 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Roxann
Date: 2015-03-28 02:07
What are some of the reasons for buying a professional clarinet in order to upgrade from a very good intermediate one? To jump from a $1300 instrument to a $3800 instrument is a huge step...and I'm very curious as to what the pay-offs can be if I choose to do so. I am not a "professional" but I do play with a number of bands and orchestras around the valley. Now that I'm retired, music has become a passion for me and I foresee me continuing it for many good years to come. Thanks for your suggestions.
Post Edited (2015-03-28 02:07)
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Author: TomS
Date: 2015-03-28 02:27
Maybe none, other than bragging rights. Maybe many, depends on what you have and what you are considering ... the choices are mind-boggling!
Spending $3800.00 would put you in the Buffet silver-plated R13 class, Yamaha professional or the low-end professional Selmer All great horns, I assume.
However, you could purchase a new B-flat AND A clarinet made by Thomas Ridenour and have change left for two plane tickets to the Bahamas, with dinner ...
Tom
Post Edited (2015-03-28 20:54)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-03-28 02:51
The difference is the constancy in internal pitch ("note-to-note," and "register-to-register") and timbre.
A really good line of clarinets from $1300 to $4000 is the Uebel clarinets from Germany (and a GREAT illustration of what is important). The base model Uebel comes with silver plated keys and all leather pads (like its more expensive brothers). The horn responds and sounds great, however, the pitch is not as solid moving from note to note. But if you don't put the instrument on a tuner and get all detailed about it, the base model is almost as good sounding as the top-of-the-line "Superior" model. So THAT is the difference, the time and effort spent on the bore and tone holes so that the instrument plays 'rock solid.'
Same thing can be said moving up from professional model to "super" professional models. I am currently auditing a Buffet Divine that superficially plays like a Buffet Vintage selling for $3000 less. As I spend more time with the Divine, it is clear just how spooky solid the tuning is on the horn.
............Paul Aviles
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Author: Ed
Date: 2015-03-28 03:14
One option is to consider a used pro horn. Very often you can find one that is in great shape for the price point of an intermediate instrument.
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Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2015-03-28 18:42
Tom Ridenour has a 2 part video series on YouTube on this very topic that I think is worth a look.
Also consider that a professional clarinet is one that plays in such a way that it meets or exceeds the subjective attributes of professionalism of its tester, rather than solely being about which brand it is.
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Author: Johan H Nilsson
Date: 2015-03-28 20:57
The law of diminishing marginal utility holds for clarinets too.
But, if money is not scarce and you are going to spend 1000+ hours with your instrument, why not buy the luxury segment?
Buying a used, professional instruments is a good compromise.
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Author: TomS
Date: 2015-03-28 21:08
I'd really like to try the Uebel clarinets ... probably just another good example of reasonably priced, good clarinets nowadays.
I think CNC machining and other automatic processes that reduce "touch labor" have allowed great instruments to be produced with excellent consistency and low cost.
However, with all mostly machine made stuff I say "trust but verify" ... IMHO they all need the scrutiny, final quality control and tweaks of a human being.
Tom
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