 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: kschristine
Date: 2008-08-24 20:42
Everyone has been so helpful - here is one more question - what do you think of a new unplayed vito 7212 vs used yamaha 250 both around $300. Good deal/bad deal?
Thank you,
kschristine
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Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2008-08-24 21:12
I would think that getting a new instrument is a safe choice. Vitos are also very nice for marching band, if that might happen in the future.
A yamaha 250 is a very nice instrument. it is definitely more expensive than a vito, if it was purchased new. I have a wood yamaha 450, which I think is just a wood version with silver plated keys of the 250. I really do like it a lot.
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Author: myshineyblackjoy
Date: 2008-08-25 00:18
I had the pleasure of playing a vito 7212 this week. For a plastic clarinet it had ease of tone and really smooth key work. Both Clarinets are good.Can you try them both out? See wich one you like? Just my thoughts...
Pamela
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2008-08-25 00:42
The Vito 7212 appears to be a discontinued model. From what I can tell, it used to sell for around $700. It looks like some music stores still have at least a few in stock and are discounting them heavily (to around $300) to unload them. A new Yamaha YCL-250 sells for around $760. If you are buying from a store (e.g., Wichita Band Instruments) that will stand behind what they sell, I think either the new Vito 7212 or the used YCL-250 would be fine. If you're not buying from a store, the condition of the Yamaha carries some risk. While I've not played either of these two models, based on the two companies' marketing strategies (specifically that Yamaha competes on price), I expect the Yamaha (new) is the better clarinet.
If your daughter doesn't "take" to the clarinet, you should be able to sell it through your daughter's school bulletin board or on eBay. A quick check shows that used 7212s (which yours will be once your daughter plays on it) are bringing around $100 on eBay while used YCL-250s are bringing at least $180-$200 and sometimes more. Any "loss" you incur will likely be less than what you'd pay in rent.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Ed
Date: 2008-08-25 00:50
I have always found the playability and quality of the Yamaha to be the better instrument.
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Author: kschristine
Date: 2008-08-25 02:16
thank you again for all the insight everyone is willing to share. It is such a tough place to be - not knowing the instrument myself, being new to the area and buying something for a 1st time player who is so young. If money was no object (and gas a lot cheaper!) I'd be all over the best that a music store could offer - but unfortunately that's not the case.
Thanks again,
kschristine
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2008-08-25 04:17
"A new plastic clarinet shouldn't cost over $400 period. "
While I agree with the sentiment, the fact is that prices on new clarinets have risen significantly over the past year or so. Even Tom Ridenour is asking for over $600 for his student model. The only decent student clarinet (if I am to believe others' reviews because I've never played one) is the Forte (and that's $100 more than kschristine's quite acceptable options). I think it's in part (but not entirely) due to the fact that the US dollar has declined so much in value. When Woodwind & Brasswind, Weiner and Muncy are charging $700+, there isn't much hope. A phone call asking for their lowest price might be worth some money, if they can sell below their published price, but right now I think higher prices for new instruments are a fact of life. Maybe a gallon of gas shouldn't cost nearly as much ... but it does.
"I'd be all over the best that a music store could offer..."
Take some comfort in the fact that your daughter doesn't need and isn't ready for the best that a music store could offer. The two options you've identified are plenty of instrument for now. Let me invoke the usual boilerplate here. More important at this point than an expensive clarinet is a decent mouthpiece designed explicitly for a beginner. My personal experience is with the Hite Premier and the Fobes Debut, both quite inexpensive as mouthpieces go. I can recommend both highly. There are other options as well (and I'm pretty sure others will tell you about them).
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: kschristine
Date: 2008-08-25 11:37
David - would you mind listing the suppliers - or if not allowed, please email me privately. I did look on the forbes website and it is out of stock till Sept. I plan to visit another music store today to see what they offer. I know the one that came to the school function - all they had was an "accent" & "jupiter carnagie" - both for $730 & 1 used yamaha ? for $660.
Thank you,
kschristine
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Author: kschristine
Date: 2008-08-25 14:07
The 3 brands they showed were all plastic. I know they were selling a new Yamaha "Advantage" for the $730 price so I assumed that that was the model of the used one also. It was really interesting/crazy to see all of the parents "flocking" to the table to rent to own these instruments. Like I said before - the rent for the clarinet was $38/mo for 29 months. You had to rent the instrument for at least 4 months. I know that they provided "free maintenace" with that but I just couldn't justify it. Even if I rented it for the 4 months - thats still about the same price more or less than I could purchase a used one off of the auction place - or some other options I'm getting from here for a better brand instrument. They did give a discount to purchase outright of 20% - which is still alot for something "generic" and not really recommended highly on places like this and other google searches.
Thanks again!
Christine
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Author: BobD
Date: 2008-08-26 21:43
Bottom line: I think they should be play tested.
Only one caveat on Vito.....ask the seller if it has any coil springs in the mechanism. Some Vitos had/have tiny coil springs and although they "work" you could have a problem if you should ever need one. A Yamaha 20 model could be a good choice too.
Bob Draznik
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