Klarinet Archive - Posting 000132.txt from 2004/03
From: "Buckman, Nancy" <nebuckman@------.edu>
Subj: RE: [kl] Rossi Clarinets
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2004 11:35:35 -0500
Ginger has said that her friend just likes clarinets and wants to buy a =
Rossi. I like the Rossi line and went from the Rossi booth and back to =
the Patricola booth many times, but I didn't buy one for a couple of =
reasons. First was the price - I just didn't have the money to buy four =
Rossis and I needed four clarinets. As it was I had to wait an extra =
year to get my C, as my dealer couldn't get any at the time of my =
original order. Second was the fact that at the time I made my =
purchases, the Rossi didn't come with a case. Since it was a one piece =
body, the lack of a case was a real issue. I don't know how that has =
been dealt with since 2000, when I bought my Patricolas. I guess what I =
really want to know from Ginger is just exactly what this friend wants =
in a clarinet and why he would pick a Rossi without trying it and many =
of the other brands at the same time? Since the year 2000, when I =
bought my clarinets, there have been some big changes in clarinet design =
and what is offered. Before I would make a declaration about a brand =
and body composition, I would want to try a lot of clarinets first. I =
played everything that Rossi and Patricola had in their booths many, =
many times (in the summer of 1998). I didn't make my purchase until =
January of 2000. =20
I guess if you have the money to just buy clarinets without having a =
good reason to do so you are very lucky indeed. I had a certain amount =
of money to spend and it took me over 15 years to save it. I was =
helping my husband get his undergraduate and graduate degrees, and =
saving for our daughter's college education, which she just finished in =
2002. We don't buy things on credit. If we don't have the money, we =
don't buy things.
If I had known in 2000, what I know about design and repair of clarinets =
today, I probably just would have had my Buffets rebuilt. I still have =
them and will be sending them out one by one to have this done. If you =
own a Buffet that was built in the 60's, according to Russell Harlow (at =
the Utah conference), it is a gem. My Bb is one of those and it will be =
the first to be rebuilt. It is a good instrument, but the keywork is =
worn out and needs serious help. I am convinced at this point that most =
any instrument that is of good quality, and has no major physical flaws =
that can't be corrected, can be made to do whatever one wants in the =
hands of a competent repair person. To me it is a terrible waste of =
resources to not use what is already available, especially where =
blackwood is concerned.
Nancy
Nancy E. Buckman, CPO, AFO, Technical Assistant
School of Health Professions, Wellness and Physical Education
Anne Arundel Community College
Arnold, MD 21012-1895 USA
Phone 410-777-2316 Fax 410-777-2233
E-mail nebuckman@------.edu
-----Original Message-----
From: Anna Benassi [mailto:acb@------.is]
Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2004 7:35 AM
To: klarinet list
Subject: [kl] Rossi Clarinets
Hi, Ginger,
I'm no Jonathan Cohler, but I have played a Rossi Bb since 1999 and
would have no other. Mine is an American bore made of African
blackwood (I was seriously considering Rosewood for aesthetic
reasons). As soon as I can scratch together the dough, I'm going to
order an A (then a C, then a D ... ) My R13s are very nice horns, mind
you, but a Rossi is a work of art. Many people find them ergonomically
superior, though other people have other preferences (the list's Nancy
Buckman has praised her own Patricolas because of how comfortable they
feel in her hands - am I right, Nancy?).
The intonation on my Rossi is superior, the tone like velvet. I could
say more, but I'd be repeating myself. It sounds great, looks great,
feels great. Try some Rossis. Have your friend try some. See what you
think.
And BTW, the personal touch is nice. Luis Rossi knew what kind of
mouthpiece I used, so he outfitted himself with the nearest equivalent
by the same maker and fine-tuned the clarinet with that mouthpiece to
see how the combination would work.
Best of luck,
Anna
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