Klarinet Archive - Posting 000050.txt from 1996/03
From: Scott Lipcon <slipcon@-----.NET> Subj: Re: Dave Lane Date: Sun, 3 Mar 1996 17:52:44 -0500
Hi... I guess this has turned into a discussion of student clarinets, and
I'd like to throw in my piece. I'm a senior in high school, and I have a
Buffet S1 (European R-13, tuned slightly sharp to compensate for European
orchestras?). I also have (and use) a Selmer Bundy. The Bundy lives at
school, while the Buffet is for home, lesson, and concert use. On the
Buffet, I have to pull out about 2mm to be in 440 tune, because of its
european origen. I use an old Buffet mouthpiece that I found in my
father's case. I can't tell any model numbers or anything, if they were
there, they've worn off (its likely to be 35-40 yrs old) It plays a bit
better than the vandoren B45 that I was using before. When I started
with the Buffet mouthpiece, I put the B45 on the Bundy... On the bundy, I
have to pull out 3mm or so to be in 440 tune, probably because student
clarinets are made sharp, to compensate for typically flat beginners.
Someone mentioned in a previous message that he likes the buffet B-12
series because it feels like the R-13s, and has the same key layout. I
don't know exactly what he meant by that. my two clarinets, while worlds
apart, have the same key layout and general feel (although the silver is
much nicer than the slippery nickel).
I have found that for student clarinets, a new mouthpiece does worlds of
difference (I have a good friend in my class who isn't a serious
clarinettist, but she has played with the band for years. She thought
she was no good, until she tried my B45. She bought one the next week,
and can play 5 times louder and in much better tune. No-one should play
on the bundy mouthpieces!).
Another thing that is important is that the beginner clarinet has to be
kept in good condition. It is probably more important for a beginner's
clarinet to be in proper allignment because he/she can't compensate for
slight problems the way an advanced player could. I've taken my bundy
apart a couple of times, cleaned it, oiled the joints, and in general
kept it in good condition. Its lasted 7 years without being
professionally repaired, and although some of the fixes look a bit funny
(I used scotch tape once to thicken the pad that goes on the thing that
connects the low F# and E keys to the F key... its still there and
working well!) my bundy plays quite well.
I also fixed the school's Eb clarinet just by taking it apart,
cleaning it, and putting it back together again. It had sat in the
closet for so long that everyone thought it was a piece of junk, and
unfixable. It was actually in decent condition (its a bundy too)
Scott
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