 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Clariphant in Bb
Date: 2007-07-29 02:52
My Greenline R13 is quite heavy for me. Having small wrists and a "hitchhiker's thumb" only add to the problem, and I usually end up resting the instrument on my knees after about an hour of playing. I have tried to kooiman professional model thumbrest, and it did very little to help. I also could not get used the the extra bulk between my right thumb and index finger. I have tried using a neck strap, and it gets rid of the pain, but I don't like the feeling it gives me (It feels like my clarinet is being rammed into my mouth). My B12 is light enough that I have none of these problems. I'm not going to be able to buy a new instrument anytime soon, so I'll have to just continue the knee resting for a while, but I am curious regardless. Are there any professional instruments with weights similar to the B12? I know the discontinued Buffet Elite was supposedly very light, but are any professional models currently in production this light? I now regret choosing a Greenline. It's strength is great, but it's (supposedly) heavier still than the normal wooden R13s...
Post Edited (2007-07-29 03:18)
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2007-07-29 04:06
If the kooiman makes the clarinet too 'wide' for your hands, try removing the horizontal adjustment portion(the piece on the 'body' of the thumbrest'). Just loosten the screw at the bottom as you would to change the angle and slide it out.
then, adjust the 'arm' a bit to give you a 'closer' feel. I know some people with small hands that prefer this.
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2007-07-29 12:32
Try a Fhred support. It's been mentioned on the BB here several times.
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Author: kilo
Date: 2007-07-29 12:42
My Green Line is 2½ ounces heavier than my Series 10, weighing in at 28 oz — about 9% more than the wooden horn. Besides fine-tuning the thumbrest, I'm wondering if some strengthening exercises might help you, maybe wearing wrist weights during the day and then taking them off before playing until you've "muscled in" to the Green Line?
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2007-07-29 13:25
Hi, Cph in Bb - Your mention of a "discontinued Buffet Elite", [could you mean Evette?], caught my attention. I recntly bot a slightly used Evette [F series, asking for info below] "Sponsored by Buffet", which seems quite light as compared to contemporary cls. It is in very good condition, am tweaking it now, and it has the VG Buff "feel", with no T R "adjustment" needed [so far, for me]. Perhaps like your B12, it might be better for you, and be close to the R13 "feel". Best wishes, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: GBK
Date: 2007-07-29 14:59
Attachment: Buffet Elite.jpg (8k)
Don Berger wrote:
> Hi, Cph in Bb - Your mention of a "discontinued Buffet Elite",
> [could you mean Evette?], caught my attention.
Don -
The Buffet Elite was a high end clarinet built by Buffet for about a 15 year period from the mid 1980's to 2002 (?).
It was a thin walled clarinet which had polycarbonate fiber body rings instead of traditional silver or nickle plated rings. The weight of the entire clarinet was said to be about 20% less than a traditional R13. There was also an E/F correction key, a resonance vent in the bell and pads with resonators. The keywork was silver with gold posts. See the attached photo ...GBK
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2007-07-29 15:01
James Gillespie, prof at North Texas University uses a BG elastic neck strap and insists that all of his students try them. He told me that 99% (I guess he has a lot of students) get used to them and keep them.
He also said that he couldn't live with a neck strap until the elastic strap became available.
I got one, and it is a whole new "thang."
The elastic takes part of the load, carries part of the weight. I adjust it so that it balances the clarinet to put the mouthpiece just where I need it. It gives me another way to remind myself to take enough mouthpiece into my mouth to get the whole reed working for me. If I put too much tension on the elastic, the mouthpiece will work into my mouth, and I'll get squeaks.
I think it is worth a tryout.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2007-07-29 22:21
TKS, GBK, I have a hard time keeping up with Selmer and Leblanc model names, so my ignorance of the Buffet models is quite exposed. The Evette I mentioned has turned out Very Well in playing, and [FWIW] is a [relatively] low weight cl, will check out its intonation vs FM classics before long. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-07-30 00:12
Buffet Elite query -
"There was also an E/F correction key, a resonance vent in the bell"
I don't remember those options/features with the Elite, but only that they did change a few mechanical things during the course of it's production.
I thought the F correction key was on the Tosca and never used on Buffets before (though Selmer had it as an option on the Recital), and not aware of any Buffets having a resonance vent hole on the bell (though some have had the chambered bell throat for some time).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2007-07-30 02:25
Chris P wrote:
> Buffet Elite query -
>
> "There was also an E/F correction key, a resonance vent in the
> bell"
>
> I don't remember those options/features with the Elite, but
> only that they did change a few mechanical things during the
> course of it's production.
Check this web site for the written specs on the Elite:
http://www.sheehans.com/clarinets/showrooms/buffet
They say that the resonance vent was on the bottom of the lower joint.
I knew there was one somewhere ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif)
...GBK
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-07-30 08:45
Looks like they've got the Elite and Tosca specifications mixed up.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Jude
Date: 2007-07-30 14:01
Like many people I started off with an ABS student model. When I outgrew this and was looking for a better instrument, I tried out a friend's Greenline R13 as I was considering getting one.
I found it had the problem you describe - it was heavy! I eventually chose a Yamaha 650, and I am very glad I did. Its much cheaper than many others, and a really good instrument. Its also a lot lighter than the Greenline, maybe a touch heavier than my ABS clarinet, but not much.
If your budget could stretch to it, it would be worth trying one out. Alternatively, Tom Ridenour's line of clarinets are even less expensive and have been given some great reviews by people on this site, and although I haven't tried one myself, I am considering one for outdoor use as they are not made of wood. I don't know how heavy they are though.
Good luck anyway - I have had to raise my thumbrests a good inch to get pain free playing - so maybe that's also an option for you? My thumb and first finger are now more or less opposing each other, which is very unusual, but it relieves the strain on my hand.
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Author: OpusII
Date: 2007-07-30 14:26
My cousin plays the Elite, a beautiful instrument! It could be the answer to your weight problem and there are still stores with some Elite in stock.
I also have a problem with the weight of the instrument, but it al comes to strengthen the lower arm (fitness could be a solution), This helped me a lot (and the Kooiman, but you've already tried that)!
GBK,
I've to agree with Chris, there isn't a E/F correction on this instrument.
I would have seen this when I played on his instrument. I really think that they have mixed up the info on their website.
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Author: kenb
Date: 2007-07-30 20:35
To tidy this thread up a bit: Buffet did introduce a low F correction on the Elite, of the 'automatic' variety, with a linkage to the register key.
Also, the lower joint was extended so that the low E could vent through a tone hole rather than the bell.
(This isn't hearsay, I tried out a set a couple of years back)
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Author: Clariphant in Bb
Date: 2007-07-31 02:01
It turns out a neckstrap was the right answer for me afterall! I had been using a BG strap, and it wasn't working and fit awkwardly, but I tried a Claricord strap today and it has made a much bigger difference than the BG and was also more comfortable. Thanks for the help everyone. I'm glad I found a fix that costs far less than a new instrument.
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Author: marshall
Date: 2007-07-31 03:34
I've found that all (two of) the Leblanc Concerto's I've played are much lighter than any Buffet I've played (multiple instruments of every upper-level model).
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