Klarinet Archive - Posting 000395.txt from 1999/11

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Beginner's Equipment
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 1999 22:16:13 -0500

At 07:27 AM 11/10/1999 -0700, Richard Bush wrote:
>...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.
>
Yamaha YCL-20's and YCL-34's come standard with the Yamaha 4C PLASTIC
mouthpiece.

>...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.
>
We carry them, but I won't sell them. Tuning is as you describe, tone is
thin, and they are the only plastic clarinets I have ever seen that CRACK!
Selmer/Bundys are fine by me, although the keywork is...unorthadox, and
Vitos are good, too. I have less personal playing experience with Yamahas
and Buffet/Evettes, but nothing bad to report.

>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.
>
I have tuning problems with Vandorens, too.

>Don't know about anything current that Selmer is making.
>
I currently play a Selmer C85 115 at least part of the time. I find it
tunes well, responds well, and is very flexible, although it may be bright
for some (Rovner ligature helps). The last HS* I played was much better
than I remembered them, but I have a feeling that consistency is not the
most notable characteristic of these mouthpieces.

I recently tried a Jewel Concert mouthpiece. VERY responsive and smooth,
but very flat through the entire range. It makes an excellent match for my
very SHARP A clarinet!

Note: I DO work in a retail music store, and we do carry Selmer, Yamaha,
and UMI. I do not expect anything I say here to result in any financial
gain on my part, especially since I am on salary, not commission, but feel
free to season my remarks to taste.

Bill Hausmann bhausman@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://www.concentric.net/~bhausman
Essexville, MI 48732 http://homepages.go.com/~zoot14/zoot14.html
ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is too loud.

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