The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Francesca
Date: 2000-12-17 20:53
Hello all,
I'm still looking for "the" soprano clarinet. The music store wouldn't budge on the Leblanc Opus I wanted. They have a new order of Buffet R-13s coming in, but from the helpful input I've gotten here and elsewhere, I'm very wary of the R-13. (For clarification, new order translates into maybe 3 clarinets. i.e. Not many to try out.) Brasswinds and woodwinds allows you to try out three instruments for a period of time. I'm considering all Leblanc: an Opus, a Concerto, and the one I always forget the name of. It's made of rosewood. Perhaps it's part of the Symphonie family? Any opinions or bits of advice are welcome. By the way, what's the best, most fair way to compare instruments? Thanks!
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-12-17 20:57
Maybe you should try actually going to the Woodwind and Brasswind or International Music Suppliers and trying them right there on site. If you plan ahead, the tickets are cheap enough and you will be able to try a lot more instruments. Although the restocking fees for instruments on approval are reasonable, it doesn't take very many trials before you will have spent the price of a ticket anyway.
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Author: Bill
Date: 2000-12-17 22:00
I too am in the process of buying a clarinet. I started by going to wwandbw in NY to narrow my brand/model choices. I then got 3 horns on trial from wwandbw. It is nice to have a couple of weeks to play them - they "change" over time. Unfortunately, one of the horns was out of adjustment, and I was left with two to trial. I just sent two back, and have two more coming. wwandbw is letting me keep one for a longer trial, so I can compare it to the two that are on the way. The minus to the home trial is not only the restock fee, but the shipping and insurance.
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Author: Fred
Date: 2000-12-18 01:48
I echo Julia's post . . . I would not rule out the R-13. R-13's are a great horn and a great value in today's market. As manufacturers (including Buffet) have refined their products, there are some horns that are most likely better than R-13's, but many of them also cost considerably more. Nevertheless, a well-chosen R-13 can still take you anywhere you want to go in the music world.
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Author: Francesca
Date: 2000-12-18 21:33
Concerning why I'm wary of R-13s, it's because it seems to take quite a bit of searching to find a quality one. I live in a rural area which eliminates having many store models to try. As a soon-to-be college freshman, I also have little time or money to spend on traveling to find "the" instrument. Hope that clears things up!
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