 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: CJ
Date: 2010-05-31 21:09
Can anyone help??? please................ I am looking to buy a Professional level clarinet for my 13 yr old She is due to do grade 6 next year and wants to teach the clarinet when she gets older! I have set her a budget of the region of £2000. I have gone online to look at makes and models Buffet festival prestige; Buffet R13 prestige; Selmer Privilege; Selmer Signature Professional and the Selmer St. Louis seem likely purchases but working out the best for her is proving more difficult. I dont play and therefore am not much help to her.
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Author: weberfan
Date: 2010-05-31 21:25
The clarinets you have listed are certainly worth looking at. Others may have even more suggestions. A Buffet R13 will run you about 2,000 pounds at the very reputable T.W. Howarth in London. Check its Web site. On the map, it appears that you are less than two hours from London by car.
Other Buffet models and some Selmer models will run you quite a bit more.
I presume your daughter takes lessons and plays in school ensembles. Have you sought advice from a teacher or orchestra/band director? What kind of clarinet does she have now? Is there a music conservatory whose faculty members you might consult?
Before you buy, it would makes sense for her to visit a music store that will allow her to playt-test various instruments.
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Author: tdinap
Date: 2010-05-31 21:43
I don't know anything about Selmer instruments, but Buffet Prestige models seem to be a bit overly expensive and unnecessary for a 13-year-old, in my opinion. Why not look at the non-Prestige professional-level models? I've known a number of professional players who just play basic R13's.
Of course, nothing you hear here is a good substitute for talking to a professional teacher in person, preferably one who can listen to her play and aid in the selection process.
I would also echo weberfan's suggestion of play-testing various instruments at a reputable music store and/or by mail, as even instruments of the same make/model can vary greatly in quality and specific characteristics.
Tom
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Author: pewd
Date: 2010-05-31 21:54
what does her private teacher suggest?
if she doesn't have a private teacher, at age 13, that would be the best investment of your money
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2010-05-31 23:36
couple of possibilities you didn't list:
Hanson Clarinets (made in the UK) have some nice pro-level instruments at various price levels.
The new Leblanc by Backun instruments are pretty nice, too. I don't know how well they have penetrated the UK market, though.
As others have mentioned above, it might be premature to spend that kind of money. Have you discussed this purchase with your daughter's teacher for her/his recommendations? THat would be the best course. And then have that person join you in the selection process.
Jeff
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-05-31 23:40
I have to agree with David and Paul. A private teacher will do her much more good than a new clarinet, for now. In any case, every instrument has flaws, there is no such thing as a perfect clarinet. Even the top models are inconsistent. If you want to buy your daughter a top model clarinet ask or pay a professional to try them out for you and pick the one that's the best in tune and has a good tone quality. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: madboy12
Date: 2010-06-01 02:38
I have a R13 and it plays GREAT!!! I beleive that is the way to go :D
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Author: musicman83
Date: 2010-06-01 03:37
Everyone here has already given you some nice suggestions. If your daughter doesn't have a private teacher, having a private teacher is in my opinion more important for a player's advancement in ability than a new instrument. A private teacher isn't just to teach her skills, they are also in a position to help you and your daughter make choices as far as instruments and equipment. Ask your daughter's music teachers at school for recommendations for a private teacher. Besides buying a new clarinet, other things you can buy that would help her playing would be a new mouthpiece, ligature, and/or reeds. Clarinets like the R13 do not come with mouthpieces and the mouthpieces that come with beginner instruments are often not the best option. However, you should enlist a private teacher's advice and the advice of the people on this forum before making decisions on those items. Also, metronomes and tuners are essential tools for a growing musician and there are even metronome tuners that provide both functions in a single device.
I thought I'd share my own experience in the hopes it will help you. I live in the US and I have no knowledge of how alike/different my experiences will be compared to other places. I started playing clarinet in the fourth grade. I had the advantage of having a father who played clarinet and I had his old wooden Selmer Signet for me to play as well as an indestructable used plastic Bundy that he purchased for me. These instruments carried me well into my high school years. When I was a sophmore I began to become more skilled as well as more interested and serious in my playing. After that, based on his knowledge of area musicians and advice from my band teacher, my Dad set me up with a private teacher who helped me develop my playing abilities as well as make suggestions towards choosing a new instrument and as well as a new "setup" (mouthpiece/ligature/reed combination). Following his advice and research, my Dad bought me an R13 from Muncy Winds. In hindsight, it probably would have been better to have play tested several instruments before making a choice, but I have been very happy with my R13. I am a music education major and have completed all my required college private lesson classes as well as my senior recital and my R13 has served me well through all of that. One of my college professors pushed several of my fellow clarinetists to buy R13s even though they already had other instruments of a similar level. They weren't required to do so, but many of them did switch to an R13.
I know many middle and high school students who have intermediate type instruments such as the Buffet E11/E13 (I'm only mentioning Buffet so much because I'm familiar with their instruments. I have a high school friend who plays an intermediate level Leblanc and is quite happy with it, but I don't remember the name of that model). Buying an intermediate instrument is a question of how serious your daughter is with her music. It can save you some money early on, especially if your daughter makes the decision to not pursue a career in music. However, you might then want to purchase a professional level instrument later on, which would mean you've then purchased two instruments for more money when you could have just bought one.
Another thing to think about when purchasing a clarinet is used instruments. The downside to buying used is that the instrument has often had a long, well-used life and may need extensive repairs, but sometimes an older used instrument can be better than a new instrument. As I said earlier, both instruments that I played on until my high school years were used instruments. My Dad's clarinet served as a nicer, better sounding wooden clarinet that I used for indoor performances and my plastic Bundy served as a lower quality instrument that could take tons of abuse(such as being dropped, exposed to extreme cold/heat, and being exposed to rain). A few years ago my Dad bought a 1970 R13 for about $700 from a man in Texas who repairs, restores, and sells instruments for a living. The instrument is just as good if not better than my 2001 R13. The bad part of a used instrument is that if it has not been bought from someone who has already restored it, a used instrument is likely to need some repairs. Also, it might have quirks that may only become noticeable after a month or so of playing it.
If you do purchase a new clarinet, whatever you do don't get rid of the old one. Have her play it from time to time as clarinets, like cars and other things seem to deteriorate faster if you don't use them. Having a backup instrument is extremely useful for things like weather situations where the new one might be damaged. Also, clarinets need to be repaired from time to time and having an old clarinet to play while the new one is getting repaired can come in handy.
Wow, I really wrote way more than I intended to. Anyway, CJ, I hope this helps you decide and that you and your daughter have a good (and fun!) experience with her clarineting.
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Author: tinman
Date: 2010-06-01 14:11
Go to carlys in Liverpool...u can get up too 300 off new buffets in there.
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Author: CJ
Date: 2010-06-01 14:33
Guys, Thank you so much for all the advice!
Today I visited specialist music centre and they were great, before I went I spoke with the clarinet tutor so I knew roughly what to ask for and we settled on a Buffet R13 and they sorted the mouth piece. My beatiful daughter now has a huge smile all over her face! What a picture!!!
Thank you everone.
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