Klarinet Archive - Posting 000388.txt from 1997/12

From: Dirk Kussin <dirk@-----.de>
Subj: Re: Is it worth the extra $?
Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 09:09:28 -0500

The Prestige's (also the Festival!) have additionaly

- an adjustable thumb rest

- Gore Tex pads

- metal caps on tenons

- left hand Eb lever

- silver keywork (which is also on the RC and optionally on the R-13)

- unstained higher quality wood

- better polished bore (as I heard)

- a more comfortable leather case

If it is worth $1000 you have to decide for yourself. I'm also
planning to buy a new clarinet and I'm willing (and able) to buy the
$1000 (actually, here in Germany the difference is only ~ $700).

Dirk

David> Here's a question for this group, I'm sure many will have
David> opinions. I'm considering replacing my 30+ year old
David> R13's. There's been quite a few postings over the past month or
David> two on Greenlines, Prestige, Prestige RC, Leblanc Opus and
David> Concerto. Clearly the top professional models ( Prestige,
David> Prestige RC and Leblanc Opus) run $1000 to $1500 more than the
David> R13 line and the Leblanc Concerto. Are the differences worth
David> that additional expense? Seems hard to justify. I can read
David> that the differences are the silver plated keys...........looks
David> nicer, but does that make any difference otherwise. I know
David> these models have the auxillary Eb lever, but would that really
David> be used? Is the "Premium Grenadilla" wood really different, and
David> worth the added expense? I'm certainly not a professional
David> player, but a serious amateur. What do others think........is
David> the added expense worth it?

David> David Frank, Seattle

--
Dirk Kussin dirk@-----.de
Fachbereich 17 Mathematik Raum D2.323
Universitdt-GH Paderborn Tel. (+49) (5251) 60-2636
D-33095 Paderborn --------- http://www-math.uni-paderborn.de/~dirk/