Klarinet Archive - Posting 000878.txt from 1998/09

From: MorgyJr@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] The Best Clarinets
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 23:37:35 -0400

the selmer models are the 10G and the recital.

If i may add my thoughts... and I will do so briefly.

I have a 1987 R-13. it's a good. horn (has five pins in it plus a new tone
hole on the top trill key) but it sounds good, has straubinger pads (a must!)
and the new pad in the register key, i forget what it's called.

However, I have been looking into buying about 10 professional model clarinets
for the army reserve band I'm in. I talked to the principal clarinetist with
the KC Symphony, and he has played on both Buffet and LeBlanc. He bought the
Opus model which is supposed to have a bigger, more orchestral sound. He
advised me that his experience was the contrary, that the sound was smaller,
and it worked o.k. for chamber music, but he was constantly having problems
with getting a big enough sound with the symphony. He went back to Buffet,
and I think he has a Festival and a Vintage, if I remember correctly. When I
spoke to him he wasn't aware of Klarinet, so he's probably not on the list to
correct me. :) It was very educational.

I'm looking to buy R-13 Vintages, mainly for the sound. WE have a very brass
heavy ensemble and I'm looking for a horn with a big enough sound to overcome
this without sounding awful.

The other thing I might mention is about the Greenlines. I have a close
friend who is a master repair technician in the area and she replaced three,
count 'em three tenons on Greenlines. (These came from the Marine band at
Quantico.) She made the remark that the substance is extremely dense -- she
had to sharpen her tool seven or so times while taking the broken tenon off,
and also, remarked that they are extremely brittle. She said that she had
mentioned it to Francois who said that Buffet has fixed this.

any and all comments you all have -- and I know you all will have them will be
appreciated as to what opinions you have about which clarinet will cut through
a massive brass section against three soprano clarinets.

Beth

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