 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2010-07-15 15:48
REVIEW Schreiber 6010 Bb Clarinet.(17 Keys / 6 Rings)
Recently got my new Schreiber 6010 Clarinet from Sax & Woodwind of Camperdown NSW. The cost of this instrument was $Aus595.($US522) and it will be used as another of my 'knock-about instruments for outdoor use ect. It was ready to play, straight out of the case, no adjustments required. The serial # is 411426 and is entirely made in Germany. It is apparently a German made (Buffet) B12 with certain German features such as a wrap-around speaker key and possibly some sort of German bore.
The thing that I notice when first handling the instrument in it's case is the weight of it. At first I thought that the case was empty, but it turns out that this clarinet is a light-weight instrument, weighing in at only 690g fully assembled (minus ligrature and reed) This Clarinet is a plastic (ABS Resin) instrument with a matt finish giving it the appearance of high grade ebony and it has silver plated key work . Silver plating on a plastic instrument ! Must be a European thing. Anyway the information states that the 6010 has Nickle Silver key work and Silver plating. The mechanism is of the lighter type that could be described as 'elegant'. No chunky key work here. I have already did a weeks playing on it and the key work is strong. But then I don't use heavy handed fingering. It has a wrap around speaker key which is an old idea. Looks rather 'sexy' . I have noticed that the resonate tube is about half a centimeter lower down the pipe than the other standard type and the bore intrusion is only about 2.5 mm. It is stated that there is improved intonation because of the special positioning of the register tube. This Clarinet does seem to play very well in tune across it's entire compass and goes to show that there has been considerable improvement in the making of plastic Clarinets in recent times. My own testing of the intonation is to play along with orchestral backing CDs. I have no trouble playing in tune with this instrument and no need to do any serious adjusting to play in tune, but I suspect that as this is a basic beginners Clarinet the intonation would be 'set'. A nice safe' Clarinet for beginners . It has a 15mm bore . It comes with one barrel (65mm) and is said to be tuned to A442. The usual student mouthpiece is supplied, a moulded plastic ESM.
One thing I have noticed however is that the lower joint flares suddenly about one centimeter just before the bell. It appears that the makers have done some sort of a German type bore. However, the bell has a very small (less than 1mm) flange and this results in the lower joint not matching up with the bell. When assembled and looking into the bell you can see a 'step-down of about 1 mm. This doesn't seem to have any effect on the intonation.
Back to the key work , one nice feature that I have noticed is that the right-hand E/B key is extended about 5mm further than the other keys of the right-hand 'pinkie' keys. I think this feature should be on all Clarinets. The 'crow's foot' is a bit on the thin side but has a nice layer of felt on it (for quietness) . As for the rest of the key work, as I mentioned before , it is elegantly made with nice roundish (spoon like) keys. No skimping of metal underneath either. It has a nicely made thumb rest with 4 adjustment positions. I assume that the elongated set screw is also for hooking on a neck strap for use by young players if necessary. This thumb-rest has no cork on it though but is nicely sculpted for the thumb.
There is one feature that is a disappointment however in that this Clarinet has inherited that stupid Buffet idea of using nylon pins for the left-hand E/B and F#/C# keys. Anyone who 'bangs' down on these keys is going to find later on that they may very well shear off , and then it's a major repair job , perhaps to replace them with metal pins and gold-beaters skin. They are being used to give 'quietness' to the action and it must be said that all the mechanism has a nice quiet action to it. The pads are of the double fish-skin type and seem to seal very well.
All up , this is an excellent Clarinet for beginners to start on , light weight with nicely sculpted ergonomic key work and the price will suit those on a tight budget but still want to have a well made Clarinet which is in tune with itself.
But Ebonite or wood it ain't . I have a lot of fun with these fantastic plastic Clarinets , in that I try to improve on the tonal quality of them . Not that a plastic Clarinet doesn't have a nice sound , they do , but it's kinda on the bright (lighter) side of things. How to get a 'darker' sound out of them and perhaps more projection as well ? Well, by matching these plastic Clarinets up with a higher quality mouthpiece and a better quality barrel , the results can be very interesting. I'm using a Vandoran B40 Lyra with one of Tom Ridenours fat Ebonite barrels on both this Clarinet and also the Jupiter 631 and I end up with a Clarinet that has a full bodied, lovely 'round' sound , good enough for most of the jobs that I do , such as weddings, quite often outdoors in all kinds of weather, and the usual playouts at retirement villages ect.
Welcome to the modern world of quality non wooden Clarinets.
Skyfacer
Post Edited (2010-07-26 15:21)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-07-15 17:24
How similar/different is it compared to a B12 considering they're both from the same factory?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2010-07-15 18:26
Barry -
The "flange" at the entrance to the bell is intentional. It stabilizes and reinforces the vibration of the air in the bore and is there on every clarinet.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2010-07-15 22:31
Thanks for that tit bit of information Ken, I've also noticed this feature on Ridenour's Lyrique but on my plastic Jupiter and also my wooden Amati's the lower joint flaring continues on smoothly into the bell with no 'step-down. I have also added in the Review that this model comes with one 65 mm barrel and a standard student mouthpiece (ESM) and that it is said to be tuned to A442.
Chris, I don't have a B12 to compare it with but it seems that the 6010 has had it's bore modified to some soft of German type judging by the sudden curve at the end of the lower joint just before entering the bell.
Skyfacer
Post Edited (2010-07-15 22:40)
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