Klarinet Archive - Posting 000116.txt from 1998/02

From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: Yamaha clarinets
Date: Sun, 1 Feb 1998 14:30:02 -0500

On Tue, 3 Feb 1998, Dodgshun family wrote:
> I had a Yamaha intermediate instrument which did me very well up to a
> certain point. I play on a Buffet R13 now, but I came across a guy playing
> a pair of Yamahas. I tried his A and found that my Buffet played nicer. He
> wasn't really happy with this pair and was talking about replacing them with
> Buffets. I also know a few non-professionals who play them (mostly the CX
> model) and like them. Personally I'd stick with Buffet.

When parents ask, which they seldom do, I recommend that they purchase the
bottom of the line Yamaha. When they ask what to upgrade to when the kid
finally begins working on Weber and Mozart, I tell them a top of
the line Buffet......there is no inbetween clarinet for me (just my
style...sorry!). However.....John Yeh plays all Yamaha (granted, he gets
paid for it, and he could make an Artley sound as good as anything we play
on).....and I have tried some wonderful Yamahas. The point? Until
someone comes up with a horn that sells for a significantly less amount
than the Buffet (or Leblanc Opus, or Selmer 10g, etc.), Yamaha is not
going to win the main competition. Why? Who would pay the same amount
(in some cases more) for an instrument that is still working its way up
the ladder?

Roger Garrett
IWU