 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: jeffy
Date: 2008-09-05 22:57
Plastic vs rubber?
It seems that plastic costs more in soem cases.
I want good sound and intonation but I don't want to have something that needs babysitting.
I was looking at these models. Any ideas?
Prelude Clarinet Outfit
Amati ACL 311 Clarinet Outfit
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tobin
Date: 2008-09-06 00:24
Hard rubber is better.
Plastic should not cost more unless you're looking at a reputable (plastic) instrument vs. a (rubber) piece of garbage. Haven't heard of this comparison.
Neither needs babysitting. That's wood.
No advice on the models.
James
Gnothi Seauton
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2008-09-06 00:57
A good quality starter instrument might be Tom Ridenour's Lyrique 146. Look it up at http://www.ridenourclarinetproducts.com
It will cost a little more, but the quality is in the details, and Tom knows how to build clarinets.
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2008-09-06 01:53
Jeffy -
Welcome to the board.
There have been very few hard rubber clarinets. The material is mostly used for mouthpieces. Almost all beginner instruments are made of plastic, and that's what you should get. Intermediate and professional instruments are almost all made of wood.
Unfortunately, the two clarinets you're looking at are junk. They're made of super-cheap materials, and the metal of the keys is so soft and brittle that they constantly go out of adjustment and break -- and can't be repaired.
There are four reliable makes -- in alphabetical order, Buffet, Bundy, Vito and Yamaha. Get a new one if you can afford it or a used one if you can't. Go to a reliable music store and you'll be fine. Do NOT get anything else, no matter what the salesperson tells you, and don't let yourself get talked up to a wood instrument. The plastic ones are in fact better for beginners.
If you get a used instrument, the mouthpiece will probably be beaten up. Pay the $25 price for a new Yamaha plastic mouthpiece.
Don't get a swab that has a brush inside. Get one that looks like a handkerchief with a long cloth tape sewn to it diagonally.
Don't pay the high price for a plastic reed. Begin with several plain Rico brand reeds, 1-1/2 strength.
At the very beginning, you'll need a teacher. T too many things can go wrong if you try to pick it up by yourself.
Good luck.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: hans
Date: 2008-09-06 03:37
jeffy,
Wood doesn't take excessive "babysitting".......... swab the bore and dry the joint ends carefully after every use and oil the bore about once a year.
If your perspiration is very acidic, you may need to wipe the keys after playing too.
Hans
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jeffy
Date: 2008-09-06 15:28
I just ordered the BUNDY.
Bundy BCL-300 Clarinet Outfit
(Plastic) $400
Did I do good? Would the plastic ones that cost a couple hundred more sound better or are all plastic ones about the same?
[ Snipped - GBK ]
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2008-09-06 16:44
if you were going to spend around $400, you should've bought a Forte clarinet. I hear they're very good student clarinets, and it comes with a good mouthpiece!
I don't know much about the new BUNDY, since they are rather new (at least to WWBW)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: pewd
Date: 2008-09-06 17:46
for 850 you can get a NEW e11, and change back
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2008-09-06 22:23
Jeffy -
The Bundy will be fine. It's absolutely indestructible and will take you perfectly through the beginner and low intermediate stages -- perhaps two years if you're like most people. I started on a Bundy, which I played for nearly three years, and for playing a parade or in a pep band, I'd still pick it. The entire West Point Band clarinet section uses (or used to use) Bundys for all outdoors playing.
Ken Shaw
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2008-09-07 02:45
I think there's a difference between the old Selmer Bundy and
this bundy:
http://wwbw.com/Bundy-BCL-300-Student-Clarinet-Outfit-i764939.music
Post Edited (2008-09-07 02:45)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jeffy
Date: 2008-09-07 13:53
Author: pewd (---.dsl.rcsntx.swbell.net - ISP in Plano, TX United States)
Date: 2008-09-06 17:46
for 850 you can get a NEW e11, and change back
where?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jeffy
Date: 2008-09-07 14:02
I got this Bundy because you guys approved. Do you still? It has not shipped yet...............
A Vito is about $550 i guess.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2008-09-07 14:28
I think you could've gotten a used clarinet for a lower price. Maybe you could've bought a better one too.
If the Bundy now is the same as the Selmer Bundy before, then I guess it should be ok. I've never actually tried any Bundy before.
I have tried a Vito (not sure what model, but it said "Vito by Leblanc" on the bell and upper joint I think). Vito are really nice plastic clarinets IMO.
Post Edited (2008-09-07 14:29)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jeffy
Date: 2008-09-07 14:31
http://www.victorlitz.com/shop/item.asp?itemid=6898&catid=19
is this place reputable? Maybe it is gray market. I am a little scared of the wood potential problems but maybe a B12.
[ Snipped -GBK ]
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2008-09-07 14:50
The Bundy is a perfectly fine starter instrument. One of these took me from 4th to 8th grade with few problems. Beginning with HS, my teacher thought I had progressed eenough for a better quality horn. That was when I bought my first R13.
Don't worry. As long as it is mechanically and acoustically sound, you should be fine for a few years. After that, you can decide if you need to upgrade.
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: myshineyblackjoy
Date: 2008-09-07 18:22
I started my neice on a used bundy 577. She is progressing quite well,Bundy's can take a beating and still play. I still think I would have bought a used one. But, to each his own. Happy playing...
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jeffy
Date: 2008-09-09 00:27
http://www.tulsaband.com/store/product.php?productid=1012&cat=270&page=1
how about this? are these online companys ok to deal with? this is well below street price and is new. any potential problems that I may have with the company or the clarinet?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: cxgreen48
Date: 2008-09-09 00:41
I think the Buffet E11 is the most popular intermediate clarinet. I've tried one before 1 time and it was pretty nice. It played similarly to my YCL-450 (although I didn't pay too much attention to the intonation o_o")
If you are a beginner, I think a plastic clarinet might be better for now. The E11 is wood.
I'm not sure about the online company, maybe someone else will know.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: RoBass
Date: 2010-03-11 11:04
@Ken: Ok, Jeffy's problem was solved, but I can't acknowledge your opinion stated above.
at 1st: Not all cheap instruments delivered from Asia are from plastic at all! There's ABS, acrylic and ebonite material available yet. But most of the "Ebonit" called instruments are from ABS - especially in the price range up to $200 ;-/ The cheapest instruments are made of acrylic materials - terrible and instable against any kind of UV-influence.
at 2nd: No, not all the mentioned keywork is from bad materials, and it can be repaired in most cases. Some of the keyworks are of very surprising quality, forged and well nickel or silver plated.
It's a capital error to eruate one sad product and to conclude all the properties of other types!
I own two of such "clarinet-like ojects" myself. The one is made of ABS, the other of ebonite. Both of them are well manufactured and fine adjusted (really good intonation). One of it was used long time for teaching classes of young people. And it was used very rough! One lever was broken, and it was soldered well and stable. The metal coating of the rings is abrased of course, but there's no further damage or uncontrollable bend. I got a Selmer of same age and design (wooden of course), but this was "ready for general overhaul". And Selmer ist a brand much more expensive than the Taiwanese product ;-)
If the choice should be between ebonite and plastic I would choose ebonite. But this material shows one basic problem: fresh ebonite sounds like ABS - clear and sharp. It's black and feels warm like grenadilla wood. Some years later the ebonite weaks (partial degradation of molecular chains inside the butyl net structure). This phase ends with a (re)hardening phase which increases the hardness of rubber constantly. You can find out this border crossing by inspecting the color. "Adult" ebonite colors yellow-brownish or gree-brownish. And it smells like tyre rubber typically. This is the best condition, ebonite could have - long term stable, good sound.
Therefore I would by only ebonite clarinets only fresh or with an age of >5 years. The described effect ist well known from tobacco pipe moutpieces and fountain pens.
Best sound a ebonite clarinet produces if older than 5-10 years. The sound comes darker and more sonor each year a little bit. Sometimes this clarinets sound like wooden ;-)
My recommendation for beginners would be a (real) ebonite instrument of medium price class. It's weather proof, resistant against mechanical impacts and easy to play. There's no warm up and no drying necessary. The only item to observe is a dark and dry storage and a well protection against UV-light.
kindly
Roman
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
