Klarinet Archive - Posting 000028.txt from 2007/11

From: "Kevin Fay" <kevin.fay.home@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] pro horn suggestions
Date: Sun, 04 Nov 2007 13:40:06 -0500

Alicia Byer <aliciabyer@-----.com> wrote:

<<<I'm in the market for a new professional clarinet, and I'm wondering what
to get!>>>

Jacob Lindsay replied:

<<<As others have been saying, of course you should buy the horn that you
like. . . . Try not to make money an issue (I know, I know, it is, but just
pretend like it's not). If you are forking out 4 figures you might as well
get the horn you want and are going to keep for a long time. But, check out
the used market. I got my R13 used for 1,000 about ten or tweleve years
ago. >>>

Alas, money is always an object. For professional-level instruments,
recently a large object. The "street price" of some new
Buffets/Selmers/LeBlancs is around $5K!

Suggestions:

Try some Yamahas. Maybe it's because the Yen hasn't moved against the
Dollar as much as the Euro, but Yamaha prices have not moved North as much
as the European makers. They are fine clarinets; I use a pair of them
regularly.

Or try used - you can get an R13 for ~$1,500 or so, maybe less. For
whatever reason, Selmers and Yamahas are less expensive still. If properly
set up by a good technician, they can be as serviceable as any horn.
Remember. *all* professionals use "used" horns, even if they are the first
buyer, once the instrument has been practiced on!

Most of my arsenal was purchased used and spiffed up. For a person who is a
reasonably accomplished player, there's little risk in buying used if you
get a chance to try it out ahead of time. I've purchased saxophones sight
unseen, moreover, because I have a good friend/repair technician who can fix
most anything short of major body work.

With that said, I *love* new horns, too. They're just plain fun to have.

kjf

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