 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Fred McKenzie
Date: 2000-12-11 18:38
Last week I saw a Clarinet for sale in a furniture store for about $250. I did not recognize the brand name. Nowhere on the instrument or its case did it say where it was made. It didn't even have a serial number where I could see it. My suspicion is that it might have been made in China.
Someone recently refered to a Chinese Clarinet in another thread, and I recall reading derogatory comments about them in the past. According to others, they are poorly made, keys will break easily and replacement parts are not available.
But is that true? Could we be passing up a source of inexpensive but good instruments because of our prejudice? Does anyone have any first-hand knowledge of Chinese instrument quality? Assuming there might be at least a good Chinese student instrument, wouldn't parts become available if they caught on?
Fred
<A HREF="http://www.dreamnetstudios.com/music/mmb/index.htm">MMB</A>
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Author: ron b
Date: 2000-12-11 19:22
I can't speak from personal experience, Fred. I do however, know a couple of techs who have come in contact with some of these instruments - from China and from Russia. I've seen, two or three months ago, up close, one from Russia, a plastic Allbert system. Believe me, you wouldn't want to try to do any serious playing with it. It LOOKS like it might have problems if you blow it too hard - really. Remarkably poor workmanship and flimsy materials, both the body and the keywork. It needed pads but, because of the poor quality, it's not worth the investment - even for the 'fun of it'. Might make an interesting wall hanging or an art project but, make music with it? - I don't think so. A plastic kid's toy would be more durable. Certainly, for school use, a recorder would be way more substantial than what I touched.
You can fashion replacement parts for any instrument. On the one I handled you wouldn't want to waste your time.
This is merely my own limited encounter with one such 'instrument'. There may be others that are okay. I just haven't heard of any.
ron b -
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Author: Ginny
Date: 2000-12-11 22:34
When traveling in China 10 years ago I spent sometime in Peking, playing various Western instruments that had been made there. They consistently stunk. One brand name was 'Parrot' I thougt the name apt. Squawk. squawk. Perhaps things have improved, but
Let the buyer beware, goes back to Roman times.
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Author: Rob
Date: 2000-12-11 23:51
Aren't Jupiter Clarinets made in China? Does anyone know what they're like? Remember what we used to say about Japanese cars (ar anything made in Japan for that matter)? I must be getting old.
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-12-12 02:50
Some of the Jupiters mainly saxs I've seen aren't too bad but not great. The other stuff from China I've seen was just plain junk. The poor metals used along with sloppy workmanship makes them good for wall decorations. Parts are another problem too as I haven't found anyone who stocks or can order any. I think they just sell them as disposable. Jupiter is the only Chineese company that seems to be serious about their instruments, but I think I would still rather have a used Vito instead.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2000-12-12 11:01
.1. As far as I am aware Jupiters are made in Taiwan. That is very different from China. (I think quite a few 'USA' makes are also made in Taiwan, especially saxes.)
2. Jupiter saxes are reasonably good cheap saxes but I regard the clarinets as far lower quality.
3. I have worked on 73 brand names of clarinet. Every Chinese one to date is among the worst. The worst feature is probably extremely soft key metal that bends even during normal use! There are heaps of other faults (eg pads that die within months, and key metal often has bubbles in it so it breaks and re-sopldering is difficult and unreliable). They are simply not worth maintaining.
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Author: Lelia
Date: 2000-12-12 16:12
It will be interesting to see what happens with Chinese clarinets over the next few years. The Chinese have to be aware of the bad publicity. (I agree with it -- the Chinese clarinet-shaped objects I've seen look so bad they're almost toys.) In the long run, a bad reputation means low sales.
My husband plays the violin. For many years, Chinese violins were the lowest of low-end student quality, the absolute, rock-bottom worst. A lot of them still are, but some Chinese luthiers are now studying in the USA and in Europe to try to improve these instruments. We know a violin maker who's teaching some Chinese luthiers. He says they're making a sincere effort. He thinks they're already upgrading the quality of their own work significantly. If they compete well with the schlockmeisters, these more ambitious craftsmen will affect the market and improve the overall quality of Chinese violins.
If clarinet manufacturers get the message from the marketplace and do the same, Chinese clarinets may improve, so IMHO, we do need to keep an open mind for the future, despite the dismal quality of what's available right now.
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Author: Anonymous
Date: 2000-12-12 17:51
All producte produced in asia are most likely top of the line.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2000-12-13 11:33
I agree, keep an open mind. Yamaha probably make the best student clarinets (the ones I am familiar with are from Japan) and their professional clarinets are up there with the best. Yet only a few decades ago they were no better than the Chinese are now. Taiwanese instrumet quality is surging ahead. China is certain to follow.
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Author: Luanne
Date: 2000-12-13 18:09
I have to say that after living in Saudi Arabia, I have come in contact with quite a few Chinese horns, mainly flutes. It was so badly out of tune with itself that it was a disaster. Another flute was made in Korea by Samick. Yes, the same company who does pianos and the flute keys would bend in your hands. It had a split E mechanism that we ALWAYS had to adjust in order for the stupid thing to play. Perhaps, in time, things will get better made in China.
Luanne
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Author: Don Poulsen
Date: 2000-12-13 20:19
I mentioned once before that on my last visit to China, I saw some Chinese-made pianos in a department store. Hit a few keys and thought they sounded terrible.
This thread got me to wondering - There are fine musicians in China. Do they play imported instruments or do they put up with the lousy Chinese instruments? And there have to be quality manufacturers of traditional Chinese instruments.
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Author: Ginny
Date: 2000-12-13 21:16
I saw and purchased some pretty nice Chiense instruments in Hong Kong, when I was there years ago (before going to Peking.) Some of the instruments seemed to be of excellent quality, although the Pipa (Lute) I bought is not first rate, it is not nearly as poorly made as the Western instruments I saw in Peking. I also saw that the traditional crafts (enamel work, china, textiles, carpets...) were of high quality, with great attention to detail, in both Peking and Hong Kong. I think the craftsmen just don't know what they are supposed to create yet, certainly plenty of talent there.
I never could tell about the erhu (violin like instruments, they may have been good, I did not notice. They had some obviously high quality Yang Chings (hammered dulcimers) in Hong Kong. I had the honor to have a member of the Hong Kong Symphony as my translator, oh could he play traditional instruments! What a wonderful erhu (violin) lesson I had!
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-12-14 01:15
When my stepfather first tried a Yamaha piano back in the 50s, he laughed and said it sounded like a rubber band stretched over a cigar box. Years later after he had sold off all pianos and organs in the studio and retired to the hill country, he tried and bought a little "Yammie" spinet proclaiming "they've come a long way".
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2000-12-14 12:56
They seem to have a general problem with metalurgy fro functional purposes, which would not affect traditional things much. NZ imported some very robust, large (6") Chinese vices. If you clamped something hard the whole jaw broke off.
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Author: Anji
Date: 2000-12-14 14:13
One must also keep in mind some of the appalling work conditions of mainland Chinese factories. It may be difficult for anything beautiful to arise from such drudgery. (I know, I've been there.)
What is more troublesome is the presence of these questionable products being sold to the parents of school children at the same price as student horns made in the US and Japan.
Monique/Blessing/Parrot are likely made in the same 10 block radius, often at the skilled hands of prison labor.
Unlike the Japanese or Korean manufacturers, the Chinese model does not currently embrace Demmings methods or TQC.
If a seller foists these as intermediate quality; run don't walk to your nearest exit!
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Author: Kontragirl
Date: 2000-12-15 00:05
Chinese instruments in general aren't great. A few days ago, I watched a repair tech practically rebuild a new Chinese Violin. The pegs needed replacing, the strings were on crooked, the peg holes were offset..He told me, the Chinese aren't as technically advanced in musical instruments, none of them are very good...they seem to make everything else okay though.
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Author: T. Meza
Date: 2001-03-07 01:59
I rented a Jupiter clarinet for my daughter from a music store that was considered one of the
biggest that served mainly serious musicians. They rented only Jupiters (new) on the rent to own plan for new students. It has been three years. My daughter and I are looking into a upgrade (not a Jupiter). The Jupiter has never given any problems and the repair person has only see it for scheduled maintenance checks (insured). I guess I'm lucky.
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