: "Nancy G. Mathison" <76175.776@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: The best and newest in clarinets...
Date: Wed, 4 Oct 1995 03:01:14 -0400

Richard,

I highly recommend the Yamaha YCL-34. It is the most "cluck for your buck" in a
wood student model instrument. The mouthpiece that comes with it, the Yamaha
4C, is a decent stock mouthpiece for a beginner. Serious students usually
upgrade to a more "professional" quality mouthpiece within a year or two. The
YCL-34 is an instrument that you could enjoy playing several, or perhaps many
years longer than a plastic instrument. Should you decide to upgrade in the
future the Yamaha will be easy to sell because it is a fine student instrument
and in much demand. Also, the instrument should depreciate less than some less
popular brands.

I also recommend starting on #2 and #2 1/2 strength reeds. Most music stores
give #1 1/2 reeds to beginners and many first time players either get a false
sense of the breath support required to produce a good sound, or they overpower
the reed and cannot produce any sound and quickly get discouraged.

Good luck!

Nancy Mathison