 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: choey
Date: 2005-01-05 22:59
hi.
forgive me for being such a n00b but i can't seem to make up my mind. i'm thinking about buying a new mp in place for a nameless mp that came with my clarinet. i'm a beginner so i won't need to spend a $150 mp or something.
i've narrowed my search to Fobes Debut and Vandoren 5RVL, and i'm indecisive at this point.
i can buy the vandoren mp for about 20 more dollars than the fobes one, so i guess money's not a big issue but the quality.
reviews are as follows:
Vandoren 5RVL:
Responsive, easy to control in all registers, the 5RV Lyre is excellent for students and easily finds a home in symphonic and chamber music.
Fobes Debut:
Without a doubt, the finest student model clarinet mouthpiece on the market and with the newly designed tip, they are better than ever!Hand finished and play tested to insure consistency, these mouthpieces promote proper embouchure development and focus of sound.
i like the "easy to control in all registers" part about the 5RVL, but as i am a student, i like the promoting "proper embouchure development and focus of sound" part of the debut.
also, i read that vandoren mps can be quite inconsistent among the same type of mps, while debuts are "play tested to insure consistency."
i don't think i'll be trying out different mps to find a satisfactory one, so should i take a chance at vandoren or go safe with debut?
thanks.
Post Edited (2005-01-05 23:00)
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-01-06 01:51
Order both.
Return one
By the way - in regard to all the publicity hype you quoted:
Read 100% of it.
Believe 1% of it.
What do you expect them to say??
NOT "easy to control in all registers"
..GBK
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Author: choey
Date: 2005-01-06 04:30
yeah, i guess you have a point.
i'm not sure from where i'll be purchasing the mp (may be the local music shop, the internet, etc.) so returning isn't so easy for me.
when people claimed that the vandoren mps are very inconsistent within the same type and needed to try out 20+ mps to find the satisfactory one, did they mean that the unsatisfactory ones were almost unplayable?
or is the satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only conspicuous to pro-level players and not for beginners like me?
if such "unsatisfactory" vandoren 5RVL is still better than the Debut, shouldn't i go for the 5RVL?
thanks.
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Author: Jimmy Zhong
Date: 2005-01-06 04:56
wwbw offers a return policy on mouthpieces. Your local music shop will also certainly let you try mouthpieces, if you ask.
"when people claimed that the vandoren mps are very inconsistent within the same type and needed to try out 20+ mps to find the satisfactory one, did they mean that the unsatisfactory ones were almost unplayable?
or is the satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only conspicuous to pro-level players and not for beginners like me?"
The differences are very small. To tell the truth, a beginner would likely not notice a difference between the 20 vandorens! Once you start to distinguish minute differences in sound and resistance and response, you'll get a lot more picky about your equipment. I'd recommend trying both and see which one you like better, like GBK said. I wouldn't worry too much about the mentioned inconsistencies.
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Author: choey
Date: 2005-01-06 05:01
ah, that clears some things up.
but one question still remains. if i buy a 5RVL and it's an "unsatisfactory" one (in the ears of pros), will it still be better than the Debut?
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2005-01-06 12:25
IMHO, the "Debut" mouthpiece is in a class by itself.
The Vandoren mpcs are good, but having played (owned) both the 5 RVL and the Debut, I'd say the one that stands out in my mind is the Debut (as well as its upscale siblings, the Nova and the SF). It *really* makes a difference in your playing.
By contrast, the 5 RVL is just another competent mouthpiece.
Just my experience . . .
Susan
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