 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: RI mom
Date: 2003-08-05 21:17
Dear Clarinetists,
My daughter has been taking private lessons for about seven months and I'm ready to buy one of these two instruments,as she's now old enough for band at school. What are the differences in tone,ease of play,etc between the Buffet and the Yamaha? Any advice would be very much appreciated. (She's been playing a rental Selmer 1400with Mitchell Lurie #2 reeds).Thanks so much for your help!! RI mom
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2003-08-05 21:43
The first batch of YCL250's arrived in Australia about 18 months ago along with all the new student models such as the AS and TS 275's and the YFL250. They are now just starting to find their way into the repairers workshops although some dealers have offered extended warranty. They need to. Compared to the previous C100, AS100, TS100 and YFL100ASII they are just not as robust. The instruments shipped here are assembled in Indonesia, a country not noted for musical instrument manufacture. For the first time Yamaha seem to have been pressured by trade practices legislation to include the country of manufacture at least on the box as Indonesia. They had been flouting the law to an extent by claiming made in Japan basing this on the works cost of the Japanes components being higher than the cheap Indonesian labour. A similar practice used by Nike and other multinationals.
These newer models are nowhere near as good as the abovementioned predecessors. The saxes are made of very soft metal and the body work is easily bent. The quality control over the set up is woeful many just dont work and need full pre-servicing to play at all. The flutes on the whole absolutley refuse to hold their adjustments, the head joints are average and often just dont play at all. The clarinets are a little better but not much. From what I have seen thus far I would be recommending the B12. I have no particular bias against Yamaha, I play a wooden Yamaha clarinet and a Yamaha Soprano sax but these new student models are really scraping the bottom of the barrell. Slot heads in screws are way off centre, drill rods too short with too little thread in many cases and abyssmal quality control. I am also led to believe tat Yamaha brass instruments all the way up to the professional level are made in Indonesia and it shows. Soft metal that corrodes soft valve materials. I think they are shooting themselves in the foot with these models. Any Yamaha spies out there please listen!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-08-05 22:15
Mark Pinner wrote:
> They had been
> flouting the law to an extent by claiming made in Japan basing
> this on the works cost of the Japanes components being higher
> than the cheap Indonesian labour.
It is not "flouting the law to an extent" (which would mean, of course, disregarding the law). It is the way the law is written - all major industies do exactly the same thing.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Peacham
Date: 2003-08-06 17:07
Mark's criticisms of Yamaha are alarming. I have a YCL26 (which is certainly marked "Made in Japan", whatever that may mean) and have been thinking of buying one of more expensive models.
Does anyone know which Yamaha clarinets are affected? Is it all YCL250s? All clarinets shipped to Australia?
-----------
If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bradley
Date: 2003-08-06 17:54
Wasn't he talking about newer models than the YCL26?
In any case, I have tried the custom models and so on and to me they seem like Buffet stencils. The keywork I find somewhat similar under my fingers and the tone is Buffet-like in a lot of respects. Since I am not a Buffet fan, I can't say that I liked them, but they seemed to be more consistent than the R13s and R13 Prestige models (although I tried an RC Prestige set the other day which was the only example and cannot speak for that model line) that I have encountered. I think Yamaha professional clarinets are definetly worth consideration when you're looking to upgrade.
Bradley
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2003-08-07 07:01
I find the throat Bb and mid-stave B fuzzy sounding on the Buffet B12.
The plastic is particularly soft and cheesy.
The metal tenon socket reinforcing rings are made of nickel plated plastic, and do break. Of course they offer very little strength. They are just decoration!
Some tone hole cups line up poorly with tone holes.
Compared with Yamahas, I'm not very impressed. Where are they made?!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
