 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ccv
Date: 2001-01-04 04:52
i'm looking to buy a new clarinet. does anyone have comments on the vito model 7214? any other suggestions? p.s., it'll be for marching band
Thanks
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-01-04 08:15
Buy Yamaha unless you have evidence to ascertain that they are MUCH better made than the 7212 model. This is a list of common faults I have encountered with 7212: What a disgrace to the LeBlanc name!
- Centre tenons break off surprisingly often.
- Bridge key alignment is poor (contacting surfaces should be tangents to the body axis at their location when keys are closed).
- Thick spongy pads to try to seal over often wavy-edged tone holes.
- Corks fall off (Poor glue).
- Fuzzy-sounding notes.
- Internal burrs sometimes partially block tone holes.
- Tendency to warble on 1-1 Bb.
- 'Valentino' key corks that creep off the keys.
- Pivot screw wobble.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2001-01-04 13:28
The 7214 that I and my oldest son started on, and went through 5 years of playing, exhibited none of the above problems
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Author: Dave Spiegelthal
Date: 2001-01-04 13:54
I can't speak specifically about the Vito soprano clarinets, however, three years ago I bought a new Vito bass clarinet, and the only quality control problem I found with it was that of lousy glue holding the pads and the corks. Otherwise my bass was pretty decent, although the nickel plating seemed rather thin and probably won't last a lifetime.
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Author: Herb
Date: 2001-01-04 18:54
I bought a Vito clairnet used, about 10 years ago ser.# 11927A. It has proved to be an excellent instrument for me. I have over the years changed to a wood barrel and a Selmer C* Mp. also a Bonade lig. I play my S10 Sel. mostly now but still find pleasure in my old Vito. Good luck on youre choice. Herb
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-01-04 18:59
You list a LOT of problems, Gordon. I've worked on a 'couple' of Vitos but haven't come across any really bad situations yet. The tenons are probably the weakest link and most vulnerable part of any clarinet. Vitos, as sturdy as they are, seem most prone to breakage at the middle tenon. The bell tenon tends to get chipped.
Corks, pads, springs so far - for me - have not been anything major. The mechanism seems pretty sturdy, ideal in fact, for a student horn. Maybe I'll 'change my tune' after I've done a few more.
At the moment, I'd say Vitos are pretty good, easy blowing low maintenance instruments and usually won't devastate the budget for a used one in good condition. New ones are nice if that's what you want to do. Then it's *yours* from the start - I can appreciate that 
I'm a little partial the Vito 3
With instruction about assembley and disassembly and routine care of the horn I don't see any major faults with Vito horns.
ron b
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Author: Ginny
Date: 2001-01-04 20:26
My son has a used Vito, and it has been fine. I don't know if it is the same model, however we have been very pleased with it. It has a good tone, fair intonation, is easy to play and cheap. If he leaves it out in the rain to play basketball in the puddles its not a big deal. Vitos are easy to find used, all to their credit.
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Author: Willie
Date: 2001-01-04 21:00
wOW! I've never seen a Vito in the likes of what you describe. Even the school Vitos are never that bad. Did you buy this one new or used? If it was new, a quick trip to the dealer would have been in order, especialy if it had excess plastic blocking the ports. You may have got a "Monday morning special", one that was started late on Friday then finnished on Monday when work resumed.
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Author: jerry
Date: 2001-01-04 22:28
At the suggestion of another (as I am a beginner) I bought my Vito 7214 used, last Sep. I paid less than $250 for it including shipping. It is an earlier serial # (biginning with an "A") and it has a simulated wood grain finish. I bought it from a dealer and it arrived in very good to excellent condition. No wear on the finish on the keys an very, very few minor blemishes to the finish. I cannot speak to the tonal quality, etc. because I am just learning, but I have had no problems with the horn. Hope this helps.
~ jerry
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Author: Bob Sparkman
Date: 2001-01-05 11:26
Gordon must have got a lemon. I play, and love, a Vito 7212 with a "A" serial # prefix. I've owned Buffets, Selmers, LeBlancs and Yamahas, and I honestly prefer the Vito. There IS a difference in the later ones, so I'd suggest buying a used one with an "A" or "B" prefix serial #. Good luck!!
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-01-05 12:43
Dave: You speak of the 'only quality control problem' as if it were minor. No way! Corks and pads falling off is a rather major fault on a bass clarinet. Even the most economical fix in the long run - changing the lot together - will be a very expensive job you should not have at all. There is simply no excuse for manufacturers using adhesive that fails. It almost NEVER fails on any WW instruments of any make from Japan, except maybe Pearl and Miyazawa.
Mark: Do you know whether the 7214 is a newer version of the 7212 or is it a parallel but superior model? Don't you have the 7212 model there?
Ron: The Yamahas we get here from Japan are a tough 'yardstick' to beat. They have made me very perceptive and analytical of the faults in other student instruments.
Willie: This was not a single instrument exhibiting all these faults. It is an ongoing list of faults that have annoyed me as I have encoutered them over the years. I service 10 to 20 7212s per year. We are so far from the rest of the world here that dealers are very reluctant to send instruments back. We just fix the faults because that is cheaper than sending them back. I do not sell instruments (and would not sell Vitos based on their reputation here!) so by the time I see them they are outside their guarantee and the sucker buyer has to pay to get these faults dealt with. And I do wonder if the 'duds' are all sent here where there is least come back to the manufacturer. I'm sure manufacturers don't throw away duds!
Bob: In my service records A & B prefixes go right back to 1990. Most of the ones I've worked on are A & B prefix.
Many of the faults I mentioned just contribute to an instrument not going as well and as reliably as it could, and some of them take considerable time to right, that is if righting is possible. Most may not be immediately apparent to an eye less receptive to noticing standards in design & manufacture. I think most repairers would not notice even the non-level tone hole edges. They will just find that accurate seating of firmer, higher quality pads is an exercise in frustration.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2001-01-05 13:07
Gordon,
The only difference I can ascertain between the 7212 and 7214 is that the 7214 has a "brushed" plastic rather than the shiny plastic.
I'm wondering whether or not Vito makes an "overseas" or "export" model ... the techs I've talked to on this side of the pond don't mind the Vitos at all. In fact, most of the rental places in the Detroit area are supplying the Vito and don't have nearly the problems they did with a few other brands.
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Author: Dave Spiegelthal
Date: 2001-01-05 16:37
Gordon,
You're quite correct about the importance of using good glue to hold pads and corks --- I certainly didn't mean to belittle that particular problem. However, in Leblanc's defense (?), none of the pads or corks on my three-year-old Vito bass have fallen off (confirmed by its current owner). I only noticed that when I replaced a couple of pads and some corks in the process of some minor modification work, the original pads and corks came off VERY easily, too easily in my opinion. Otherwise, I think the newer Vito bass clarinets are excellent horns for the money --- sturdy and reliable, with a solid lower register, very good intonation, comfortable keywork, a metal sleeve (as opposed to cork tenon) neck, and a passable (though not great) upper register. If I were stuck on a desert island with nothing but a Vito to play, I believe I could survive.
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Author: ccv
Date: 2001-01-06 04:10
thanks for the advice everyone =)
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-01-06 14:42
Mark, I agree that most other brands are worse, e.g. Accord (!!!), Armstrong, Artley, Buescher, Blessing, Jupiter, and perhaps Bundy. It's just that Yamaha is a heap better and worth paying a little extra. But out Japanese Yamahas may be differently set up from yours. Just as the Vitos that reach these shores may not be quite the same as yours.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2001-01-06 17:40
Gordon,
In the US the Yamaha clarinets with the exception of the very top lines are assembled in Grand Rapids, MI. I've been a guest at the factory. I'd say that the low end models are just about the same as the Vito, Buffet, and (some) Bundy models of approx. the same price.
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Author: Herb
Date: 2001-01-06 17:53
Just a question. Are Vito clarinets made in the U.S.?
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-01-06 18:22
Herb wrote:
>
> Just a question. Are Vito clarinets made in the
> U.S.?
Yup. In Kenosha, Wisconsin.
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Author: girlG
Date: 2001-01-07 08:17
i don't know, but may I suggest a jupiter clarinet? I have oneand it lasted me for 10 years without major problems, the only problem being the cork coming off. i even dropped it down the bleachers in high school once! ... or was I just lucky?
good luck
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-01-07 09:41
girlG wrote:
>
> i don't know, but may I suggest a jupiter clarinet? I
> have oneand it lasted me for 10 years without major problems,
> the only problem being the cork coming off. i even dropped it
> down the bleachers in high school once! ... or was I just lucky?
>
> good luck
You were just lucky.
Also if you were to compare clarinets to say football players, it would go something like this.
First string - Leblanc (including Vito), Selmer, Buffet, Yamaha
Second string - Most American made horns. Probably the Jupiter would fit here.
Cut from the squad - Chinese made horns.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-01-07 09:42
Dee wrote:
>
> Second string - Most American made horns. Probably the Jupiter
> would fit here.
>
Actually since some of the big four make their student models in the US. This should have said "Most other American made horns."
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