 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Francesca
Date: 2000-11-19 19:49
I was seriously considering buying a 2 year old Leblanc Opus until I tried my instructor's Buffet R-13. I'm not sure how old the Buffet is. The tone was better on the Buffet and the response for both of us was better on the Leblanc. Considering I primarily play bass clarinet, which is more important in an instrument I plan on taking to college, tone or response? Also, I live in a rural area that only has a few music stores within 50 miles of it, so my ability to try out a number of instruments is pretty limited, even with catalog companies like bw and ww.
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Author: Robert Gifford
Date: 2000-11-19 20:39
Tone plays a really big part, especially when you start thinking about professonal. Tone is key (Thats also probobly why the R-13 is the main choice of Orchesta Players). Look into the R-13 Vintage and Prestigue, I personally think they have better tone and response than the R-13. I personally own an R-13 Vintage, I love it.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-11-19 21:05
I'd go for the response myself. Tone can be controlled with a good selection of mouthpiece, reed, and ligature.
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Author: William
Date: 2000-11-19 22:37
Also, don't dismiss the intonation factor. The Opus and Concerto are far easier to play in tune than the Buffet clarinets. The upper register of LeBlanc clarinets does not have the tendency to play as sharp as does the average Buffet product. The Buffet "sound" is pretty much the standard by which all other clarinets are judged, but when it comes to response and intonation, they are not as user friendly as the Leblancs. Another thought came to mind, if your bass clar. is a Selmer, have you tried the new Signiture? Good luck--the bottom line is always that its not what kind of horn you play but how well you play it that counts.
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Author: Fred
Date: 2000-11-19 22:46
Response is also dictated by the precise playing condition of the instrument. Most clarinet players develop habits of compensating for slight irregularities in mechanical adjustment or pad sealing. (I'm not saying it's a GOOD habit . . .) That is one of the reasons that one new horn doesn't play the same way as another of the same model. Especially with used pro-grade horns, response deficiencies can usually be adjusted away if you are patient and have a skillfull technician to work with.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2000-11-20 03:43
To obtain better response or articulation, these ways were usefult for me:
1)Change the register key elevation from manufacturer's setting(too large) to nearly 1mm, which improved middle break clearly.
2)Obtaine reamered set of mouthpiece and barrel( in my case Greg Smith mouthpiece/Chadash barrel), which is very understandable since the minute step between them was smoothed.
3)Harder metal ligature(cupper rather than nickel).
IMHO, of course.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2000-11-20 03:44
To obtain better response or articulation, these ways were usefult for me:
1)Change the register key elevation from manufacturer's setting(too large) to nearly 1mm, which improved middle break clearly.
2)Obtain reamered set of mouthpiece and barrel( in my case Greg Smith mouthpiece/Chadash barrel), which is very understandable since the minute step between them was smoothed.
3)Harder metal ligature(cupper rather than nickel).
IMHO, of course.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2000-11-20 04:31
Fred. Nice to hear someone else playing my tune in the wilderness. It is amazing the extent to which players think they can correct poor adjustment problems with different mouthpieces, barrels,etc. The basic assunption has to be that p[oor adjustment is the NORM, and is the primary cause of poor response.
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Author: Fred
Date: 2000-11-20 13:30
Gordon - Thanks for the support. Actually, many of us non-techs find ourselves in a bit of a dilema on this issue. I will try to state it clearly and would appreciate your and other techs comments. And by the way, I take correction well when facts and professional opinions are presented.
I THINK that to precisely adjust a pro horn to optimum playing condition, either (1) the tech has to be an adequate clarinet player and can make the call himself; or (2) the player has to work directly with the tech and say when it's right. The second option is often not easily accomplished because of work schedules, repair backlogs, or distance from the repair facility. I've heard clarinets being "tested" in repair shops by techs that don't seem to have the playing skill to know whether a problem exists or not. On the other hand, I've worked with techs so skillful that they picked up problems that I was compensating for without realizing it. So, In your opinion, what does it take to get the last bit of reponse out of a pro clarinet?
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Author: William
Date: 2000-11-20 14:40
Fred--"What does it take to get the last bit of reponse out of a pro clarinet?"
IMHO--It takes a PRO player. Like an Indy car, who would drive it better, Larry Combs or Mario Andretti......think about it!!! Good clarinet "driving."
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Author: Fred
Date: 2000-11-20 15:43
William - I agree with your point, but that's not my issue. What I was discussing was instrument adjustment as it relates to the issue of response. But your post brings up a supporting issue: Pro's are pretty picky about who works on their instruments. It seems logical that they feel some techs can achieve the kind of precision they desire, while others can't. I am trying to define the most dominant factor(s) that makes a tech a great clarinet tech. I don't think you are saying that the tech has to be a pro player (are you?), but certainly a great tech with pro level clarinet skills would have an advantage over the tuba player who turned tech. Obviously, years of good training and experience add to any tech's competence, but is that all there is? Why are the Brannen's reknown, while the tech with 30yrs experience at the small mom and pop music store is unknown. What, in your opinion, are the differences?
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Author: Ken Rasmussen
Date: 2000-11-21 03:31
I'd like to point out that fame is partly a product of promotion. Some individuals put a lot of energy into promoting themselves, and others are rather self effacing. Being a good self promoter, or being a poor self promoter don't actually have anything to do with pure instrument repairing skill. There are undoubtedly small shop instrument repair technicians that are very skillful, just as there are undoubtedly famous technicians who talk a good line with marginal skills. I think one has to search carefully for one's instrument repair help, and that entrusting someone with less critical work first in order to find out how satisfactory the result is would be a good idea. It is also good to know as much as you can yourself, so you can know what needs fixing, or how well something has been fixed. It will also help you in communicating effectively with the repairman. I think it is very helpful to communicate directly with the repairman in a positive way. Let him/her know that you are more interested in top notch work than in an inexpensive job. Most people in service businesses are under constant pressure to go fast and work cheap. Let your repair person know that he/she can take as much time as necessary, and that you are happy to pay for it.
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