Klarinet Archive - Posting 000615.txt from 2004/11

From: kurtheisig@-----.net
Subj: RE: [kl] An Eb quandry
Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2004 06:27:38 -0500

In over 36 years of doing business we have seen lots of people looking for "deals" and getting "deals". The ones that stick around and REALLY enjoy music are the ones that get good equipment and have us maintain it for them.

Once a customer has had one instrument re-built by us, he often brings more and more of them and the typical statement is "I just DIDN'T understand, I just DIDN'T UNDERSTAND!" Then we teach him reed-finishing, and show him our custom mouthpieces etc. The more GOOD equipment and proper technique he learns, the happier he is. Music is supposed to be a great joy, and marvelous equipment can really give you that.

My personal Eb is a Buffet R13 I bought new in 1976. Now it is truly a SPECTACULAR instrument! However, I had to make a mouthpiece for it, and do extensive work on it. I DID A LOT MORE THAN $300 WORK ON IT!!! Now I have an instrument that is an absolute joy to play!! It is worth EVERY bit of the many hours I spent working on it!

Few people understand that a TINY bit of adjustment can do so much, and 3 dozen tiny adjustments can turn a good instrument into an absolute treasure.

Kurt

-----Original Message-----
From: Forest Aten <forestaten@-----.net>
Sent: Nov 21, 2004 8:16 AM
To: klarinet@-----.org
Subject: RE: [kl] An Eb quandry

> Re. a wooden Cabart (Paris) Eb from eBay, Curtis Bennett wrote,

I find it hard to understand why people purchase musical instruments
considered (most often) be classified as junk. Top line clarinets are not
very expensive compared to most other musical instruments. This is
especially true of used instruments. Cabart never made a good clarinet...at
least based on the dozen or so Cabart clarinet that I've played. All
junk....

Often on this list, people talk about clarinets purchased for "a deal" that
prove to be unusable or speak of wasted money for instruments in poor
condition or that are fundamentally flawed. Usually only a few hundred more
dollars would buy a clarinet that proves to be usable or even top rate.

A 'good' clarinet will last many years.....and as Lelia often suggests....a
'bad' clarinet can be made into a lamp.

A few suggestions:

1. save a few hundred more dollars to buy something that you can use
2. have someone knowing a lot about clarinet help in the purchase
3. enjoy the result of the sacrifice

And Dee would be proud of me knowing that I've never made a lamp out of a
clarinet...;-)

Forest Aten

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Klarinet is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org