Klarinet Archive - Posting 000295.txt from 2001/11

From: Tski1128@-----.com
Subj: [kl] Ridenour Clarinet and recomdations
Date: Wed, 7 Nov 2001 20:04:07 -0500

"I am about to recommend it to
a collegue for his 3rd year student who will be entering HS next year
and intends to continue playing."

I have a real problem with this!!!!!!
While Mr. Ridenour has a very good reputation as a designer of Clarinets and mouthpieces, and whose opinion on all things clarinet is always welcome imput.

How could you recomend any piece of equipment to someone else, if you don't have any experience with it?
While I have experience with lots of different makes of Clarinets, Buffet, Rossi, eatons, and Lablancs. I would have trouble recomending anything but an R-13 to anyone going off to College and continuing study. I play a RC prestige C clarinet, It's a great instrument, I don't recomd it because I think the Buffet E-11 C Clarinet plays damn near as good for a hell of alot Cheaper.
Hey call up Brooks Mays, They will send you one try it, tell us all what you think, then give a recomdation! Maybe this is a great student clarinet, maybe it's something everyone on the list would want to buy. I think every body, including makers of clarinets, mouthpieces,barrels all the stuff we like to buy and use, would benifit from us shouting from the highest rooftop when a product kicks butt, and discussing only the short comings of products that we have direct experience!!! By the way I recieved my upgraded Reed Wizard today, This product really works!!! I had an older model that used a file in the carrage, Ben Amato replaced it with a carbide cutter, it's even better now than it was!
Sorry about the border line Rant

Tom Puwalski, author of the Clarinetists Guide To Klezmer, former Principal Clarinetist of the US Army Field Band. Clarinetist with Lox and Vodka
Visit WWW.loxvodka.com

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