 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Sean.Perrin
Date: 2005-12-10 02:02
Hi everyone,
I am relatively new to this board but I am noticing some people are recieving some very good advice so I thought I'd give this a shot.
Right now I currently own a 2003 Buffet Festival (Bb) purchased from The Clarinet Center (Peter Spriggs). Now because i'm joining orchestra at my university next year I'm purchasing an A clarinet. Here's my problem, my teacher has suggested that to match the tone quality and resistance of my Bb, he suggests that I purchase a Festival "A" that is a close match. Sounds like a fine solution, but living in Canada this is a very hard instrument to come by especially since Peter Spriggs is not carrying that model anymore.
So I've been faced with two choices...
1) Gary Armstrong (out of Ontario) has only one instrument which would probably be in fantastic professional playing condition, but I don't like the idea of having only one instrument to try out before buying. When I purchased from peter spriggs, for example, he sent me 6 horns for more than a week... I was in heaven!
2) Long and Mcquade (the local music chain in Canada) has three which they have just brought in for me to test... but I am very nervous about purchasing a fine instrument from a massive instrument chain because I feel that the condition/quality of the instrument may be less and the instrument may need to be sent away for a professional set-up anyway.
These are the only four instruments i know of in the country? So what should I do!?!
Thanks a lot for any input!
Founder and host of the Clarineat Podcast: http://www.clarineat.com
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Author: Clarinetgirl06
Date: 2005-12-10 03:06
Could you take the 3-4 instruments to a repair person to see if they have an opinion on which clarinet is the best? Maybe Backun (I don't know how far away you are from them, but they're closer than lots of people)?
Hope some others chime in with an opinion! Good luck! Hope I helped and sorry if I didn't! Good luck, seriously! : )
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Author: tims
Date: 2005-12-13 04:30
Far be it from me to disagree with your current teacher, but I would do one of two things:
1) Wait and discuss this with your new instructor in college. (trust me, coming to your first lesson and announcing you've just bought a new instrument may not sit well with your new instructor who may have strong feeling on instrument choices)
2) Choose your new instrument based solely on your preference, not on your existing instrument.
Don't let number two throw you. A's always play differently than their Bb counterpart, even in the same model, so the idea of "matching" can be somewhat subjective. Many Buffet models have basically the same bore, so at least consider other Buffet models. But the important thing here is to view this as a process of stepping up to a model that might better support your maturing playing. In other words, consider it as replacing both the Bb and the A, where you are only purchasing the A for now and the Bb later. What you don't want to do is find out later that a Buffet Tosca, a Lebanc Opus or a Selmer Recital is a better match for you and then be faced with replacing both at a later date.
Take the time to try both the Bb and A's in several makes and models, don't exclusively try A's.
For years I played on a Selmer 10 Bb and a Buffet R13 A and had no difficulty switching between the two (though I couldn't share barrels). By the time I purchaced my A, Selmer had replaced the 10 with the 10G and 10S models, neither of which I prefered over the R13 A even though I still prefered my Selmer 10 Bb over any R13 Bb. I now play on a pair of Selmer Signatures and indeed there are advantages to having the same model Bb and A (mostly intonation tendencies) but I judged the instruments individually and purchased them because they were a good horns, not because they "matched".
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Author: Sean.Perrin
Date: 2005-12-13 06:26
Although I agree with what you've said about the matching of instruments and waiting until college... I forgot to mention that next year I will be a third year performance major, and I'll be the one stepping up to fill the hole in the orchestra that's opening up. I feel I am at a stage where I can follow my teachers judgement and he is going to assist me in the purchase, to help me find a matching instrument that's good for me.
Thanks for the replies everyone, I ended up getting several personal emails from the companies in question and it turns out Gary Armstrong is getting in a large shipment of Buffets tomorrow, so we'll see what happens!
Founder and host of the Clarineat Podcast: http://www.clarineat.com
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2005-12-13 12:59
I'd wait and see what your next years teacher will say - maybe to get another Festival , maybe not!
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Author: hans
Date: 2005-12-13 13:40
Sean.Perrin,
Re: "I am very nervous about purchasing a fine instrument from a massive instrument chain because I feel that the condition/quality of the instrument may be less..."
IMO your nervousness is unfounded. I bought my three instruments new from Long & McQuade and had good buying experiences. The instruments are all excellent (Selmers: Mark VI tenor sax in 1972; Recital Bb clarinet in 1988; SA 80 II alto sax in 1995).
If there had been problems I would not have returned to buy more instruments and a very large firm may have more influence with the manufacturer than a smaller one would if you need support for a warranty claim.
Regards,
Hans
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Author: Sean.Perrin
Date: 2005-12-13 16:14
Thanks again everyone...
I know that my teacher for the next two years will remain the same... so I'm not worried about a second opinion for a couple more years anyway, perhaps if I do a masters program somwhere.
I managed to go in over the weekend and have a look at the horns that came in at Long and Mcquade. And although I have purchaseed many things from Long and Mcquade the instruments that I did look at the other day were questionable. All good horns in theory... but they had, for example, mismatched A/B bells and the key response was quite poor, I also noticed what appeared to be the first stages of a crackin the upper joint of one. All things, however, which could be rectified if I was to make a purchase, I'm sure.
Thanks again!
Founder and host of the Clarineat Podcast: http://www.clarineat.com
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2005-12-13 16:39
Walter Grabner, a sponsor here on the board, also is a Buffet dealer now. He might be able to find a good A Festival for you when you're ready. He is competitive on his prices and a truly spectacular gentleman.
But, spoken as a mother and a clarinetist, wait until you've had a chance to get to know your new prof. They always love to be involved in the decisions of their students and he/she might even know a source for a good instrument at a good price.
I used a Buffet Prestige Bb and a Leblanc Concerto A for years and didn't have a problem with them except for a momentary need to adjust right at first when switching between them.
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2005-12-13 21:38
Here is my advice, try all four instruments and return the ones you don't like. Having four horns of the same model to try is already quite good. I am pretty sure Gary Armstrong and Long and Mcquade all have some trial policy in which you can return all horns.
Also look up Pascal Veraquin in Montreal and Atelier et Boutique du Musicien
Pascal has usually some decent stock.
Best,
-Sylvain
--
Sylvain Bouix <sbouix@gmail.com>
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