Klarinet Archive - Posting 000527.txt from 2002/07

From: "Apostle Luby D. Jackson" <mus_ldj@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Buying An Instrument
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2002 20:00:19 -0400

I think there is a few things people have overlooked
in this grand scheme of searching for an
instrument...how much money can be spent, and
preparation for the search of the right instrument.

Like with computers or cars, you can always get a
"better" model, even in the same brand name, if you so
desire. Bells and whistles allow companies to nickel
and dime you right out the roof with a price of an
instrument.

Some of these bells and whistles are as simple as
silver plating to the keys and an extra alternate key
for Ab/Eb on the left side. Others are less cosmetic,
such as hand tooled keys, denser wood from older
trees, wood seasoned longer than 1 year, wood type
itself, raised toneholes, undercutting to toneholes,
thickness of the wall if the instrument, etc... Some
of these bells and whistles, like silver plated keys,
are $100 or so in addition to the instrument. Some of
the model upgrades, such as wood aging or type, will
add as much as $1500 on a $1500 instrument, doubling
the cost for a very similar clarinet.

I have recently purchased a handmade Guy Chadash "A"
clarinet, and my "Bb" will be arriving in July. I am
convinced my playing is vastly better, and I have been
told so by different musician friends, when asked if
they liked the new instrument up to the old one. Rossi
handmade instruments are great. So are Peter Eaton
instruments. So are Steve Fox handmade instruments.
All of these makers make IMPECCABLE instruments,
because THEY are their own quality control. They make
hundreds of instruments, not hundreds of thousands of
instruments. This would be the outer limits of buying,
and unless you are planning on making money from
playing an instrument, a handmade instrument could be
a bad (and costly) idea when you are not going to use
it to its potential. Some handmade clarinets top $5000
a piece. Think Porsche vs. Honda. Sure the Porsche is
great. Do you live near the Autobaun where you can
really drive it?

You could go on forever with the differences in makes
and models until you are blue in the face. I have a
checklist I give my students when they are looking for
an instrument. Here it is...

1. What is the HIGHEST amount you can pay for an
instrument (including tax, shipping, etc.) This is the
FOREMOST question I ask, since there is no reason to
look at a new $3000 instrument if you have a budget of
$1000. Don't drive the Porsche before the Honda if you
can't afford the Porsche. All it does is screw up your
idea of what is acceptable at your price level.

2. Distinguish what you are using the instrument for.
If you are a junior high student who has played one
year, and is not sure how long they are going to play
(i.e. high school, college, end of junior high) then
getting the latest, greatest instrument would seem
silly, unless your parents (or you) have money to
burn. If this is the situation, ask your parents (or
yourself) to adopt ME.

3. In the scope of figuring out whether you are
playing for a while, and how much money for an
instrument, decide whether a new instrument is right
for you. A good condition used instrument might be the
trick if money is tight or you might only play the
instrument for a few years. You can always get another
instrument later if you decide to go for the long
haul. Do be sure to check out an instrument thoroughly
before buying a used instrument, and make sure if it
is not what you want, that you have a return policy of
at least 3 days to try a used instrument. Also, ask if
there is a restocking fee if you return it. Some
less-than-reputable stores and pawn shops will charge
you a 30%-40% restocking fee on a returned item, or
not take back the item because they have a sign saying
NO RETURNS or STORE CREDIT ONLY. Don't buy from those
places.

4. What features do you ABSOLUTELY have to have, and
what features are superfluous. (Gold plated keys are
NOT usually a necessity, unless you have a topical
allergy to silver, and then it IS a necessity.)

5. Have someone you trust who is knowledgeable about
the instrument who can go with you to tell you 1. if
it sounds good, 2. if it feels good to them, and 3. to
be devil's advocate if you get the "it's so pretty"
bug biting you and you need someone to slap you before
buying an instrument not right for you. I accompany my
students to try instruments when they go. Not one of
my students has picked an instrument that another of
my students have liked. I have a varied studio of
students' instruments. I make sure I am looking the
other way when they play the different instruments to
keep myself unbiased.

6. If you are buying a new instrument, go to a
reputable local shop to buy the instrument, or if a
local one is not available, use a reputable mail order
store that will let you try instruments on trial
without having obligation to buy one you don't want.
Depending on where you are depends on where to go to.
If mail order stores are the way you are going to go,
I suggest Woodwind and Brasswind, International Music
Suppliers, Muncy winds, and Weiner Music. I will
ALWAYS buy from a local shop, even if it is $200 more
out of a $2000 instrument, but 10% more is my limit on
local loyalty. Remember, if you can buy from a store
locally, you keep them in business, and can go back to
them with minor repairs and for accessories. If they
are overpriced, by all means go to mail order. I am
lucky that I (and my students) have access to a local
branch of Woodwind and Brasswind in NYC and before
they opened the NYC store, there was Weiner Music in
Long Island NY to send them to locally. Lisa at
International Music Suppliers is WAY COOL when I
purchased my clarinet case, and tried instruments out,
and Muncy Winds have been great when I have made
purchases from them also. I have referred people to
ALL of these stores, and they have all come back and
said how wonderful the experience was.

6. Make sure you try out AT LEAST 3 different types of
mouthpieces on each instrument you try (rule of thumb
would be to try out instruments using Vandoren
mouthpieces, since they will be the most accessible.)
If using Vandoren mouthpieces, try a B45 or B45 DOT
for the first type, a 5RV or 5RV LYRE for the second
type, and an M13, M13 LYRE, or an M15 for the third
type of mouthpiece. You won't necessarily buy a
Vandoren mouthpiece at that time. Find the instrument,
then try mouthpieces of all types and brands to find
the right one for you. These suggestions for
mouthpiece diversity will keep you from discrediting a
good instrument that you tried out with an
incompatible mouthpiece.

7. This is the most important one of all. when you
decide on a store to go to, set up a time to come in
to the store when you can try the most instruments of
greatest brand and model selection, and with the
different mouthpieces. This will allow the store to
look at the instruments and check for leaks and
manufacturer errors before you try the instruments,
PLUS have the diverse set of mouthpieces to try on the
instruments. DON'T try out instruments without warning
the store ahead of time (at least a few days.) You
will probably get a less satisfactory situation, since
you gave them no time to prepare instruments and set
aside mouthpieces to try out.

Bottom line is you have to have an idea of parameters
of your search before you can start looking. You
should be able to find new professional models of
Selmers, Yamahas, Leblancs, Patricolas, and Buffets
from $1500 to $3500. You should be able to find used
instruments of the same brands for $800-$2000,
depending on condition, model, and vintage. There is
lots to choose from, and, like a car or a computer, it
should taske you more than an hour on an afternoon
that you try out instruments on a whim. This will be
your musical VEHICLE for years to come. Don't buy the
lemon in haste because it is pretty, or because
someone told you that "($&*&^*&#) brand is the best.
Everyone knows that!"

Sorry for the long post...

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