 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: chipper
Date: 2005-08-22 20:06
I've been playing two years on an older VSP clarinet that I had rebuilt. New pads, adjustments, etc. Plays fine, although I do play a bit flat at times but that's probably operator malfunction, not the instrument. I use Mitchel Laurie? reeds, 2 1/2, and am trying to get used to 3 1/2s to help with the higher notes. Last weekend I tried out several new and used clarinets. Yamaha student model, (mine sounded better) a used Buffett e-11 (bent keys, diffucult to finger) and a new Buffett e-11,(fingered similar to my VSP, great tone, well to my ear anyway). Question, before I lay out the 800 bucks, how do I know if I need to upgrade? Will it just be apparent? Then, how far do I upgrade? something a bit better or top of the line?
Thanks
Carl
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-08-22 20:21
Start any upgrade search with mouthpieces, rather than instruments -- you'll get a much larger improvement with much lower monetary investment. Your VSP is probably fine for years to come.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2005-08-22 20:43
Dave:
Hear, hear!!
Carl:
When I left my student horn for the Buffet, it was obvious that the old horn just couldn't keep up. The thing I noticed the most was that the keys wouldn't follow my (faster) fingers any more.
Bob Phillips
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2005-08-22 21:56
Carl,
Sound advice above with the mouthpiece.
Also, when the time comes, if you can feasably do it, I would recommend skipping a new intermediate horn in lieu of a good used professional horn (or maybe by that time, you may have saved enough for a new professional horn). It'd be an extra few hundred (figure about 1200 for a good used R13), but it'd be well worth it if you find a good one. For both improvement in sound and also resale value in the future. Or you might strike it lucky with an extremely crappy (for lack of a better word) LOOKING professional horn that plays beautifuly (like I happened to luck out upon) for that same 800 bucks. Mine's extremely tarnished, had three cracks repaired, lost all it's goldleaf in the emblems, but plays better than anything I've ever sampled so far.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Fred
Date: 2005-08-23 12:56
Great comments. The VSP is really a pretty good clarinet - I definitely would not "upgrade" to an E11 for $800. Your next step should be a pro model which you could get used for little more than the new E11. But don't look down on your VSP.
One of your comments might indicate a flaw in your thinking. You mentioned using 2.5 reeds and desiring to move to 3.5's. You never mentioned what mouthpiece you were playing. Always remember that the mouthpiece dictates the proper reed strength. Discussing reed strength without discussing mouthpieces is really not appropriate. 2.5's might be the perfect reed for some mouthpieces and 3.5's for other mouthpieces.
So . . . what mouthpiece are you playing?
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-08-23 14:42
yeah - go higher than the E-11. That is basically a beginners model in wood. They are pretty, but pretty doesn't mean good. They aren't any better than your VSP - go for an intermediate instrument or better. I classify the E-11 as a great wooden year 1-3 clarinet.
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