Klarinet Archive - Posting 000934.txt from 2000/08

From: Mike Selvey <sidecar@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Which one? (Uh-oh...newby alert!)
Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2000 18:00:03 -0400

Greetings!

I'm brand new to the list, so a quick introduction might be in order.
I'm a non-musician father of three children, married to a wonderfule
wife who plays organ (we have two).

My daughter, now eleven and just starting sixth grade, has decided to
take band, and learn an instrument. From a combination of her preference
after being introduced to various instruments, and the evaluation done
by the band instructor at her middle school, it has been decided that
she will play clarinet.

For a number of reasons (I gather), the band department in our local
school district STRONGLY recommends that first time clarinet players
should begin with a wooden clarinet, and not a standard resonite
"student" clarinet. Their reasoning appears to be that in this school
district, most parents never seem to "upgrade" their children's
instruments as their school career continues, so they strive to ensure
that beginning students get a good one to carry them through high
school.

In any case, that seems to have ratcheted the entry price considerably
upwards from what I've been able to find on the 'net from sources like
Woodwinds & Brasswinds (thanks, Dee!) and Giardinelli's, among others.
I have decided to purchase new, rather than risk the vagueries of buying
used, and having to then face the possiblities of repairs and overhauls.

The deal set up by the school district is to attend a showing of
instruments put on at a hotel by a local music company, and view the ONE
clarinet which has been "recommended" by the district and the music
store together as our best choice. It will be in the nature of the
standard Lease/Purchase agreement of 18 months. The price of this
"school band discount" Signet-110 is $899.00! I almost had a cardiac
arrest!

I have a problem with this, not the least of which is because of an
apparent lack of choice, and the frustrating inability to find out
ANYTHING on the 'net about this particular clarinet. Only by calling
the music store directly was I able to find out why I could not find
reference to a "Signet-110 Bb wooden clarinet". It turns out that even
though "Signet" is no longer advertised by Selmer, it is still
manufactured as a "private" line for some larger music stores for just
this application. This gives them a kind of "exclusivity", in that I
cannot price shop that model, and they can ask $899.00 for it, with no
way to disprove their "band discount"!

After reviewing my research and the prices, I have settled on four
possible candidates to acquire through online purchase. My question
(finally!)to this list is:

Which of these four clarinets would you recommend for my daughter, and
why?

Selmer CL200.................$510.00
Buffet E-11......................$599.00
LeBlanc Normandy-4......$539.00
Yamaha YCL-34............$569.00

Any and all opinions would be deeply appreciated by this hopelessly
ignorant Dad, who knows how to relentlessly research products online,
but has NO idea of their practical day-to-day characteristics, or
suitability for an eleven year old girl who has never played an
instrument in her life.

Any other practical advice for someone in my postion (i.e. "Is a
carry-all case preferable to a standard hard case for a sixth-grader?)
would also be welcome!

Thanks in advance for any guidance!

Mike Selvey
Nacogdoches, TX

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