Klarinet Archive - Posting 000338.txt from 2006/03

From: o4rmondtoby@-----.net (Ormondtoby Montoya)
Subj: Re: [kl] Rossi quality flaw
Date: Sun, 19 Mar 2006 14:22:46 -0500

Rommel wrote:

> I will NEVER buy another clarinet again
> without first seeing it, touching it and playing
> it, feeling the responsiveness of the keys, etc,

One aspect that is never mentioned enough (imo) is: "If you need a
clarinet, why do you need a BRAND NEW one?" Just so it sparkles a bit
more?

Unless you are one of those people who succumb to (ooops...I mean
'believe in') the "blown out" theory, you will need to hold and play and
'feel' (and pay for, either directly or indirectly) adjustment of any
instrument that you purchase, new or used. And the selection available
to you will, by definition, expand if you consider used instruments as
well as new ones.

If cost is an important issue (when isn't it?), a used instrument will
cost in the neighborhood of 25%-50% less than mail order prices ---
unless you are talking about period instruments or modern instruments
with a virtuoso history, which is a different topic.

When I 'moved up' from my first clarinet, I went from new to used (to
cracked and pinned, no less) , and I've never regretted it. I've
tested sparkling new instruments at ClarinetFests (presumably in
'perfect' adjustment for the occasion), and I've never been tempted to
'move up' again. Maintenance on my old instrument seems to get me to
the same place as buying a new instrument would.

Once, after a professional concert (after his 3rd encore), a fine
clarinetist allowed me to inspect his clarinet. I was mostly
interested in his barrel, but I was startled at how _old_ and _battered_
his instrument was !!! But it was what he chose to play in
performance.

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