 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: kschristine
Date: 2008-08-24 16:51
Hi everyone - I've just found this board because I'm trying to do some research - my daughter (5th grade) wants to do band & I know nothing about instruments. She has chosen the clarinet. I've been reading past posts regarding suggestions and they have been very helpful. I do not want to go the school route of renting/purchasing from the music store - they are offering an "Accent" brand for $730 or "only $38/per mo for....29 months!!" No thank you! They also had a "Jupiter Carnegie", and the "Yamaha advantage" priced at $660 used to $730 new. I have no prob spending the money if it is something she would want to do long term - but not right up front! I've been looking at the famous auction site and have found a few different brands at reasonable prices and would like some input. The Ridenour 147, LeBlanc 7214, Vito 7212, yamaha advantage, 20, 250, and of course buffet b12 - has anyone else bought from this "place" and what have your results been? Is there anything "telling" I should be looking for in the auctions descriptions? Certain vendors that have been more reliable than others? Reasonable prices on average that shouldn't be exceeded? Am I looking at too advanced of clarinets and is there something better for her and acceptable to the school? Also, is there anyone who is located near Wichita, KS or knows who I can contact in this area to have them check out the instrument after I have received it to make sure it doesn't need something. Any help would be greatly appreciated as the music store really was more interested in having me sign on the dotted line than informing me as to what was best for my child.
Thank you,
kschristine
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: davidsampson
Date: 2008-08-24 16:59
I bought a Vito for marching for around 75 usd from the aforementioned site. It needed to be repadded and overhauled (cost about 100usd) but that was mentioned in the description. I would say that for a plastic beginners clarinet, as long as you buy a trusted brand (the members of this site can tell you if a brand is to be trusted) then you should have no trouble buying from said site. Be prepared to put down some more money for repairs though.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2008-08-24 17:05
IMO, the clarinets you listed from "that place" all are good brands.
you might also want to look at the Forte clarinet and Ridenour Lyrique, since there have been many good comments about them.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: OldClarinetGuy
Date: 2008-08-24 17:07
I would suggest the Yamaha YCL-250. There are usually a few on EBAY for 350-450. If looking on Ebay, try to buy from a music store with a near perfect feedback. I have found this instrument to be a nice sounding, durable, easy to servicer instrument.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: pewd
Date: 2008-08-24 18:13
The standard beginner setup at the schools around here is: buffet E11, fobes Debut mouthpiece, Rovner Dark ligature. Vandoren #3.0 reeds (blue box), silk swab cloth, combination metronome/tuner.
the best course, however, is to check with the band director at your daughter's school, most bands have standard beginner equipment requirements.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: kschristine
Date: 2008-08-24 18:13
Thank you everyone for all your advice and willingness to give it - esp to someone who's just registered and is looking for something for a 5th grader. Not many people would bother! Appreciate it tons!
kschristine
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Iceland clarinet
Date: 2008-08-24 18:15
My personal experience is that the Yamaha YCL-250 hold up much better than the Buffet B-12. And just the case that the Buffet B-12 comes in now is just a plain crap. The lock will broke very soon. The old thin case that used to come with the B-12 was much better. In the music school I studied at they had like 6 or so B-12 clarinets and each of them had problems with the case and the clue that hold up the cork and such broke down very often.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: NorbertTheParrot
Date: 2008-08-24 18:19
David Sampson wrote: "It needed to be repadded and overhauled (cost about 100usd)"
Just how many years ago could you get a repad and overhaul for $100?
To the original poster .... I have to disagree with the advice above. Clarinets are easily damaged, especially by kids. A clarinet that is out of adjustment is a nightmare to play. If you buy an instrument off EBay, then even if you realise that there is something wrong with it, you may find there is a substantial bill to put it right. You can't expect the local store to do you any favours if you haven't bought from them. And all the time it's in the store, your kid is missing band classes.
If you can't buy locally from someone you know and trust, then I would look seriously at buying a new instrument from the cheapest online source, accepting that you may have to sell it on EBay yourself if your kid doesn't take to it. If you do that, there are only two choices of instrument that make sense: Yamaha YCL250 (probably the better instrument, and reputed to have better quality control in the factory) and Buffet B12 (probably the easier to sell). Either way, but especially with the Buffet, you'll probably need to buy a better mouthpiece sooner rather than later.
It beats me that schools don't arrange to sell secondhand instruments on behalf of parents. I'll bet there are plenty of these instruments gathering dust in houses on your street.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Lynn
Date: 2008-08-24 18:24
Christine,
One of the country's largest clarinet dealers is right in your back yard. Contact Gary Ray and his capable staff at Wichita Band Instrument Company. They can certainly provide sound advice to you, and they well may have a good quality student instrument that would be appropriate for your daughter. You've also received good advice from Paul Dods (PEWD) to involve the band director. So many headaches would be avoided in only the band director or his staff were able to be involved in that initial instrument purchase.
Best wishes to you and your aspiring young clarinet player.
Lynn
Austin, TX
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Drake
Date: 2008-08-26 02:26
This goes along with what Norbert said.
Clarinets are easily damaged and again, trying to play a damaged clarinet is awful. I would know, as I took my concert clarinet in a total 5 times to two different people trying to find out what was wrong with it.(Turns out the guy that had repadded it before I bought it was a bit careless in his work. He scorched the finish in several places with whatever heating implement he used to melt the adhesive. The problem turned out to be a very poorly attached pad. One side would close and grip perfectly, the other side never came close.) But I digress. My plastic clarinet(also my first) is a Selmer CL300. I've never had a problem with it. It's light and easily maintained. Besides, my clarinet teacher told me that Yamaha clarinets tend to have a certain flaw. He never told me exactly what it is though.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tobin
Date: 2008-08-26 02:29
"Besides, my clarinet teacher told me that Yamaha clarinets tend to have a certain flaw."
How long ago was that Drake? There was a time when Yamaha clarinets were mediocre at best, but their quality now is supposed to be quite good. Or could you contact the teacher to determine what they thought the mistake to be?
James
Gnothi Seauton
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Geirskogul
Date: 2008-08-26 05:51
"Besides, my clarinet teacher told me that Yamaha clarinets tend to have a certain flaw."
If it's any help, I play on a YCL-23N (the '69-'71 version of the 26/24N) and some of the springs are going to be replaced, apparently for their second time. I'm just a beginner when it comes to playing, but I've learned that as the springs in the older Yamahas start to lose tension they fall out of their "tracks" far too easily and end up scratching the area around it on the body; this also causes the keys (especially the left hand pinky key used to play C5, I don't know what it's called) to lose almost all feedback. They'll still usually play, but won't return all the way up. My instructor loved the clarinet itself, but he said that he's seen the problem on older Yamahas before.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
