 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: dtiegs
Date: 2011-03-28 23:07
Let's begin with the current clarinet I have. it's a Yamaha student clarinet, old(very), and it's not holding together; my tendons wont stay together. I've had them replaced the cork 3 times in the last year. I'm only fourteen and thinking of buying an intermediate instrument(if I go pro, you guys will flood my inbox, so i will just say intermediate). The clarinet is probably at least 15 years old, i have a private teacher, and he and i have already discussed that i will go to college with a flute, clarinet, and an alto sax, to be able to qualify for a scholarship(God knows that i can't afford to get a masters). to add to that i know that i will play as a professional one day, so why not just get a pro now?
Question:
Do i spend the money to buy a pro buffet r13 or spend the money to get an intermediate or another student?
[ post retitled for clarity - GBK ]
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2011-03-28 23:19
I recommend a professional level clarinet if you/your parents can afford it. Step-up clarinets are not much better than plastic beginner ones.
On the other hand, a new or gently used plastic clarinet can be pretty darn good, particularly if you get a professional quality mouthpiece and barrel. When I put mine on my nephew's Vito, I could hardly tell the difference from my R13.
Ken Shaw
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2011-03-29 15:24
Personally I'd recommend buying a good used instrument rather than dropping a ton of cash on a new R-13. You can get a very nice intermediate to pro quality used instrument in the $500-$800 range while even the cheapest R-13 will run you $2700.
If you must buy new I would probably steer you towards one of of Tom Ridenour's Lyrique clarinets as they are much cheaper than an R-13 (about 40% of the cost), have intonation that is as good or better, and have no risk of cracking due to being made from hard rubber rather than grenadilla.
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Author: BassClarinetBaby
Date: 2011-03-29 15:33
I recommend getting a professional clarinet. An intermediate clarinet is good for someone who has outgrown their student clarinet but do not plan to take clarinet too seriously. When you start studying you will most likely want to upgrade to a professional clarinet but your intermediate will still have a lot of play left in it, so it would have been a waste. Go straight to the professional and skip the stop-gap intermediate.
Never Bb, sometimes B#, and always B natural! ♫♪
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Author: GeorgeL ★2017
Date: 2011-03-29 15:49
Let me offer a sarcastic response, with an element of truth:
If you know you will play as a professional one day, get the pro horn now because you probably will not be able to afford one later.
Alternatively, get the less expensive clarinet now, invest your money in getting an education in a field that will enable you to make a decent living, and then you will be able to afford any instrument you desire.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2011-03-29 16:44
Hmmm. If you have to replace the cork three times a year on a plastic clarinet (which are, thanks to shinier tenons sockets, often more gentle to corks) I wonder whether a pro clarinet will keep its shape better.
Aside from that - I too think that a refurbished instrument (that has stood the test of time) will be of equally good service to you as a new one, at a fraction of the cost. It won't be your last instrument anyway, unless you masterly manage to withstand the urge of the Gear Acquisition Syndrome.
--
Ben
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Author: timg
Date: 2011-03-29 17:29
GeorgeL wrote:
> [...] and then you will be able to afford
> any instrument you desire.
...but will have no time to play it :-(
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2011-03-29 18:58
I agree with Ken. Frankly, I have a hard time seeing where intermediate models fit in a manufacturer's product line. They are too pricey an investment for beginners and almost always perceived as inadequate by advanced players. IMO, the best approach is to play a student model instrument until you are ready for a professional model. If you buy an intermediate model now and do continue on your current path, you will almost certainly want to buy a professional clarinet down the road.
On the other hand, given that you say you are 14, I wonder whether you are really ready for (i.e., really need) a professional model yet. If you buy a new professional model now, realize it will have around 4 years of use on it when you really need it -- when you start auditioning for colleges. Of course, you could have it reconditioned by a top notch repair tech, but then you will have to do without it, perhaps for several weeks, at a time you should be practicing. Also, if you wait, you may have a better idea of exactly what you want in your professional instrument.
My top recommendation, unless your teacher really thinks even a good student model will impair your progress, would be to replace your problematic student instrument with a good quality one for now and work with it until you really need a professional instrument. It can then become your "bad weather" horn. My fall back recommendation would be to buy a good used professional clarinet now. Be prepared to pay at least $1,100 - $1,200 for a good used R13. IMO, a better buy would be a used professional Yamaha for $650 - $850 (perhaps a little less for a YCL-650). This will give you a good instrument to work with for the time being. It may prove to be all the clarinet you need, particularly if you don't follow the path you currently anticipate. Otherwise, it will be a good backup for your "ultimate" clarinet. BTW, in following the second approach, I would avoid any Leblanc models made before the Concerto and Opus. You can find them pretty cheap but you get what you pay for. They may be fine for an adult amateur or as a doubling instrument for a pro whose main instrument is sax or oboe but (again IMO) not for a student who wants to pursue music as a career and who considers his/her main instrument the clarinet.
MOO.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Jaysne
Date: 2011-03-29 19:37
Get a pro model. If you really intend to become a professional some day, then you need to start thinking like one.
Anything less than a professional model is going to hinder your progress. The clarinet you have now has already set you back for sure. Someone who wants to be a professional musician and is not playing on a professional horn is obviously not very serious about what they're doing.
I am not trying to sound harsh, just realistic. The clarinet players your age who also want to be pros are already playing on better horns than you, sound better than you, and are making swifter progress, mainly because their instruments are better than yours.
They are your competition for that scholarship you want. If you want to beat them to it, you need to be playing on a horn that is going to not only respect your talents but help you realize them. Right now you are disrespecting yourself by playing on such a poor horn.
So find a way to afford a top-notch clarinet. You'll feel better about yourself because you'll know you're really becoming serious. And the better horn is going to be easier to play, which will make your work more satisfying. All this will make you excited about pursuing your dream.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2011-03-30 07:19
>> my tendons wont stay together. I've had them replaced the cork 3 times in the last year. <<
Do you mean each tenon (mouthpice, middle, bottom) once... or the same one three times...?
This never happens unless there is a problem with the way the cork was installed. Maybe too thin cork was used. If especially thick cork was needed then simply putting thick cork is not the best idea (IMO), too squishy to last long. Maybe the tenons themselves wobble, so new corks are a temporary fix until the tenon shoulders are fixed.
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Author: TheGreekDon09
Date: 2011-03-30 14:37
You should be able to find a really decent refurbished R-13 that plays just as well as a new one for half the price. Just look around and keep an open mind. Good luck.
Bb
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Author: kimber
Date: 2011-03-30 15:11
GeorgeL wrote:
> [...] and then you will be able to afford
> any instrument you desire.
Excellent advice.
timg wrote:
>...but will have no time to play it :-(
You can always make the time, if you really want to.
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Author: Mrdi
Date: 2018-04-13 08:16
Are pro clarinets easier to play than beginner and int. clarinets?
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Author: Kalashnikirby
Date: 2018-04-13 13:30
Mrdi wrote:
>Are pro clarinets easier to play than beginner and int. clarinets?
Depends. I find the YCL 450/650 very free blowing, but they are somewhat more "reedy" (in the words of Percy Grainger.... :D) There are hardly any real good intermediate models apart from the Yamaha Series that deliver the same performance at this price tag. There's Jupiter, I suppose, and recently, Leblanc released interesting new models, but where would you get to try one?
Any Buffet player will tell you that you MUST try among several examplars of the same model to get the "right" one. Not worth it, IMHO, when Yamaha seems to offer more consistent quality. There's Uebel, which I strongly recommend, but again, where would you get to try one out?
If you find a shop nearby with a decent selection of clarinets, go there. If there's a possibility for you to order 2-3 different models to try out, go for it.
I think that once you're a pro, you'll still be able to sell a YCL 450 at a good price and find a better instrument if necessary.
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Author: Ken Lagace
Date: 2018-04-13 17:01
Really good players sound really good on student instruments, and students can sound pretty bad on professional instruments. I suggest a Ridenour Libertas and a good teacher. Later you will be able to pick an instrument that suits you. With all the advances now in clarinet science, your best clarinet in the future may not even be available now.
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2018-04-13 18:50
Mrdi wrote:
>Are pro clarinets easier to play than beginner and int. clarinets?
If you don't have significant experience playing on a pro clarinet you usually have to 'grow into it' to fully appreciate it. It's a bit like getting a sports car when all you've driven is a clunker. Or a nice multi-speed bicycle when all you've had is a single speed beater. It takes time to adjust, and then the fun starts. This all assumes that you've actually got some skills and/or a good teacher.
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Author: Kalashnikirby
Date: 2018-04-13 19:45
Here's what I would do:
Apparently, you can now buy Uebel or RZ clarinets online and send them back for a restocking fee of 60$
Ridenour also offers a trial period.
Why not get the Libertas and the Uebel Advantage, have them looked over by your teacher and then decide which one to keep? I reckon that you guys in the US don't have music stores stocking such a variety of clarinets as we do in Germany, and I'm quite an advocate of ordering online IF you can return it
(by law, we have a 14-days period during which we can send any item bought online back)
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Author: KlarinetJuice
Date: 2018-04-19 07:09
You're only 14 so if you are not 100% sure you want to pursue a career in music/clarinet, you would do well with buying an intermediate for now. You can find great deals if you look hard enough. When I was 16 I bought an intermediate clarinet for $250. I took it to a clarinet dealer and he told me he would buy it for $1000. This was an E11. They are good working clarinets! I bought an R-13 two years later but I have always kept my E11 around and have actually used it when my primary clarinet is in repair, and have also lent it out to trustworthy friends. Having a backup in the future is a good reason to buy an intermediate now and then work up to a professional model. Good luck!
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Author: Kalashnikirby
Date: 2018-04-19 09:35
Yesterday I tried someone else' freshly serviced E13. They said it was around 10 years old and selected by their teacher - stellar instrument which in terms of responsiveness outdid my RC.
So do ask your teacher, if you opt for Buffet, to really select well. I even had a fine E11 in my hands, and that instrument almost has an "entry level" price.
Doesn't matter if it's new or used as long as it's in a good condition.
I still recommend trying an Uebel or Yamaha, as the Buffet E series have a slightly thin, although very sweet tone, which I feel lacks just a tiny bit of foundation.
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