 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: IanH
Date: 2008-07-23 21:38
Hi
Anyone tried Cannonball clarinets? I know quite a bit about the saxes but the clarinets? Opinions? I'm about to get one. Thanks. IanH.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-07-23 22:22
I can only say 'try before you buy'.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: IanH
Date: 2008-07-24 05:40
Thanks Chris
Naturally. I'm being given a Bb with an A on the way in about six months time. Long story but my friend is having a signature series of saxes named after him (he's an international star sax player and they've given him a soprano, alto and tenor) and through him I'm getting a free pair of clars it seems. I know it's a new venture for Cannonball. I'll let you know what turns up! Can you send me your personal email address if possible?
IanH.
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Author: BrianM
Date: 2008-07-24 06:19
The music store where I work just received a Cannonball Veloce clarinet. Several people tried it out including myself and some of the repair techs.
My impression of the instrument was that it played fairly well, but was too bright for my taste. Resistance was nice and even throughout the registers, and dynamic subtlety was relatively easy to acheive. The clarinet was responsive. Ergonomically it could have used some tweaking. The C#/G# key and left Eb/Bb key positioning felt like they were in the way a little bit, but would be an easy fit. The countess style barrel and bell were especially bright, and the Fjord style barrel and bell let me achieve something closer to the sound I like to get out of a clarinet. Playing Mozart on the instrument seemed completely out of place. Overall I like many other instruments in the same price/quality range better, but I can see how this instrument would appeal to a lot of people. My impressions of the Veloce model leave me looking forward to trying the Piacere model.
Another person who tried it was one of our private instructors, who is primarily a jazz sax player who doubles on clarinet and flute. The instrument seemed particularly well suited to his playing style, and he had a really high opinion of the instrument, liking it better than the R-13. Admittedly he sounded a lot better on the instrument than I did....
One of our repair techs, who's primary instrument is clarinet and doubles on sax and flute had a similar opinion of the instrument, although I didn't get too many details about what they liked about it. Another of our repair techs had a similar opinion of the instrument to me, that it was well made, but not necessarily what he was looking for in a clarinet.
Just my two cents. Of course as I always advise my customers, don't just listen to someone else's opinion. Try it out and decide what works best for you.
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Author: IanH
Date: 2008-07-24 06:45
That's really helpful Brian. Thanks so much. They're only producing 'A' clarinets in about six months time but in the meantime I'm being given a Piacere. I play on 1967 vintage R13s which I restored after finding on someone's shelf about seven years ago. She never played the A which still looks like new but plays like a dream. I didn't even have to change springs, just reoiled and repadded!
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