 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: LeWhite
Date: 2004-02-23 23:13
Hi guys
I could possibly be getting an Eb clarinet later this year, and I realised I don't know much about what choice is out there. I've used my college's Buffet and it's pretty nice, and I've also used a professional Yamaha that was also good and tuned well. However, I have never played a new or even recent one, they've all been 8 - 10 years old. Has the design been improved much since then?
What other manufacturers make Eb clarinets and what's good/not good about them all? Price hasn't come into the equation yet, although I know it will.
Thanks in advance!
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2004-02-24 04:28
Patricola eefers are nice horns. And they have features you won't find on other makes such as articulated G#/C# and left hand Eb/Ab key. I'm not too keen on the Bb booster key, however. I closed it off on my eefer. It plays better in tune without it.
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Author: CJB
Date: 2004-02-24 07:38
Its been a few years since I got my latest Eb but my experiences were:
An older Buffet R13 (about 10 years old). Nice tone good intonation sadly not for sale
New Buffet, in all flavours I tried - tone ranging from indifferent to reasonable, intonation esp. in the upper clarion totally uncontrollable using my set-up.
New Yamaha, good intonation throughout range though the tone and general response of the instrument was no better than the Noblet Artist I was upgrading.
Leblanc Opus. Wonderful instrument, would have bought it on the spot had it been for sale however it had had hundreds of pounds worth of work done to it to get it into that state. I couldn't try any other Leblancs as there were none available in this country at that point.
New Selmer. Good tone and intonation. Can be made to project or blend depending on whats needed. This is the one I went for and haven't regretted it for a minute.
Of course these are just my findings based on the fairly limited supply of instruments that were available then. Don't discount the Noblet Artist if you find one 2nd hand, with a decent mouthpiece it is a good instrument. I played mine for about 7 years and only changed because the parts I was getting were pushing the instrument to its limits and I needed something I could get a bit more controlled projection out of.
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Author: William
Date: 2004-02-24 15:07
Many pro players who I have talked with recommend the Selmer Ebs because of their more mellow sound in the upper register and their ability to project the "big sound". One such pro humorously (is that a real word) describes the Semer Eb sound as "less like Holloween". What he meant was that the Selmer sound in the upper register tends to be more mellow than that of the Buffet. The LeBlanc effers that I have played also have more mellow upper register sounds, but they are still "effers", love them or hate them. I would recommend selecting the Eb clarinet that responds best throughout the entire range and plays most easily in tune, regarless of the brand name. When speaking of effers, the general complaint is not about their "sound", but about their intonation. So, if you find one that is in tune, buy. If you do find one that's absolutely in tune and you decide not to buy it--call me first. OK???
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Author: Ben
Date: 2004-02-24 15:42
Interestingly, I know that the Eb clarinetists from several top US orchestras, Cleveland, Boston, and Chicago, all prefer to play on Yamaha Eb's over other makers.
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2004-02-24 17:40
From previous postings you'll find that Amati make one. I've got one and am very satisfied with it. It plays very nicely and is not too cramped to play. I added a Grabner m/p and sounds fine in the orchestral scene.
search on "eefer" "Eb" etc for more opinions on eefers.
Hope you are successful.
BobT
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2004-02-24 18:58
The best sounding Eb I've ever played (although I haven't played on many) was one of my student's school's Selmer CT...
It was fabulous despite being in very poor mechanical shape. I'd buy it from the school if they were selling it. I just loved the tone, even with the old stock mp that lives with it...
Katrina (Is the Buffet mafia gonna kick me out now?  )
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-02-24 19:28
Another important aspect in the choice of an Eb clarinet is the layout and spacing of the keywork to your particular hands.
The Buffet R-13 Eb (which I own) has a distinctly different and slightly more cramped feel than the Selmer Resonite Bundy (which I also own). I also have a vintage Couesnon Eb clarinet that, aside from the RH sliver key which I eventually shortened, feels just right. Surprisingly (or maybe not surprisingly) the difference in the sound of the three instruments is minimal, and I have even used the Selmer Bundy in professional settings.
Therefore, aside from tuning, which should be a paramount concern, comfort, fit and hand position should be strongly considered ...GBK
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Author: LeWhite
Date: 2004-02-25 00:46
Thanks for all the advice - I'm glad everyone didn't rush out and say 'get a Buffet' because I honestly don't think their newer eefers are that good - I tried an R13 and an E11 and they were very difficult to control and suffered from the 'usual' bad tuning spots.
Do Selmer make a 'Recital' Eb? And if they do, do they have that thick feeling to hold just like their Bb and A sopranos? In fact, is there a Signature eefer?
Thanks for the help, once again.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2004-02-25 12:00
I have an old Selmer Series 9 which plays great. Nice tuning and sound. I use a Clark Fobes mouthpiece and barrel which are superb. One of the best aspects is that the keys and spacing seem to be a bit larger than the Buffet Eb, so it feels good in my hands. And yes, you can get a Recital Eb from Selmer.
Post Edited (2004-02-25 14:09)
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2004-03-27 06:06
Ok...now I'm getting in the "desire" phase of wanting an Eefer and therefore reviveing the topic.
Does anyone have any more info on the Amatis (pros)? I'm not finding any info at Graham's.
And...the $64,000 question...does anybody have a reliable source for used eefers???
Katrina
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Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2004-03-27 15:57
I just finished adjusting and regulating a brand-new Patricola Eb. It was sent to me because the instrument had never been "set-up" and the owner was having a difficult time with response and intonation.
It had one "factory flaw" which luckily, was easily adjusted.
As an Eb, it plays very nicely. Nice tone, great response, acceptable intonation (for an Eb). I still prefer my 1970's era Buffet. I believe, however, that my Eb is an exceptional instrument, even for Buffet and I was just lucky to get it.
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2004-05-19 03:52
Ok...I'm going to revive this thread because I'm shopping more intently at this point. I'm beyond "desire", and more specifically into finding the "best" instrument at the best price.
I still don't see any info at Graham's site for the Amati Eb horn. WW/BW lists a couple, but only up to the 200 series horns. Do they really make a higher level model? Does it make a difference?? GBK, have you tried any "lower-level" Amati instruments to compare with your A clarinet?
Money's burning holes in my pockets...lol! But on the other hand, I think I wanna keep this purchase under $1000.
Katrina
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Author: GBK
Date: 2004-05-19 04:32
Graham's site does list the Amati ACL-261-0 Eb clarinet. It is a student line instrument.
http://www.grahams-music.com/clarinets/student.html
Amati quality has improved substantially to a point where the reliability and workmanship of their instruments have made them a viable alternative to the more household names.
Since my last posting in February, I have purchased a meticulously restored Selmer Series 9 Eb clarinet. I favor it over my other Eb clarinets for a number of reasons. The tuning is excellent. The sound is full and not strident. But most importantly, the hand position feels incredibly comfortable and not cramped (as some other brands).
I think that with the Eb clarinet, besides tuning issues (which are paramount), hand position, which is strictly an individual choice, comes a close second in priority...GBK
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Author: woodwind650
Date: 2004-05-19 04:53
well i know you were looking for something around $1000, but about two years ago i purchased a new buffet prestige RC Eeefer. the sound is amazing and i don't have to feel like i have to blast in order to be heard. i'm currently using a pyne mpc but i'm going to look into a fobes mpc since that's what i'm using on my Bb and Bass. the upper register is a little sharp can w/a great technician i was able to fix all the intonation problems within reason.
i was lucky, living in california, i was able to drive to the buffet distributor in Sun Valley [near burbank], and tried a "batch" of RC's before they were even shipped out to the dealers. others postings are correct when they say the tone can be radically different. most were just OK but the one i went for sounded above and beyond what the others did. overall the scale is very even and i've enjoyed using it.
-steve-
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Author: diz
Date: 2004-05-19 06:17
LeWhite ... I own a Leblanc effer and chose it (over Buffet the vampire slayer version) because it's keys were "less cramped" for me ... and I've got bloody big hands.
my two cents worth
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2004-05-19 15:03
Thanks, GBK...
FWIW, I don't remember having any problems with hand size the last time I played an eefer. Of course that was 13 or 14 years ago so I could be remembering wrong.
I guess my general impression, then, is that the older Selmers are good no matter what the reason for choosing them (i.e., hands, intonation, sound). As I've said before, the Selmer CT that one of my students uses (belongs to her high school) is absolutely fabulous. Now to find one!
Katrina
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2004-05-19 15:28
The smaller the instrument, the tighter the tolerances in all dimensions. To the player, of an Eb Clarinet, this means that it's easy for a minor difference in manufacturing to make a major difference in playing.
Accordingly, even more so than with Bb Clarinets, it is a poor plan to buy any Eefer unless you have played that very instrument and are well satisfied with its intonation and other playing characteristics. Each Eb Clarinet, in my view, should be treated as an individual -- not part of a manufacturer's stable. One of the best Eefers I ever played had no name on it; another with no name was without doubt the worst. And a couple of "name brand" Eefers have been pretty sad.
Regards,
John
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Author: Brad
Date: 2004-05-19 17:51
I have very large hands and the one I found that offered the best balance between tone, intonation, and finger space was the Buffet RC. I feel like a fish out of water on the eefer but I have received compliments from other woodwind players on my sound and intonation. So I am pretty pleased with my Buffet.
Brad Cohen
Clarinetist
la_brad@yahoo.com
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Author: claaaaaarinet!!!!
Date: 2004-05-19 22:02
If you're leaning toward an older Selmer Eb, I happen to know that Groth Music in Bloomington, MN, has two 15-20 year old professional-level Selmers that have never been sold. I played them when I was shopping for an Eb six months ago. I didn't purchase one, but they were offering them at a considerable discount.
www.grothmusic.com
800.969.4772
FWIW, I ended up going with a Yamaha Eb. To my taste, it was by far the best model I tried and I have been very happy with it so far.
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Author: LeOpus1190s
Date: 2004-05-20 00:05
First off all... what people endorse in public isn't necessarily what they actually use all the time.
My expierence has been with Buffet, Yamaha, and Leblanc Eb clarinets.
from the batch of ten yamaha's that I tried I didn't care for one, they had a rather stuffy, out of tune sound, The throat tones were horrendous.
Leblancs are pretty nice when it comes to Eb's. They sound more like a Bb Clarinet with extremely stable pitch and a nice dark focused sound.
Of course though I am partial to Buffet prestige RC's and Prestige R13.
I like the tone that the regular r-13 eb's get but I hate nickle plating and for some reason the high C's are about 40 cents sharp.
Does selmer make a signature eb clarinet?
Just curious
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2004-05-20 01:31
claaaaaaaaaaarinet...
As luck would have it, I do live in the Twin Cities...I'll have to make a run over there and check them out.
Did you buy a new Yamaha?? And from whom?
Katrina
Post Edited (2004-05-20 01:32)
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Author: claaaaaarinet!!!!
Date: 2004-05-23 06:22
Katrina,
I bought a new Yamaha from Groth. I had bought an R13 from International Musical Suppliers in Des Plaines, IL, but when I tried the Yamaha they had at Groth I sent the R13 back. I had driven down to International and tried all of the Eb's they had in stock, including Yamaha, Buffet and Patricola. The Yamaha that I finally bought was really outstanding in my opinion. I had previously tried Joe Longo's Yamaha (the Eb player in the Minnesota Orchestra) and had really liked it as well.
BTW, for those interested, both Joe Longo and Fred Hedling (Bass clarinet) have announced their retirements. The Minnesota Orchestra will be holding auditions for BOTH of these positions this coming fall.
Post Edited (2004-05-23 06:24)
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