 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Melissa
Date: 2000-06-20 20:59
Im looking at buying a clarinet for university my father insitists in knowing weather a profesional clrinet is a requierment. I insist that it will have lots to do with my playing, cause I have already grown out of my student model. If porfessional clarinet is not a requiermetn...will semi pro do? any info on this will be nice!
Mel
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Author: KevinS
Date: 2000-06-20 21:33
Melissa,
A professional clarinet will DEFINITELY improve your experience in college. If your father is concerned with cost, look at used professional grade instruments. (Be sure to have them checked out by your teacher, if you have one, or by a music shop you trust.) Often you can acquire a professional grade horn in great condition for the cost of a new mid-range instrument.
Good Luck!
Kevin
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Author: stephen
Date: 2000-06-20 21:33
I believe that buying a pro-grade clarinet would be very good in your case how you are wanting to go to college with it. If after college you don't want to continue you should sell it. If I could recommend one clarinet to you it would have to be the R-13 it is a pro-grade instrument but it isn't the most expensive on the market. you can find a silver plated R-13 for approximately $1800 from most catologs. Such as the Woodwind and brasswind, or even weiner music. I don't think I'm aloud to tell you the number because of the rules here but you can look them up or I could E-mail you personally, tell me if you would like to. The main thing here is how much your parents are willing to spend. I don't think that colleges realy can tell you what instrument you have to have. Don't quote me on that, though. Then again you don't want to go to a top university in your state, and play on a piece of junk, I you aren't into spending a bunch of money on a new clarinet. You could look in local pawn shops or on ebay. Thay have a HUGE selection of great quality instruments. I hope this helps you out!!!
Sincerely,
Stephen :-)
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Author: Meri
Date: 2000-06-20 21:34
Melissa:
First, are you planning to major in music?
Since you have outgrown your student grade instrument, you might consider purchasing a used professional-grade one, which are about the cost of a new intermediate. See my article on purchasing used clarinets, under Visitor Uploads.
You may also have the option of trading the instrument in. But that depends on whether or not you intend to be a part of marching band in university.
Meri
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Author: Bob Gardner
Date: 2000-06-20 22:03
Melissa;
I'm an expert when it comes to buying clarinets. I have purchased five horns off of ebay and loved everyone of them. I have found the two that I want to keep. My point is that there are some great horns out there. I think what you have to decide is what do you want--an R13, opus, a rossi or whatever and then start looking for it. Go to stores and try differant horns, talk to your friends or people you are going to attend college with. Get differant input and then happy shopping.
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Author: mark weinstein
Date: 2000-06-20 22:24
I think the decision on "which one" should wait until you get to school. Then your NEW clarinet teacher can assist you in selecting the right instrument. There is potential for waste if you proceed now. ***SO, no rush.***
I take private instruction from a University Professor ... and I have seen my teacher shake her head ... (negatively, with a sad look on her face, when discussing a student who bought the WRONG clarinet before coming to college, rather than waiting)
BEST OF LUCK IN COLLEGE ! mw
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Author: paul
Date: 2000-06-20 22:25
Keep the student grade horn if you intend to march outdoors with it or use it in rough conditions (heat, cold, dry, moist and quick changes in between). If you get a good pro grade horn, don't abuse it by encouraging cracks. Keep it comfortable in an indoor climate at all times.
I ditto the point on finding a good used pro grade horn, especially if you have professional contacts who can fetch a very good one for you. You will pay much less than for a new horn and the quality will still be very good to outstanding.
I know of a college clarinet performance major who had a 30 year old professionally hand picked R-13 that was absolutely fabulous. A major city orchestra's principal chair clarinetist was her tutor and he found a real gem of a horn for her. She paid about half of today's retail price for it, but I believe it would have been a decent value even at full price. This 30 year old horn was used rarely by a fellow pro as a back-up horn. It had perfect regulation (key adjustment), perfect intonation, fantastic tone, and feather touch/lightning fast key action. It may have been a 30 year old horn by calendar age, but it was basically new and just broken in by actual use. This is the ideal case, of course. But, it never hurts to ask around and see if a very good used pro grade horn is available. I believe you can get a lot of value out of a horn like this, especially if it came directly from a professional clarinetist.
If you find a used horn, ask if it has been regulated by a pro (a good thing), pinned (a bad thing and makes the price much lower typically), repadded (neutral, depending on age and condition), had new springs anywhere (neutral, depending on age and condition), if the keys had ever been removed for any reason (good for rework, bad if it's because of abuse), and what conditions was it stored and used in (outdoors generally bad, indoors generally good). Finally, ask about how much the horn has been played over the years. 5 to 10 hours/week is generally par for an adult novice like me, but it's enough to keep the horn in perfect playing condition. Any less playing time, be suspicious, significantly more playing time be equally suspicious if the person doesn't seem to have the skills to match the claim. Check for the infamous "I stored it in the attic" phrase, which is almost always very bad. See if you can talk the the horn's actual owner, too. Just like buying a used car, make sure you ask lots of piercing questions like these to make sure you get your money's worth from the deal.
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Author: jUDY
Date: 2000-06-22 02:41
I'm looking to buy a new clarinet for my daughter who will be a Freshmen in the Fall. She has done well with the instrument but is still playing a beginners instrument. She has her eye on a R13 Buffet what is your opinion on the instrument since I have no musical experience. Any other brands we should be looking at? Thanks.
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Author: Sarah
Date: 2000-06-27 19:28
I just have to say that LeBlanc makes very nice horns..... also pretty much any horns made in paris are nice. I know because me and my friends have parisian (is that the right word?)clarinets. I personaly like Leblanc because that is what i own.
You probably shouldn't listen to me because I'm only in 7th grade..... oh well
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