 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: CathyJ23
Date: 2004-11-29 18:14
Actually, not first, we have been renting for 4 months and my 12 year old son seems to be very interested in continuing. I would like to purchase a clarinet that will take him at least through high school. He currently is playing a VITO (don't know the model ##) stock (not extra mouthpiece, etc). I've learned a lot here, but I am still having a problem deciding on a clarinet. I'm leaning toward Buffet B12, but also considering the Vito, Yamaha and Artley. All the models considered are plastic/resonite since I think he may want to play in the marching band in high school.
We have already had to take the Vito in for service as one of the pads came loose. We live in a very rural area and I really don't want to spend every weekend driving to get the clarinet serviced :(. I will probably be purchasing new or nearly new since there is not a used dealer in the area and I don't want to buy someone else's problem on ebay.
I am looking at a new mouthpiece either way. My son has been VERY lucky to have a great music teacher and a couple of more advanced friends playing clarinet who have started him off well.
Your opinions/experiences are greatly appreciated.
Cathy
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Author: Bnatural
Date: 2004-11-29 18:35
Their will be some dissagreement about this but, a plastic clarinet won't get him through high school. Most of us that play in both concert and marching band have at least two clarinets. Buy him a plastic one for now and then during junior high if he's still interested buy him a wooden clarinet. The plastic one will only set you back a few hundred dollars. One that will keep him happy through high school will cost more.
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Author: CathyJ23
Date: 2004-11-29 19:08
YIKES, I was afraid of that He is in Jr High now though. 7th grade.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-11-29 19:40
CathyJ23 wrote:
> YIKES, I was afraid of that He is in Jr High now though. 7th
> grade.
I'll reference you to a recent post on pretty much the identical situation (good first purchase) http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=163842&t=163842
Don't worry about 'upgrading' until high school.
And FYI, the good thing about quality clarinets is they hold their resale value very well so you don't have to worry too much about losing everything you invested in one.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2004-11-29 20:15
Cathy,
I've been playing clarinet 45 years and bought and sold more than 400 clarinets (beginner and professional) kind of as a hobby for the last several years. I always hand-selected instruments for people, so never was into mass purchasing. I don't have any for sale right now, so this isn't a sales pitch--but I have just purchased two for my own use. I play in an international orchestra and also in a community band where we play outdoor concerts. So, I have a new Buffet R-13 and just bought a new Forte from The Doctor (he's a sponsor of this board). I am going to be playing the Forte in all my outdoor concerts this Christmas season (tomorrow night is the first one). The price is excellent and he gives you all you need on it--a great mouthpiece, ligature, tuning barrel and wonderful case, along with the absolute best plastic instrument I've ever play-tested or sold (and I've sold them all over the years). Go to http://www.doctorsprod.com and click onto Forte and ask him about this great instrument. I guarantee your son will be able to play this one into high school and beyond and while he's doing it he can save money towards the wooden Buffet R-13 he'll be wanting as he improves.
The Forte is not just for students. I have a lot of professional friends who are getting one for their outdoor concerts. I happen to know he has a few left of his last production line. Also, if he's out I know someone who has one left in his stock.
Check out the former conversations about this great clarinet by doing a search on this board and using "Forte clarinet."
Also, the Dr. got mine to me within just a few days. He also gives you an option period to return it if you need to. I can't say enough positive things about him and his products. And, no, I don't get anything for mentioning this.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2004-11-29 21:13
fwiw, i point most new students to wwbw.com , and a buffet E-11 with a vandoren 5rv-lyre mouthpiece and a rovner dark ligature. (phone prices are cheaper than those posted on their web page, call them).
when they hit 9th grade, sell the e-11 upgrade to an R-13.
for high school marching, a 2nd horn, plastic, used. rebuilt ones can be had for under $200, see the classifieds on this site.
ask 200 folks on this board which brand/model is best, you'll get about 195 different answers....
whats do your school's band directors suggest?
regards
paul
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
Post Edited (2004-11-29 21:27)
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2004-11-30 00:38
A plastic clarinet (Yamaha student model) got me through high school and a couple years of college. Granted, I wasn't taking lessons at the time.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: allencole
Date: 2004-11-30 04:46
I'd go on and save a few dollars with a used plastic instrument. That'll give you some room to save for a pro model if things work out in the future. Some music stores rent second-hand instruments at cheaper rates, and such an instrument will probably have been adjusted and checked in the repair shop before being rented.
Of course, that's a really good price on the Forte. If I were going to mail order, I think that's what I'd try.
Allen Cole
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Author: jArius
Date: 2004-11-30 05:19
I had a Bundy that got me all the way through middle and high school. Pretty cheap, easy to repair, though I wouldn't recommend going to scholarship auditions with it. Still, it's a pretty durable instrument.
Jeremy Bruins
Proud member of the too-much-time-on-my-hands club.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2004-11-30 13:41
Unless he is going to pursue music as a career or a lifelong hobby a good quality student plastic horn (Leblanc, Buffet, Selmer, Yamaha) will get him all the way through high school. However he will need a better mouthpiece than that which comes with the horn. The mouthpiece is more important than the horn itself (and much cheaper) so long as one does have a decent quality instrument and not some clarinet shaped piece of junk. Proper maintenance is also required. Many student horns are prematurely retired when all they really need is some new pads and corks.
Now if he is going to pursue music as a career or part time career, early high school is a good time to upgrade as by then the student should have a better understanding of the care required for the instrument. It certainly wouldn't hurt to make him earn half or more of the cost of the instrument either.
If he is going to pursue this as a hobby as an adult but not as a career, he can buy his own quality horn later unless you wish to and can afford to do so.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-11-30 14:10
Dee wrote:
> It certainly wouldn't hurt to
> make him earn half or more of the cost of the instrument
> either.
>
> If he is going to pursue this as a hobby as an adult but not as
> a career, he can buy his own quality horn later unless you wish
> to and can afford to do so.
So harsh!!! ![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif)
And a reminder again, they hold their value well. So if you buy used, you can probably sell it used at very close to the same price. Even off in the future some bit.
US Army Japan Band
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Author: William
Date: 2004-11-30 14:48
A Buffet E11 clarinet is a "quality" clarinet and should--with a professional mouthpiece--be sufficient in tone quality and intonation for any level of playing, be it high school, college or adult community ensemble. If your son decides to pursue a clarinet major in college with aspirations for professional performance beyond, then would be the time to upgrade to a professional level Buffet, LeBlanc, Selmer or Yamaha.
As for middle school, the Vito should be sufficient, so I recommend having it repaired to "playing condition". Most often, an expensive complete overhaul is not necessary and a relatively cheap playing condition "make over"--where only the things that are really broke are fixed--is all that is needed. Also, be certain that your son is playing on a good mouthpiece. I like the Selmer HS** or B facings, the M13 Lyre, the Larry Combs #3 or the LeBlanc K10 series. Also, there are some fine student mouthpieces available from Walter Grabner and Clark W Fobes, sponsers of this BB. (I play one of Walter's pro level mouthpieces, and love it)
Something else to keep in mind, if you upgrade to a wood clarinet in highschool, do not trade the Vito in as part of the purchase deal. Keep it for those out-of-doors parade and marching band performances your son will most likely be a part of. The plastic Vito will withstand a lot more environmental abuse--cold temps, rain, dropping or other unfortunate collisions, etc--than the pricey (and much more fragil) wooden upgrade.
Post Edited (2004-11-30 14:50)
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