 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Andy Brendler
Date: 2000-06-27 13:01
Just curious. How are the colored Vito Dazzlers looked upon by school bands (the inside kind) and orchestras? I would think that having one red clarinet amidst a sea of black clarinets would be rather distracting and quite unpopular with directors.
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Author: stephen
Date: 2000-06-27 13:28
I don't think they really care about the color. What I do know is that they are a piece of crap!! They have horrible tone quality! Then again I do not know any plastic clarinet that has great tone quality!!!!!!! hope this helps
Sincerely,
Stephen :-)
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Author: Fred McKenzie
Date: 2000-06-27 15:11
Andy Brendler wrote:
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Just curious. How are the colored Vito Dazzlers looked upon by school bands (the inside kind) and orchestras?
Andy-
I understand one reason the Dazzlers are sold, is so a school can outfit the Clarinet section with their school colors. I think having only one or two such odd instruments would distract from the uniform appearance of the Band.
I was interested in obtaining a red or green Dazzler just for use at our Band's Christmas Concert. For that one concert, members are encouraged to decorate their larger instruments. Some people even have battery-powered blinking lights!
Several weeks ago, there was a colored Leblanc Vito Bass Clarinet sold on E-Bay. Does anyone know if there is a Dazzler Bass Clarinet currently available?
Fred
<A HREF="http://www.dreamnetstudios.com/music/mmb/index.htm">MMB</A>
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-06-27 17:05
stephen wrote:
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I don't think they really care about the color. What I do know is that they are a piece of crap!! They have horrible tone quality! Then again I do not know any plastic clarinet that has great tone quality!!!!!!! hope this helps
Sincerely,
Stephen :-)
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The Dazzlers are designed to make a flashy show for such things as marching bands etc. To be effective, the section needs to be all one color.
I take exception to your statement that Vitos are crap. They are a beginner grade plastic horn. As such, they are one of the four best available instruments in this class. With a good and mouthpiece (not the stock mouthpiece), they are really quite good.
I use a Vito when the community band plays outdoors and the weather may be questionable. Of course I do use a really good mouthpiece and reeds. My seat mates did not notice that I was playing a Vito until I pointed it out to them. They were surprised at the excellent tone as they too had the mindset that plastic horns are no good.
The biggest problems with beginner clarinets in general are not the clarinet but these items.
1. Poor mouthpiece
2. Poor reed
3. Poor maintenance
4. Abuse of the instrument by the student
5. Beginners are playing them. Thus the embouchure and breath control simply aren't there.
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Author: gRAHAM
Date: 2000-06-27 21:31
charles fails music has a vito white bass clarient for sale
http://www.charlesfail.com/Clarinets.htm
GRaham
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Author: stephen
Date: 2000-06-27 22:29
I meant that in a major orchestra where people are using pro-grade instruments to have one in a major orchestra or even a small orchestra, It is not worth anything! I understand that a good mouthpiece, ligature, and reed set-up can help. The clarinet is worthless to a serious orchestra!
Stephen :-)
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-06-27 23:10
stephen wrote:
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I meant that in a major orchestra where people are using pro-grade instruments to have one in a major orchestra or even a small orchestra, It is not worth anything! I understand that a good mouthpiece, ligature, and reed set-up can help. The clarinet is worthless to a serious orchestra!
Stephen :-)
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But that is true of *any* beginner clarinet regardless of brand. Since in the written postings, we can't see each others expressions, gestures, or hear the tone of voice sometimes the meaning is not as clear as we want it to be. It sounded as if you were targeting it as particularly bad instrument, which it is not. Within its class and for its intended purpose (and that purpose is *not* the "serious" orchestra), it is a good instrument.
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Author: Ginny
Date: 2000-06-27 23:19
Best Music in Oakland, CA had three on display when I was there last Sat. Red, white and blue of course. I think they have a website at best.4the.net or com.
Ginny
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Author: Stephen
Date: 2000-06-28 01:46
The post stated a question about how Orchestras and bands, thought about the dazzler. It is a plastic clarinet. I believe that people are looked down upon for having a plastic clarinet for a major orchestra. There may be times when they are wanted, but there are more times when they are not.
Stephen
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Author: RJ
Date: 2000-06-28 02:28
Stephen,
Actually, the original question was in reference to *school* bands or orchestras...
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Author: Andy Brendler
Date: 2000-06-28 16:28
>Actually, the original question was in reference to
>*school* bands or orchestras...
... and, in retrospect, I probably should have said GRADE SCHOOL bands. My 9 year old son WILL be getting a plastic clarinet! I'm sure it will be black (he'll want the gloss, I like the simulated wood finish), but I was just wondering what the reaction would be to a different color.
Somehow, I don't think that a high quality wooden clarinet would be very well received in any serious orchestra if it was painted candy apple red. The question was of color.
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Author: Ginny
Date: 2000-06-28 18:05
Andy, I can very much recommend old Vitos, but get a clarinetist to try one out with you (if you are not a clarinetist, yourself). My son has the pick of the litter, from six used ones. It plays very very well, and he gets a lovely tone from it. We just got another mouthpiece and a Rovner cloth ligature, he sounds so nice! I hope you will invest in a decent mouthpiece and get good reeds, it really helps. Of course he still wants my clarinet. But, the student model wooden clarinets don't sound better than plastic.
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Author: Allen Cole
Date: 2000-06-28 18:51
I'd like to know how many of the dazzlers get sold. I saw one in Lucerne, Switzerland and the clerk told me it was a 'clown' instrument.
L.A. Sax tried to do the decorator color thing some years ago, but I'm not seeing many around.
Maybe the best indicator for keeping the clarinets black is the fact that saxophones with black lacquer are growing in popularity. (which should get pretty interesting as the lacquer starts to wear...)
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Author: Fred McKenzie
Date: 2000-06-28 19:20
Allen Cole wrote:
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I'd like to know how many of the dazzlers get sold.
Allen-
There have been a number of them on E-Bay over the last several weeks, but most were as new from a music store up in Minnesota. Bidding was lively for some of the colors, but seldom reached the "reserve", which was apparently around $350.
There are currently two on E-Bay from different sellers, a red one and a yellow one. Neither of these have a reserve price, and bidding is currently in the $150 range with around two days left in each auction. The red one currently has only one bidder, while the yellow one has six.
I don't know how well they sell new from Leblanc. If the auctions are any indication, they would sell well at around $150, but probably not at their "value" of around $250/used or $600/new.
Fred
<A HREF="http://www.dreamnetstudios.com/music/mmb/index.htm">MMB</A>
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-06-28 22:37
In pro orchestras and even in a great number of amateur bands, even the attire to wear for a performance is dictated. So I'm sure colored clarinets would go over like a lead balloon.
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Author: Rob
Date: 2000-06-29 01:25
I find two things about this discussion remarkable; firstly, that no one has suggested asking the school band director if the presence of a brightly colored clarinet a cause for concern and secondly, that there is even a discussion on the color of the equipment taking place. When I was in school (way back in the 70s - ooh, aah) the focus, even in elementary school, was on music and musicianship and not the aesthetics of someone's equipment. When there are so many school kids who can't even begin to afford to have any instrument at all to learn and play, I would be surprised to hear that any teacher would make an issue of it either. When my own teacher suggested that I should get rid of my Selmer 10 and get a Buffet R13, I suggested that he should pay for it himself if he wanted me to change my equipment that badly (I was a very outspoken teenager) That, as you can imagine, quickly ended that discussion. Suddenly My Selmer series 10 became quite acceptable to him. He even admitted two years later that he had been wrong to suggest such a thing. Even if your child is in public school, one should never lose sight of who is the buyer and who is the seller.
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Author: Jim
Date: 2000-06-29 05:36
There is a place where appearance is nearly as important as music, and that is in competitive marching band. As the parent of a student in a "Tournament of Bands" (10 states in the mid-Atlantic area) school, I've seen dozens of marching bands and NEVER have seen any instrument in any but the traditional colors.
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-06-29 06:01
I've only seen one marching band at our games with colored (red) clarinets. When I asked about them, they stated that the school provided them for marching season only. In concert season they had to use their own horns.
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Author: Doc
Date: 2000-07-02 05:01
The University of PIttsburgh marching band uses all metal clarinets In the one dixie band where I live, the lead clarinet plays on a white clarinet (not sure if it's a dazler or what), the trumpet is a black LA Sax, The tuba is stiped in green, with a silver t-bone... intersting to see them all coming down... like a freak show But hell, they sound great. For a show band, I can see color and style as a selling point.
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Author: Allen Cole
Date: 2000-07-03 02:55
There was a similar situation at an Amusement Park in my area. Wild paint jobs on all. (okay, LACQUER jobs)
The venue that you describe is perfect for a Dazzler. I'd get one myself, but I just bought a Buffer B12 for student/outdoor use.
ps -- Vito made a white clarinet at least 30 years ago. I don't know of any other colors prior to Dazzler.
Allen
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Author: Doc
Date: 2000-07-03 03:21
That's why I play on a metal job still for almost everything I do... And no to any one around thinking about bringing these in to orchestra... My conducter told me "Get that piece of shit out of here". He himself is a clarinetist. I was coming back from a gig, and I use this clar in jazz settings. I didn't feel no real need to bring my "classical" horn with me, cause with three cases and a sound box that's way too much... I know I could have blended because I've used this horn/set up for clar ensamble. But naaa, it was just too much to even be at rehersal with one of these jobs. I ended up playing that day, and the conductor complimented me/warned me. So that's what happens when you bring something in that's not the same as everyone else
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Author: Fred McKenzie
Date: 2000-07-03 19:42
Allen Cole wrote:
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ps -- Vito made a white clarinet at least 30 years ago. I don't know of any other colors prior to Dazzler.
Allen-
As gRAHAM noted above, Vito also made a white Bass Clarinet.
I recall seeing a blue Vito Clarinet in a pawn shop about 10 or 15 years ago. Soon after that, I read somewhere that it was a collectible. I don't think it was the same as the ones produced today. As I recall, it had a metal ring around the bottom of the bell, and I don't think the modern Dazzler does.
If there were other colors produced prior to the Dazzlers, they seem to be rather rare now.
Fred
<A HREF="http://www.dreamnetstudios.com/music/mmb/index.htm">MMB</A>
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Author: Doc
Date: 2000-07-04 03:11
how much you think painting (I cringe at saying that) would screw an instrument up? I really don't think this would be a very good idea... hmmm... I think, it's a lot of attention to draw to people Whatcha think the best way of going about this would be? stripper? Super fine sandpaper? what would make a good coat? something water based and then a laquer?
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Author: Kontragirl
Date: 2000-07-10 21:38
Doc wrote:
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how much you think painting (I cringe at saying that) would screw an instrument up? I really don't think this would be a very good idea... hmmm... I think, it's a lot of attention to draw to people Whatcha think the best way of going about this would be? stripper? Super fine sandpaper? what would make a good coat? something water based and then a laquer?
I'm sure you could have a professional relaquer (if that's a word) any plastic clarinet any color you want. It would be expensive, and IMHO, pointless, but you could do it.
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