Klarinet Archive - Posting 000306.txt from 2003/12

From: "Bruce McGarvey" <infodev@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Alternative to Buffet, Leblanc, and Yamaha intermediate models?
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2003 14:43:30 -0500

> Hi Bruce,
>
> Please share your information on list.

> Nancy

Okay. Here goes:

My impressions of the Amati C clarinet after about an hour of playing:

-- Price comparison --

Woodwind Brasswind lists this Amati at $525. They list the Buffet E11 C at
$1,170. About $650 difference. Patricola is about $2000.

-- Features and workmanship--

- Keywork is nice. Seems to be a nickle finish, not chrome, though I
wouldn't swear to it. The finish is even, though the undersides of the keys
show forge marks and solder bumps. A minor consideration, considering the
price. Purely cosmetic, and of no importance.

- Key placement very comfortable. Very "Buffet-like."

- Keys are "substantial." Not cheap-feeling, soft, or flimsy at all. If I
were blindfolded and given this clarinet to handle, I wouldn't know it
wasn't a professional-grade instrument.

- Key pivot posts are anchored, like more expensive horns.

- Wood finish is rather dull. Little grain visible. Not as nice as the E11.
I suspect this is because the wood is not hand finished and buffed as with
top-line instruments.

- Wood is free of visible flaws. No pits, soft spots, discolored patches
etc. Finish is uniform. Lathe work is clean.

- Out of the box, there were no leaks and the venting was generally very
good, with the exception of the RH G#/A# key, which had the cup 'way too
close to the tone hole. A minor glitch. Shave the cork down with a razor
blade or emery board.

- Case is "basic": sturdy plastic with metal clasps and trim.

- Metal tenon caps on upper joint.

- Standard "throw away" mouthpiece, lig., cap, and swab.

-- Playing --

- Against a tuner, the intonation from low E to D above the staff is not
bad, though not in the same league as a good E11. No notes in that range
wildly out of tune, and the throat register is surprisingly accurate. Long
E/B was right on the money.

However! NOTES ABOVE D above the staff are so wildly out of tune that one
would have to work out a system of alternate fingerings to get them to be
usable. They speak very easily, the sound is clear and "free," but the
intonation is terrible! (Not an unusual thing with the high clarinets. I
once played a Selmer Series 9 that was just as bad "up there.")

- Resistance similar to a new pro-level clarinet not yet broken in. Not the
"free blowing" characteristics one would expect from a beginner clarinet
like the Bundy or Vito.

- Sound is a bit stuffy on "long" notes (anything that requires fingering on
the lower joint), but my sense is that that would lessen after break-in.
This isn't so pronounced that you'd hear a timbre "jump" between registers.

- Throat register surprisingly clear sounding and resonant with standard
fingerings.

- No "clunker" notes (unexpected timbres on particular notes in a range)
throughout the instrument.

- Bore seems to be the French "small" bore and the tone holes are cut so
that there's little leeway for "bending" notes.

-- Would I buy this particular C clarinet? --

"No, but..."

Out of the box, I would prefer the Buffet E11, and I would pay the extra
money for that horn if I could avoid the nasty intonation problems of the
Amati. (I've played one Eb E11, and it tuned fairly well in the altissimo.)

HOWEVER, if I had an Amati distributor near me, I would test as many of
their horns as I could, pick the one that's best, get it for a trial period,
and then send it to Walter Grabner or another custom clarinet technician to
see if they think they could fix the intonation problems, if there were any.
If they could, I would pay the extra couple hundred dollars for that. The
total would still be a lot less than the price of a stock Buffet E11. A
custom barrel and maybe a custom bell for a few hundred might make a big
difference, too.

-- Would I recommend this particular C clarinet to beginners or casual
players? --

Yes. Assuming that the beginners would have a "pro" horn when they proved
that they were going to continue playing (and going into the altissimo more
often), and assuming that the casual player would be willing to mess around
with alternate fingering schemes to get the altissimo in tune. I think this
instrument, as it is, is a very good value for the price.

--- Would I recommend an Amati Bb, based on my trial of this C? --

Yes, I think so. Well, I'd strongly recommend trying a one out next to the
Buffets, etc., certainly. The altissimo range is probably a lot better on
the Bb instruments they manufacture more of. "Non-standard pitch"
clarinets--Eb, Ab, G, D-- are notoriously prone to intonation problems, even
at the professional level. See my comment about the Selmer eefer above.

Look at it this way: Amati's top of the line clarinet lists for under $700,
and the rest are about $500 or below. Buffet's intermediate clarinet, the
E11, is about $1200. If Amati sells a Bb with decent intonation, and you
don't have money to burn, I'd consider them right alongside the Buffets,
Yamahas, Leblancs, and Selmers.

This was rushed, so if I've been unclear or you have any more questions,
please let me know.

Cheers.

Bruce

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