Klarinet Archive - Posting 001403.txt from 2004/03

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] New Chinese Instruments
Date: Fri, 26 Mar 2004 22:28:09 -0500

I have in my possession two new instruments, a clarinet and an alto
saxophone, that are being imported to the US from China and sold by
Conn-Selmer under the Selmer Aristocrat label. I tried them out tonight
and this is what I found:

Selmer Aristocrat CL600 clarinet. List price $595.

1. OK tone, if a little small, and it felt somewhat more resistant than I
prefer. The difference was substantial between the CL600 and my Bundy
1400, but less so when compared to my Series 10. Bore measured about .578.

2. Intonation was good, and even, with the barrel pulled out about 1/16 to
1/8 inch.

3. On this sample, fresh and untouched out of the box, the long F#/C# key
dragged slightly, and the left pinkie long E/B key was a bit wobbly on its
pivot rod, but aside from that, fit and finish were decent, and it sealed
well without adjustment.

4. The left pinkie long E/B key seemed to me to be unusually long, to the
point that it interfered with my use of the C#/G# key. That, and a couple
of other things, suggest that the design is biased toward small
hands. Given that this line is intended for beginning students, that is
not unreasonable.

Overall, this instrument is a considerable improvement over the one I
reviewed recently in this forum. Not one I would want to OWN necessarily,
but one I would not be ashamed to sell.

Selmer Aristocrat AS600 Alto Saxophone. List price $1295.

1. This instrument also appears to be biased toward small hands.

2. Aside from that, the instrument is very good, with excellent fit and
finish, good tone, good intonation (a bit sharp on 4th line D, but that is
common) and an even scale.

3. Has high F# key and tilting Bb spatula. Lacquered, not plated, keys.

This sax is only a couple of hundred dollars less than Selmer's excellent
Taiwanese-import AS500 and their disappointing US-made AS300, which does
not even APPROACH the build quality of the Chinese product (SHAME on you,
Elkhart UAW workers!). With the backing of Conn-Selmer for parts, etc., it
is a reasonable choice for a student sax, and a decent bargain.

Bill Hausmann

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

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