 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sinkdraiN
Date: 2005-04-24 04:10
I was given the opportunity to try several upper end clarinets over the weekend. My three favorites was the Yamaha CSG, R13, and Selmer Signature. The CSG was mot impressive both in playability and price.
I recently played an SE-V and found it a little on the bright side. I find something slightly synthetic about the tone- hard for me to explain. The CSG had a more covered dark sound. The tone was big yet focused enough to project well. The lower register was absolutely huge. It almost sounded like a bass clarinet down there. The CSG reminded me of the tonal concept of a B40 mouthpiece. It has a huge dark bottom to the sound with a slight ring hovering right on top of the sound. The voicings of each note and register was very consistant. I did not have to color any notes or deal with any major resistance issues throughout the range of the horn. The clarinet is also very light and the keywork feels great.
The R13s had a beautiful tone as well. However, dealing with resistance, voicing, and tuning changes from note to note became increasingly annoying. The Signature had a darker more velvety tone than the CSG. No major voicing or tuning problems with that horn (signature). The Selmer weighed a ton but was great overall.
The CSG lists at half the price of a Signature. I just really prefered the CSG because of the huge dark sound with the ringing tone above it all. It was so easy to play and was easier to push to fff than the Selmer.
The barrels on the CSG are very short. I don't think you could buy a chadash or anyother custom barrel for it. Yamaha did provide about 10 barrels with different tapers. These barrels made a HUGE difference in resistance.
I played 3 CSGs and they all played slightly different. All three played equally in tune with consistant voicings and resistance between notes, etc.. The differences were in the balance between the "big fat bottom" and the slight "ring" that floats above the tone. I liked the one with the medium amount of "ring" (if that makes any sense?).
One of the CSGs had hamilton plated keys. It certainly played different to my ears but I do not know if the plating was the true cause.
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-04-24 17:59
Did you like the Hamilton or the silver keys better?
I will be trying out some CSG's soon and I am pleased to hear that someone likes them. I have tried many R13's lately and have been disappointed with the intonation. They have a nice tone, but the intonation was crazy. My clarinet right now is a intermediate Yamaha and I am looking for a professional horn, so hopefully the CSG will be what I am looking for!
Tell me more about these barrels with different tapers. Does Yamaha give you 10 barrels, how does this all work?
Thanks for the review!
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Author: sinkdraiN
Date: 2005-04-24 19:45
I did prefer the hamilton keys. That instrument had a slightly more covered tone. Pretty much all the clarinet players there did. Still, I liked all three variations of the CSG better than any of the other clarinets at the convention. I'm pretty surprised by this, actually. I can not say if the plating is actually what made the difference. But there was a difference.
The barrels seemed like experimentations from the Yamaha factory. I doubt stores would carry them but the rep told me Yamaha could make any of them for a consumer. At a cost, i'm sure. I found the principal clarinetist in my orchestra at the convention and asked her to play them for me so I could listen from afar. She definately had a much bigger sound with the CSG than she does with her R13. I did not hear the difference between the barrels. I could certainly "feel" the difference when I was the player but not as the listener. I was told that the barrels are there for those that want a different resistance. The stock barrel played great. And thats what I would stick with.
I still can't get over how "resonant" the bottom end of the horn was. The CSG was a lot of fun. Both the Selmer Signature and the Yamaha CSG really exposed a lot of flaws in the R13.
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2005-04-25 14:40
I've been play-testing and buying some Yamaha intermediate horns for students and have been very surprised. I've found most to be good right out of the box and have purchased a couple. I may check into the CSG soon.
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-05-19 22:06
I got to try out 2 silver plated CSG's a couple of weeks ago. I naturally have a "brighter" sound, and man, this clarinet darkened it up so much! It sounds so beautiful. The wood, case, keys, etc. were all so pretty and of a nice quality. I liked the keywork- it feels exactly like a Yamaha and I play Yamaha's.
The downside: For the first 10-15 minutes this clarinet was pretty flat. I use an M15 mouthpiece 13 series profile 88. So, my teacher let me use his M15 that is tuned to A=442. It was still a little flat for a few minutes and then it got right in tune and actually a little sharp.
The 12's were very much in tune which was a huge plus because I am an intonation freak. It must have good intonation in my book!
So, I was wondering if this German bored with French keywork clarinet is tuned to something different or requires a higher pitched mouthpiece? I like this clarinet a lot, but I'm just confused on what to do with the intonation (which is 100% better than any Buffet I've tried lately). Do I need to get a German mouthpiece and German reeds for this clarinet? Please help!
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2005-05-20 08:35
As I have commented a couple of times before, the 13 series mouthpieces seem to play flat on many instruments. I use one on my plastic Yamaha, but when I came to buy a wooden instrument it was too flat on every instrument I tried, even the R13 it is supposedly built for. The shop expressed no surprise at all.
As for what mouthpiece you should use - what mouthpiece is it supplied with? If it's a French style mouthpiece, then I guess that a French style mouthpiece should be fine.
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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.
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Author: Bas
Date: 2005-05-20 11:19
Did you check the tuning with the orginal mouthpiece?
I you like to try a German model mouthpiece you need one with a Reform-Boehm bore.
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Author: jez
Date: 2005-05-20 11:36
Bas,
The CSG is available with a barrel that enables you to use your German model mouthpiece. This could be a very good instrument for reform boehm players to try.
I think they make a fantastic sound.
Make sure you're happy with the length of the barrel.
jez
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Author: Dan Oberlin ★2017
Date: 2005-05-20 12:57
I have a set of CSG's and have played more than 600 hours now on the
B flat. That instrument is the easiest clarinet to play in tune that I've ever used,
though, of course, it's not perfect. By the way, my mouthpiece is a refaced M13.
The A may be the best clarinet I've ever played, period. But it was bought for my
daughter and she tends to monopolize its use. She had a little trouble playing it
up to pitch during the winter months. (Her mouthpiece is the same as mine, but she tends to voice a bit lower.) We compensated for this by using a shorter barrel,
made by Bob Scott for a very reasonable price. But with the arrival of warmer weather she's fine with the stock barrel. That's good because it appears that Yamaha goes to a little trouble to match the barrels with the clarinets. Of the eight I've tried, each sounded worse with any barrel different from the one which came with it. By the way, as those of you who are familiar with these instruments know, their barrels are so short that you cannot use standard aftermarket barrels. Carrie, if you're seriously interested in buying one these clarinets you should try several with your own mouthpiece to see if they also play low for you. If they do, you might consider contacting Yamaha about the possibility of getting a shorter barrel to use as you audition instruments and to keep if you find a horn you like.
D.O.
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-05-20 21:39
I'm hoping on trying some more of these CSG's at OU. Do you think some Yamaha reps will be there?
I didn't try the stock mouthpiece because a potential college professor of mine got 2 of them shipped to him and the mouthpieces were still in the wrapping and I didn't know if I could or not! Hopefully again, there will be some at OU.
Would it be ok to get a shorter barrel on a clarinet that already has a short barrel? If yes, then I'll definitely ask Yamaha about it! I tend to play flat in the winter as well, but I'm usually smack dab in tune the rest of the year.
This is just a question of curiosity. The CSG has a 56.4 or 54.6 can't remember which length barrel. What would happen if I put a 66 mm barrel on it? I know it would be flat, but would it be like an A clarinet? Sorry if this is a dumb question, I am just curious.
I'm really really really considering the CSG. I just want to try out a Leblanc Concerto II now and see which one I like better. That's what I've narrowed it down to.
Thanks!
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2005-05-20 21:51
"What would happen if I put a 66 mm barrel on it? I know it would be flat, but would it be like an A clarinet?"
It would be a very out-of-tune clarinet. An A clarinet is rather more than an inch longer than a Bb. Adding 10 mm, which is 0.4 inch, would give you a horribly flat and out-of-tune Bb.
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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.
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Author: bkmorton
Date: 2005-05-25 01:53
I purchased my CSG about several months ago and I still enjoy playing it.
The problems I am having with the horn is I keep trying to compensate as if I was playing my old Festival. I am working on the Copland Concerto again and I am having some trouble with the jumps to the high notes. It is a great exercise for learning the horn better but it is dificult. I was able to do it on my Festival but I played it for 6 years before I attempted the Copland. It doesn't need as much pressure for the high notes. I have to adjust my control in order for it to work.
It seems that I do not need to half hole on the horn with the high notes. Does anyone else feel that way?
It is dificult to adjust to any new horn after playing on a different brand for so long.
The intonation is still great. I use a Clark Fobes CF + mouthpiece. I do need to pull out at the barrel just a tad.
Not a plug but for your benifit:The yamaha website is giving a $100 rebate on any CSG, CSV or SEV model clarinet that was purchased between Feb. 1, 2005 and June 30th, 2005. I say this because it is not advertised at the stores usually. It was a nice thing to find out after I got my horn.
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Author: dtiegs
Date: 2011-05-29 17:06
NOT to worry everyone. Yamaha has made a set of tuning barrels especially for the CSG's only $100 bucks, if you could afford the instrument, you can definitely afford these. (WWBW)
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