 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: MissShawna-Alice
Date: 2010-11-19 09:53
So, as a new member, I realize that this topic may be out there, but I'm going to ask anyway
I have a Leblanc LL clarinet in desperate need of a new case. Only problem is, when you have 20 keys and 7 rings, you tend to be a little taller than your average clarinet. Does anyone know where I could find a clarinet case to solve this? I live in Australia, and my only other option is to find a case maker...
Post Edited (2010-11-19 09:59)
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Author: dansil
Date: 2010-11-19 13:24
Hi MissShawna-Alice
I also have a Leblanc LL clarinet and it fits beautifully in my Protec Case with heaps of room for extra gear and a reasonable amount of music. You can get them on-line at most woodwind sites.
Cheers, Danny
a family doctor in Castlemaine, rural Victoria, Australia for the past 30+ years, also a plucked string musician (mandolin, classical guitar) for far too long before discovering the clarinet - what a missed opportunity!
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Author: MissShawna-Alice
Date: 2010-11-19 21:38
Tried the A clarinet case, but due to my middle joint being shorter than standard and my lower joint being longer than standard, it just didn't fit. :( but thank you for the suggestion anyway
Danny - I'm going to go look at Protec cases online later. Any particular model?
Tictactux - I'll look into the amiti cases as well thank you all for your help!
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Author: dansil
Date: 2010-11-20 09:58
Hi MissShawna-Alice
I'm sorry but somehow I didn't pick up on the fact that you're referring to an A clarinet. My Leblanc LL is a standard Bb baby and both its upper and lower joints are identical in length to those of my Opus II, Cadenza, L7, L27, etc.
My case is a Protec "Carry-All Clarinet PRO PAC Case" PB307CA, the recommended price on Protec's website is $146 USD.
It's a fantastic case ( I actually have two).
Protec actually make a double clarinet PRO PAC case PB307D(same price amazingly!) for a Bb and an A (or two Bb clarinets)
I don't have any use for an A clarinet (yet) so I'm totally unfamiliar with this baby.
Cheers, Danny
BTW I'm not on commission! ;-)
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2010-11-20 13:17
What I think is more important is that Danny apparently did not and has not yet picked up on the fact that you are talking about a full-Boehm clarinet rather than a "standard" 17/6 instrument. A standard Protec case (without modification such as Chris suggested) won't work for your clarinet.
You don't say what the problem is with your current case. If it's the hinges, latches or the handle, you might be able to find/order replacement parts and repair the case yourself or have it repaired. Lining that is wearing out can also be replaced -- and there are instructions on the Board for approaching this as a do-it-yourself project. Even the basic (wooden?) framework can be repaired/replaced. Of course finding someone to do it can be a challenge if you don't have the tools or talent to do it yourself but, if you can describe the specific problem, someone here might be able to point you toward the right repair person.
The problem is that full-Boehm clarinets are relatively uncommon so they don't provide a large enough market for the major replacement-case makers to address. Those makers focus on products that will sell fairly quickly. It costs money to carry inventory, both the storage cost and the financing costs. That's also why you probably won't find a case for your instrument at a local dealer (though you could call around and ask because you never know).
Your best bet may well be, as Ben suggests, to order a case from Amati. I don't know any other clarinet manufacturer who includes a full-Boehm soprano in their product line other than as a special order. You might start here:
http://www.amati.cz/distributors-in-australia-and-oceania
and see if any of these distributors carry or could order a case for you. This link may work better than Ben's to identify Amati's offerings:
http://www.amati.cz/produkty/cases-for-bb-boehm-clarinets/
Otherwise, I think your options are likely to be limited to finding a used case (needle in a haystack), modifying a standard case as Chris did, having a case custom-made, or making your own. For the last option there are detailed instructions on this Board for making a clarinet case, starting with a basic briefcase. (Surprisingly, however, I find they have not yet made the "Keepers" section.)
Best regards,
jnk
Post Edited (2010-11-20 13:21)
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Author: MissShawna-Alice
Date: 2010-11-21 10:48
jnk - it's all of the above. The linings worn, wooden case is falling apart, hinges no longer work properly, and I've never trusted the handle to stay together. So everything combined put me towards the need of a completely new case
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Author: donhitchy
Date: 2010-11-23 02:04
Hello Miss Shawna,
I too have a "off the wall question", since you live in Australia you may know a thing or two about a brand of clarinet. The clarinet name is 'I&K' they are made in China and I'd like to know something about them. Have you ever heard of this make of clarinet? Are they any good? Quality and sound? If you know anybody that has one could you give them my e-mail address to tell me about these Chinese made 'I&K' clarinets.
Thank you very much for your time and have a great holidays.
Don
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Author: MissShawna-Alice
Date: 2010-11-23 03:16
Hi Don
One of my clarinet students has one, and I've just done a servicing on it. What would you like to know?
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Author: donhitchy
Date: 2010-11-23 22:07
Across the Universe
to nowhere
show details 8:51 AM (8 hours ago)
Hello Miss Shawna,
I have to answer your e-mail thru BBoard, my regular Google mail could not get thru to you.
How good is this clarinet? Is it built with quality parts and quality craftsmanship? How does it sound? I'm looking at a model # CC IK50C-M, it is a 'C' tuned clarinet. Does these clarinets hold their tune? How is the key work? What kind of pads do they use?
You said that you "just done a servicing on it", what did you need to do to the clarinet? How old is the clarinet?
I'd like to know if these clarinets are worth it to purchase one, has great sound, is a quality horn, does not fall apart after a year or two of playing.
I play a Noblet Artist made in 1966. Have a variety of mpc's and barrels to get the sound I want for what I'm playing. I do have a Yamaha 250 with a Vandoren B45 mpc, for playing outside.
Thank you so much for your time and your quick reply. Have a wonderful holiday season.
Don
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Author: MissShawna-Alice
Date: 2010-11-24 06:28
Personally, the clarinets aren't the best. If you were looking for a student clarinet, then this would suit. It doesn't have the best tuning, nor good pads. The cork falls off fairly easy an the keyword is pretty shoddy.
When I serviced the clarinet, it was an attempt to get it near working condition. My student had bought it new, never played it before, and it was not fun to say the least. I wouldn't classify it as great quality, more along the lines of average.
I personally would not recommend it for an advanced player but that's my opinion.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2010-11-24 12:42
"It doesn't have the best tuning, nor good pads. The cork falls off fairly easily and the keywork is pretty shoddy... My student had bought it new, never played it before, and it was not fun [to service?] to say the least."
And you consider this "average" and OK for a student? Sounds like a CSO to me.
jnk
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-11-24 14:27
If they want to make progress, they ought to look into getting a better instrument (Buffet B12, Yamaha 250, etc.) than struggling on with a Chinese clarinet that will only let them down to the point where they'll probably pack it in.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: MissShawna-Alice
Date: 2010-11-25 06:04
jnk- it's good for my student to use because she's only just started. I'm teaching her not only notes, but how to properly care for her instrument. So yes, it's working for her.
Jnk and Chris- my student, having only started, is 11 and is unsure if she would like to continue playing as a career. Her parents do not want to fork over the money for a new clarinet just yet, and would like to wait and see.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2010-11-26 02:17
Can't you teach a beginner proper care of a decent instrument just as well as you can teach them proper care of a piece of junk? (I'm going by your description of the instrument, here. To me, the instrument you have described above is a poorly made piece of junk -- an instrument that was apparently not close to being in working condition even when brand new.)
IMO, it's particularly important to have a decent instrument in good working order for someone who is just starting. Beginners have no frame of reference to judge their equipment against and, when a shoddy instrument causes them problems (e.g., it's "hard to blow" or squeaks or doesn't sound good because of leaky pads), they are inclined to think that they must be doing something wrong or that the clarinet is just impossible for them to master. This is particularly true when the student is very young and the instrument is shiny and new. Eventually, the frustration becomes too great and, as Chris puts it, the"they pack it in."
Again, IMO, giving a child a piece of junk to play at 11 greatly reduces the odds that she will still be playing at 12. And even if she doesn't make a career of it, playing a musical instrument is an activity that can bring her a lifetime of enjoyment. Do the parents want to give their child a gift of music that she will have all her life or are they simply going through the motions so they can check off "exposure to a musical instrument" on their list of activities good parents should provide their children? My guess is that they really want to encourage her musical interest but they lack knowledge and experience to tell the difference between a workable clarinet and a flashy new-looking piece of junk or to understand that the latter may foredoom their child to failure. That's where a teacher has to come in sometimes and educate the parents.
A decent beginner instrument need not be expensive. It need not be a new instrument (but don't underestimate the importance of "shiny" to a child). Nor need it be a top-of-the-line model. Good quality used student models in good condition are available at reasonable cost. You just have to know where to look. (And knowing where to look is a useful talent to develop.) In any case, buying a new cheap junk instrument may well prove to be a false economy. When the instrument breaks down, as it inevitably will, the owner may not be able to find a repair shop to work on it. If the child quits, the parents may find the instrument has no resale value, whereas they may be able to sell a decent quality used instrument for pretty close to what they paid for it.
On the other hand, I realize that the parents may have already purchased the instrument before they came to you for lessons. At this point, it may be too late to do anything about the instrument that this particular child will start (and perhaps end) on. My real quarrel with you here is that you would recommend the instrument you described above to anyone else as a good student instrument. Either you didn't describe the instrument very carefully or (IMO) you should be warning people away from it.
jnk
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Author: MissShawna-Alice
Date: 2010-11-26 02:31
Jnk - I also understand the position you're coming from. This student of mine has a school clarinet as well. The differences are very obvious, such as the school instrument has not had the tender loving care it needs. I'm not suggesting that everybody should have one as a beginner student, there are definitely better instruments out there to begin on. This instrument was bought on the consult of a 14yo with no knowledge of clarinets whatsoever.
I was implying if the parents are willing to have it repaired, it can work as a student instrument. It will sound better with some tlc and, especially with younger kids, it does take the pressure of occasionally being dropped.
So yes, I do understand where you're going, and I realise I should have clarified.
Thanks!!
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2010-11-26 16:00
You could also get a cheap used Bb case of any kind, gut it, buy some foam, velvet and glue from a hobby shop, and make your own. Shouldn't be too tough nor very expensive.
Alexi
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