Klarinet Archive - Posting 000587.txt from 2004/07

From: "Forest Aten" <forestaten@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Can you offer guidance on Amati purchase ... (newbie)
Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2004 23:00:10 -0400


> Jon,
> As a repairer of woodwinds and a teacher I have come across quite a
> few Amatis. They are usually made sloppily but with good materials. If
> the other guys like Bundy, etc. used their materials the results would
> be significantly better than Amati. At $525 you are getting an
> entry-level wooden instrumenet so don't expect much. It probably will
> work but I wouldn't bet on tuning being useful for anything but jazz and
> folk. However, it would be noticeably out of tune in the hands of a
> tyro. You get what you pay for.
> You have two options for trying it out: 1) Pay your teacher or
> another pro whom you trust to come out and try the horns for you 2)
> bring a chromatic tuner and check each note against it. If using a
> tuner, turn away from it and start playing the not (or do a few notes
> and end on the note in question) and then, while holding it, turn and
> look at the dial. That way, you aren't influenced by seeing the dial.
> Frankly, I recommend the former option because with tuning, you have to
> be able to consistently produce the same exact pitches, otherwise why
> bother comparing instruments. Good Luck
>
> Fred Jacobowitz
> Ebony and Ivory Duo
> Kol Haruach Klezmer Band
>
Jon,

I've had the opportunity to play three Amati C clarinets. All were cursed
with very poor intonation. Unusable in most applications. You could sit
around a practice room and play....but with others it would be extremely
difficult.

They were free blowing but without good intonation I feel any money spent on
a musical instrument is ill spent.

Forest Aten

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