 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Allan
Date: 2004-05-14 20:15
I am considering puchasing a plateau key Bb Clarinet, what are your views of these instrument and would you recommend any particular make as being of a high quality.
I look forward to any replies
Allan
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-05-14 20:31
To my knowledge LeBlanc is the only current major maker. These horns are for people with special needs i.e. really small fingers, arthritis problems etc.
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Author: Bob A
Date: 2004-05-14 20:49
Tell me how you plan on doing the "Rapsody In Blue" 'glis' on a plateau clarinet? Need to know for my Bass.
Bob A
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Author: DougR
Date: 2004-05-14 21:25
I have a friend--a real long-time alto/clarinet player with decades of professional experience--who had to trade in his R-13 for the Leblanc plateau model because of muscular/neurological problems. He didn't like it much, it was stuffy and small-sounding next to the R-13, but if the choice is playing or not playing at all, you do what you have to do, I guess. Sorry not to be of more help than that.
I'd say, try out as many as you can, and make sure you've got a good mouthpiece to start with. You may end up having to shop for a mouthpiece that better matches the plateau horn's acoustic characteristics. Good luck!
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2004-05-14 21:27
GLeblanc lists the 7214P Vito Bb Soprano as their student model plateau system clarinet. I have an old Normandy plateau which plays in a mediocre fashion, with my mediocre repair abilities. They might have a better plateau model [or make one on special order] so I suggest inquiring. If other makers have a sop/plat, I dont know of them. To get a higher quality plat, the better alto clars are fully plat [as the basses are], my Selmer-Paris alto is excellent, and at times they [and other good ones] sell for a "song" on EBAY. As an old Michigander recalls, circumspice [look about you] ! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-05-17 14:37
About 4-5 years ago I overhauled a Noblet plateau clarinet for a customer, and it played surprisingly well. I was expecting some stuffiness and intonation problems but they weren't present on this particular instrument.
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2004-05-17 14:54
Plateau clarinets are also popular with some saxophone doublers, who have trouble with the concept of covering those open finger holes at times. If you don't start out having to deal with this concept (as most sax player do not have to do), then you see it as a problem.
My lead alto bought one, but he's not happy with the way that it sounds to him. I tell him that the impact out in the audience is that there is little difference, but the psychological impact on him is what really matters in this case.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2004-05-17 19:24
Too bad Leblanc discontinued the LL model. It was available (as a special order) with plateau keywork. Would probably have been a pretty good player.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2004-05-18 19:09
A plateau clarinet may be fine for those with physical limitations. If possible, I'd try to get a LeBlanc. I overhaulled a Vito plateau clarinet and concluded that it was cheaply made and difficult to adjust. It does not compare to the higher end models. The springs were poor quality and the metal work was poorly done. I don't remember how it sounded but I was happy not to see it again. The LeBlanc first line alto and bass clarinets are plateau and are good instruments.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-05-18 21:06
Wes, I don't understand the significance of your last sentence: "The LeBlanc first line alto and bass clarinets are plateau and are good instruments."
Every modern alto and bass clarinet from every manufacturer of which I'm aware, is a plateau design. Furthermore, among top-line alto and bass clarinets, nearly all of the Leblanc models are inferior (IMHO) to those of Buffet, Selmer, Yamaha and maybe now even Amati because of their single-register-vent design (which is a separate issue from 'open-ring vs. plateau'). So..........?
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Author: ron b
Date: 2004-05-19 04:10
My Bundy alto clarinet is an open hole model and not all that old. Nice, easy playing instrument.
- ron b -
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-05-19 15:07
I stand corrected --- thanks, javier and ron --- I wasn't aware that open-hole alto clarinets were still being manufactured. How's the finger stretch on those? (I'm still not used to the wider stretches of the oboe and Oehler-system clarinet I've been fooling around with lately!)
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Author: ron b
Date: 2004-05-19 17:13
My primary Bb instrument is an Oehler so I don't find much difference at all with the (Boehm) alto. I little bit of course, but not an uncomfortable reach for "average" hands like mine. I've loaned the alto to a friend, who played alto in HS band for a year, and he had no problem with it either. In fact he plays the thing without a neckstrap -- just like playin' a Bb... and makes it look sooo easy ![[frown]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie2.gif)
Reeegards,
- ron -
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2004-05-19 18:15
From my first alto cl "experience" , a Bundy, I quickly found that my hands were small, as Dave suggested, so trying several plateaus, I found the Selmer-Paris B series [single reg key!, but good ] to require the least stretch. I seldom use the alt. Ab/Eb on my Sel-P bass cl because of the long reach required, should have eaten more spinach etc ! Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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