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RE: Yamaha Clarinets

Author: paul
Date: 1999-09-23 18:27

I don't have specific knowledge on this particular horn. I do have a couple of year's worth of experience (albeit at the adult novice level, so beware) on the Yamaha YCL 52 of mid 1990s vintage. It didn't have the undercut tone holes, so again, beware of the comments and make sure you take them into consideration.

General opinions of the Yamaha YCL 52 (purchased brand new and played on average of 1 hour a night by an adult novice). Straight up and down a very forgiving horn. Tone production seemed a bit bland, but intonation was very good. This particular horn could take all kinds of sloppy fingerings and still nail the intended note right on the mark. Workmanship on the basic wood was good, but I had to watch out for some of the laquer and wood treatment stuff dissolving and leaving ugly spots on my white carpet, especially for the first couple of months of playing the horn. The problem was easily solved by putting a cheap gym towel on the floor underneath the horn's bell. Keywork was first rate quality. Very little customization required to get the horn to fit my fingers. Key action was good, relatively responsive, more than adequate for a novice to intermediate player. Pads sealed and worked very well, requiring no adjustment for the entire time I had the horn. Register key was not adjusted for altissimo, but could have easily been done if desired. My personal "playoff" 1:1 competition at the time was a Buffet E-11 (with undercut tone holes). Price was competitive with all other intermediate horns on the retail market, but slightly less than the E-11. Price was the issue at the time.

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