Klarinet Archive - Posting 000128.txt from 2003/05

From: "Bill Semple" <wsemple@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] clarinet for beginning students
Date: Wed, 7 May 2003 07:44:18 -0400

Do I agree or what?

I have a student to whom four or five years ago I lent a plastic Yamaha. On
the advise of another instructor while I lived in another part of the world,
he traded up to Selmer. The Selmer is the stuffiest instrument I have ever
played. I think barrels are the culprit.

I pulled out the Yamaha a month ago and demonstrated that it wasn't the
instrument affecting his tone. I lent him one of my good Buffets for a
couple of weeks, which he loves, but now he regrets ever abandoning his
Yamaha, since for him, it is a perfectly adequate horn.

In fact, I occasionally use it myself in my outdoor inclement weather gigs.

So A+ to this horn, regardless of where one lives. Including Iceland.

Bill

William T. Semple
Office: 202-364-2466
Home: 540-364-4823
Cell: 540-903-6645
----- Original Message -----
From: "Anna Benassi" <acb@-----.is>
Subject: [kl] clarinet for beginning students

> Hi, Walter,
>
> If you are talking about plastic clarinets, I recommend Yamaha student
> clarinets virtually to the exclusion of all others. They are more
> durable than most other brands I have seen, need far less frequent
> repair, and produce a strong and healthy tone (for most kids, at
> least). The keywork is very strong and durable, so things don't get
> bent out of shape unless subjected to some sort of violent blow. Our
> local repair tech always has piles of Buffet B-10s, for example, in
> his shop. He sees far fewer Yamahas. Also, here in Iceland, at any
> rate, a Yamaha will hold its resale value much better than will a
> Buffet/Bundy/Vito/etc. For obvious reasons.
>
> The single negative thing that I have to say about Yamaha's plastic
> clarinets is that the side Eb/Bb key sticks out of the horn too far. I
> have yet to meet the student who can resist the temptation to hang the
> clarinet on his right index finger. I believe Yamahas are more
> expensive than Buffet/Bundy/Vito/etc, but in my opinion, it's well
> worth the money to get a more durable instrument.
>
> On the other hand, once my younger students are far enough along that
> a wooden clarinet is in order, I tend to push them toward a Buffet
> E-13. But this recommendation of a Buffet as opposed to a Leblanc or
> other horn is generally due to the fact that our dealer seems to have
> an easier time stocking Buffets. It's a small market, so I guess he
> doesn't want to fill his warehouse with large numbers of instruments
> that won't sell in short order. So I cannot base that recommendation
> on anything "objective." Haven't been disappointed, though.
>
> Hope this helps,
>
> Anna
>
>
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