The Clarinet BBoard

Upgrade for 14 Yr. Old

Author: Qwackertoo  Date:   2008-07-20 22:45 My daughter has been playing the Buffet B-12 we bought her new three years ago and has done quite well with it . . . for District, competitions and other band events, even with the crummy mouthpiece that we didn't know any better about upgrading until just this past spring. Now that she is entering high school, playing her saxophone for marching band and of course the tough 9-6 last week and next week in 95 plus degree temps . . . and loving it. Crazy girl. Went and let her play a well loved used R13 yesterday, from like 1982, AND a new LeBlanc Opus II and she FELL IN LOVE with the Opus II. The keys "clicked" on the R13 and even though the previous owner had it checked and maintained about 4 times a year . . . AND we found a dead bug in the case YUCK. Daughter really loved the Opus II and thought the 18th key was really da bomb . . . me . . . I just write the checks and support her music and dance . . . and hopefully it will pay me back with her excellent grades with some scholarship(s) in the future since the stock market has stunk the past few month and my savings isn't growing too great in that department. So . . . . . I know everyone LOVES LOVES the R13 and all professionals think it is the best but I've heard they are what they "use" to be . . . . OR the Opus II??? I was tempted to buy the used R13, 1200.00 which I thought was too high especially with the clicking keys and dead bug and later in 12th grade (4 more years) and then get her the Opus II and have the R13 as her backup, OR splurge for a new R13 with silver keys . . . OR go for it with the Opus II and use the no interest option, gotta love using their money for free and leaving mine in the bank. Thanks in advance for any advice~!!! Deana

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Re: Upgrade for 14 Yr. Old

Author: Ryder  Date:   2008-07-20 23:58 The extra key Eb/Ab on the Opus may be overkill for her stage in playing, but in college it may come of use to her. The clicking is just a sign of age and use, nothing wrong, but it can be anoying. If she truly loves the Opus and it seams that she can be more productive on it, then go with that, but don't let her use it outdoors!!!!!!!!! I agree with pamela, try more though, just to be safe and don't let the whole "new or used" thing affect your bias. As for the dead bug, you can clean the case and the instrument Good Luck ____________________ Ryder Naymik San Antonio, Texas "We pracice the way we want to perform, that way when we perform it's just like we practiced"

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Re: Upgrade for 14 Yr. Old

Author: Jack Kissinger  Date:   2008-07-21 22:11 ". . . AND we found a dead bug in the case YUCK." Now THERE'S bait and switch with an attitude! The Opus II is a superb clarinet but I wonder if a 14 year-old who's been playing for around 3 years really needs or is even ready for that much horn. I'm not recommending the R13 here. If your daughter is anything like mine (who once threw her clarinet at a bug that ran across her foot when she was practicing), that clarinet is burned. The bug saw to that. If you buy it, she will probably never be happy with it. And, if she quits, you will carry the guilt forever. On the other hand, if the Opus II is the only other professional clarinet the store had in stock, it might be worth looking for another store with a few more options. Who knows, she might go really crazy for the gold alloy (Hamilton) plated keys on a new Yamaha CSG. She'd have a great instrument (still probably more than she needs at this point) and you'd save a cool grand into the bargain. (By the way, whose idea was it to have her try the Opus II?) As I see it, the pros behind the Opus II are: (1) you'll have a really happy daughter for awhile, (2) if she works with the left-hand Eb key while she's young, its use should become natural to her and she'll likely be able to benefit from it later, both in everyday playing and also if she takes up the bass clarinet, (3) properly cared for, she'll have a clarinet that can take her as far as she wants to go. The cons are: (1) she may not be mature enough yet to appreciate it fully and give it proper care (but you know her best), (2) when she's a bit older and has been playing longer she'll be better able to make an informed decision about which playing characteristics are important to her, (3) if she continues to improve and does decide to carry on with it in college, her instrument will already have several years' worth of wear and tear on it when she really needs a top-notch instrument and is ready for it. (Additionally, it's your business so I won't comment on the issue of overindulgence, I'll simply raise it as something for you to think about.) But, it may be too late. It sounds like she's in love and, if she perceives you can afford it, nothing less than the Opus II will do. Unless she falls even more in love with something else, your fate may be sealed. But I think it would be a good idea to have an experienced clarinetist who is not connected with the store give the clarinet a good workout to make sure the store isn't pushing an instrument on you that has some problem (e.g., in intonation or evenness of scale) that your daughter might not be experienced enough to detect. FWIW, the price of the R13 is, IMO, at the high-end but in the ballpark for the instrument particularly for a local store (if the seller was an individual, I would say it's too high). For $1,200, I would be looking for an instrument made after 1990 in flawless mechanical condition. In the unlikely event you wind up buying the R13, I would recommend again that you have a good clarinetist who is not connected with the store give the instrument a thorough workout and have the store fix everything that person finds before you buy. You should be able to negotiate that much out of them up front... and tell them to lose the bug! What you should learn from the experience? In a couple of years when your daughter's driving and decides she "needs" her own car, when you take her down to the dealer's, after she's tried the 4-year-old Honda Accord or Toyota Camry, run, don't walk, from the dealership when the salesman suggests she try a new Mercedes "just for comparison." And finally (he says ruefully from recent personal experience), remember that the very top-tier colleges and universities no longer give straight merit scholarships -- everything is based on need. Best regards, jnk Post Edited (2008-07-21 22:15)

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