Klarinet Archive - Posting 000375.txt from 1999/11

From: Audrey Travis <vsofan@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Beginner's Equipment
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 17:06:46 -0500

Richard Bush wrote:

> Audrey,
>
> It was I who said, "Stay away from Artley's, Armstrongs...." etc.
> I agree with what many have posted. Here is my take on student instruments, my
> opinions:
>
> Bundy--nice big tone. Fairly even in quality and resistance. Tuning is only
> fair. Keywork, as mentioned, is cast. Some key pieces are quite thinly cut and
> don't hold up well when bumped. C#/G# comes to mind. Keys are very uncomfortable
> for small, medium or large hands. Keywork is sloppily cut with a lot of play. In
> this regard, they are not well finished. Student mouthpiece stinks.
>
> Vito--very hard, forged keys, probably the sturdiest of any student model
> clarinet. Keys are very well fit and cut to the posts. Tuning is so-so, but can
> be set up to play quite well in tune. Upper joint is cut very short to help the
> beginner play up to pitch. Shortening the instrument from its original design
> only aggravates tuning problems. Vito is a large bore design. Large bore
> instruments change pitch dramatically at different dynamic levels. They really
> climb and go sharp when played softly. Mouthpiece that is currently coming with
> them (Vito II) is horrible, horrrible, horrrrrrible! Pads on Vitos are very thin
> skinned, tend to tear, swell and distort. The factory never uses enough glue,
> either. They tend to fall out. An original pad job on a Vito will probably not
> last the expected two to four years.
>
> Yamaha--Softer keywork than the Vito, but sturdy enough. Small bore design.
> Sweet tone, though probably not as even in resistance as some others. Stays
> better in tune at different dynamic levels. Has a good scale on it and it is not
> made as sharp as some. Comes with a good quality, but conservative, hard rubber
> mouthpiece. Yamahas are the only clarinet that I know of that come with a good
> mouthpiece.
>
> Buffet B-12--Haven't tried any in resent years. They are made in Germany by
> Schribner, which is one of the Boosey Hawks-Buffet companies. Keywork is
> comfortable but bends easier than some other brands. Don't know about how good
> of a mouthpiece they put on the horn.
>
> UMI, AKA--Artley, Conn, Armstrong. Horrible tuning, especially in the throat
> tone area. C#/G# is a stinker too--very sharp. Bad mouthpiece, but their bad
> mouthpiece is the only mouthpiece that helps the poor tuning of this instrument.
> I've also had many repairs come to me because the posts tend to raise out of the
> body and come loose. I hate them with a purple passion. I hate to teach any
> private students who have them too.
>
> Many people have very good things to say about the Fobes and Hite mouthpieces. I
> haven't tried the Fobes, but would recommend you do. I sell Tom Ridenour's
> Encore mouthpiece. It is a good quality mouthpiece that fits into this same
> price range. Comes with a good, flat table and a good facing. Plays well in
> tune.
>
> B-45's--I realize many people play and like them. I'm not a fan of them. I think
> they are hard to play (very resistant), have a very bright tone and many of them
> play very badly out of tune. This, I have documented with tuning charts over the
> years.
>
> Don't know about anything current that Selmer is making.
>
> Reed strength--this will vary from mouthpiece to mouthpiece. For most
> mouthpieces, I wouldn't have the students play on anything softer than a 2 1/2.
> If you're using Mitchell Lurie, I would go about one full numbered strength
> harder. Stay away from Rico. They aren't a bargain because most of them don't
> play.
>
> Please understand, these are my OPINIONS and I am quite outspoken in some areas.
> Others will have their opinions. They might agree with mine or be very opposed
> to mine. That's OK. What's important is to sift through all of them, treat
> everything with a grain of salt, and then go do some testing of your own.

Richard

Many thanks for your detailed report of various clarinets and mouthpieces. I'm
assuming a company called UMI makes Artleys, Conns and Armstrongs and your opinion
would be to avoid them like the plague; also the Bundy. I'll also ask not only my
own clarinet teacher to play all the brands available in the Vancouver area, bas
well as our finest local repairman who does all the work for the Vancouver Symphony
winds. I'm also going to do a survey of what all the stores in my area carry and
perhaps try to convince some to carry the brands I want (when I find out what they
are). My students and their parents give them a LOT of business. I usually have
about 330 students of whom half are beginners needing instruments of all kinds.

Thanks again, Richard

PS I'm still open to lots more opinions, everybody! Enjoy the day.

>
>
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