 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Keeheon Nam
Date: 2011-03-08 21:43
Hey all,
I am a high schooler, and I'm interested for an A clarinet. I already do have an A, but it is the Woodwind brand A clarinet, and as you all know, its a piece of crap. I'm looking for wood A clarinets that are less than $1000 USD.. IF you know any that exists, please help.
Thanks,
Keeheon
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-03-08 21:54
"I already do have an A, but it is the Woodwind brand A clarinet, and as you all know, its a piece of crap."
That's the kind of honest review I admire!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Ed Lowry
Date: 2011-03-08 22:02
Don't be driven by a lust for wood. Read the reviews of the Ridenour clarinet and try one out. Make sure you've got a good mouthpiece.
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Author: NBeaty
Date: 2011-03-08 22:07
Less than 1K is going to be tough. I believe the E11's start a bit higher than that (1800 or something).
Some people find the Ridenours to be satisfactory, which is a good option for the limited budget. I'm not a huge fan of rubber clarinets, but it's definitely better than woodwind plastic!
Cruise around the "auction site". A clarinets appear often, and many times just need a good tech to tune them up to play well. For your budget, a used R13 with a tune up will be as good as you can get.
*****list can yield good results as well. Many times people are selling without knowing at all what they have. A friend of mine got a presige Bb for 1K that way!
Good luck (You'll probably need it!)
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Author: Dan Oberlin ★2017
Date: 2011-03-08 22:15
Nathan,
Exactly what was it that you didn't like about the Ridenour A clarinet?
Dan Oberlin
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Author: Keeheon Nam
Date: 2011-03-08 23:08
OK, I'll check my local auction sites and see if there are any careless people...
thanks for the feedback
Keeheon
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Author: pewd
Date: 2011-03-08 23:49
Why do you want an "A" clarinet?
It is rare for a high school student to need one.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: Keeheon Nam
Date: 2011-03-09 01:07
Good question Paul.
I am in MYS (Minnesota Youth Symphonies), and I found Clarinet in A is very common in orchestral music, so I found a need for an A..
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Author: NBeaty
Date: 2011-03-09 02:51
Dan,
Did not like the action and position of the keywork. I also prefer the sound and response of wood instruments.
-Nathan
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Author: clariniano
Date: 2011-03-09 03:02
Could you or your parents rent or finance one? (though more likely your parents since the OP is a teen)
Check craigslist too and other online board sites for buying and selling in your area, both in your area and nearby ones.
Maybe you have a specialty woodwind or even clarinet shop that sells used instruments, that's actually how I got my A as a birthday present from my husband a few years ago (when we were making well over 100K between us, now it's less than a third that.), for the same amount but in Canadian dollars, got a good deal because of paying for it in cash.
Meri
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2011-03-09 03:57
Three characteristics you seem to be looking for are: (1) good quality, (2) low price, (3) immediate availability. In my experience, in musical instruments (as in health care) one can usually get 2 of the 3 but 3-out-of-3 is rare. Unless you get very lucky, if you want a good A clarinet for under $1,000, you must be willing to search, do your homework and be patient. IMO, your best bet is to keep an eye on eBay for a 10-30 year-old Yamaha -- a 72, CS-72, CS, or possibly a Custom CS or CX. These can be very fine instruments and used to come up fairly regularly and sell in the $600 - $650 range. Now they are less common and may bring closer to $800 but one can still be had, if you are patient. The good news about A clarinets on eBay is that they are often sold by musicians (or family) who had little call to play them so, even if they have 20 years on them, they can still be in very good condition.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: concertmaster3
Date: 2011-03-09 06:43
Keeheon,
Send me an email, I might have something up your alley.
Ron Ford
Woodwind Specialist
Performer/Teacher/Arranger
http://www.RonFordMusic.com
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Author: TianL
Date: 2011-03-09 16:07
Keeheon, when NBeaty mentioned "that auction site" above, he's not referring to your local auction site like craigslist, but ebay.
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Author: Tony Beck
Date: 2011-03-10 12:36
Don't rule out an older Leblanc Symphonie or LL. If you do some searching you should be able to find one within your budget. It will probably need an overhaul. You really need to know what you are looking for. Chances are, to get a great deal, the person selling it won't know the difference between an A and a Bb, so you need to know, on sight. Don't be afraid to walk into every pawn shop near universities with big music programs. That's how I found my Symphonie A.
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