 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Vubble3
Date: 2012-01-29 18:11
i have an E11 A clarinet, plays descent, but intonation and the fact that it's an intermediate clarinet throws it off. I want a clarinet made by selmer or buffet. I have seen the buffet prestige A for about 2800 dollars usd on a british website + 10% commission, a selmer 10g for 1500 dollars, and a buffet r13 A for 1400 usd. I am in a budget and those A clarinets are so expensive and it's hard to find.
Buffet Bb R13 A RC Prestige
buffet chadash and moennig barrels
Lomax classic lig
b40 lyre
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Author: Joseph Brenner, Jr.
Date: 2012-01-29 19:54
Since you're on a budget, can you not have the E11's intonation improved in any way? If you cannot, why do you limit your choices to Buffet and Selmer? Le Blanc and Yamaha have made fine clarinets and many people think highly of Tom Ridenour's clarinets. Don't sell intermediate clarinets short and don't presume that the high-priced professional clarinets are without fault. A highly trained technician can work wonders, if not miracles.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2012-01-29 20:49
I've stupidly purchased two Buffet A's at auction. The experience reinforces the well known fact that Buffets are "highly variable." Neither was a serviceable instrument --even after extensive fiddling with the best of the two.
I would advise "selecting" from a number of new instruments, or approaching one of this BB's reputable advertisers for a "select used" instrument.
I bought a new Ridenour Lyrique A for about $1100. It took me several days of fiddling with the keywork to get it working well. I think it is a good value, but well below the claimed goodness --particularly the keywork. It is serviceable now, sounds very good and has excellent intonation.
BUT, it is hugely different from playing my Buffet RC Bb; and given a bit bigger budget, I'd "match" my A to my Bb.
Bob Phillips
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Author: Vubble3
Date: 2012-01-30 00:27
I bought a new barrel, moba 65mm, but there are still huge pitch variations when i change from like a C to a D. and I just need a better quality instrument. Why is selling my e11 A not a good idea?
Buffet Bb R13 A RC Prestige
buffet chadash and moennig barrels
Lomax classic lig
b40 lyre
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Author: Vubble3
Date: 2012-01-30 07:18
I m in need
Buffet Bb R13 A RC Prestige
buffet chadash and moennig barrels
Lomax classic lig
b40 lyre
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2012-01-30 18:55
"Why is selling my e11 A not a good idea?"
I might be wrong, but I believe Bob was counseling against buying from that auction site because of his experiences.
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2012-01-30 20:14
Never buy any clarinet, new or used, without trying it out properly. Even new clarinets vary in intonation and tone quality no matter who makes them. Try it or don't buy it. ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2012-01-30 21:19
You are right that finding a decent A clarinet on a budget is difficult. My observation has been that the market for used A clarinets is not very good and that most of the instruments worth buying are priced close enough to the cost of an equivalent new model that it is a better bet to just buy new. When buying used you often don't have the option of returning the clarinet if you don't like it and if you can't arrange a play test before buying that is a real deal breaker.
For budget options I would recommend looking at Ridenour for ~$1200 or if you can stretch your budget the Yamaha SEV or CSG for ~$2500. You may have trouble finding them at local dealers (probably for the Yamaha, definitely for the Ridenour) but you should be able to try examples of either and return them if unsatisfied for little if any cost.
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Author: bethmhil
Date: 2012-01-30 22:02
"The fact that it's an intermediate clarinet throws it off."-- So, all horns that are marked as intermediate models by default don't play to the level that professional models do...?
I'm sorry that you are so misinformed! I have played on and heard some great intermediate horns... Buffet's new E11 France model plays very well, and I have also heard the older E11, Leblanc's Sonata, Rapsodie, and Bliss models, and the Yamaha Allegro. I have two colleagues who play on intermediate horns, and they are both fabulous musicians and play in our top ensembles at ISU... As long as the clarinet satisfies the performer's needs and expectations, who cares what model it is? If the intonation of your A clarinet is severely problematic to the point that you can't fix it by adjusting with your mouth, an instrument technician can do some work on it, or you could even try some different barrels.
I will emphasize as everyone has that professional horns can have just as many flaws as the intermediate horns. My R13 A clarinet is a 70's era horn, and the throat tones are quite high in pitch, and the lower clarion is significantly low in pitch. It's obviously a professional horn, but it has tuning issues, just as every horn does.
BMH
Illinois State University, BME and BM Performance
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Author: Vubble3
Date: 2012-01-31 01:50
I just found out my teacher says it's fine, but the throat tone, g# to Bb trill key plays extremely flat, very resistant, and stuffy. It's not a bad instrument, it's usable because the tone quality is really good. My teacher told me nowadays the leblanc clarinets are getting more popular. Do you know anything about those?
Buffet Bb R13 A RC Prestige
buffet chadash and moennig barrels
Lomax classic lig
b40 lyre
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Author: DNBoone
Date: 2012-01-31 02:53
My A and Bb are Leblancs, a Concerto and Opus respectively. I paid $1000 for each of them but I hunted for 6 months to find them.
Personally, I find the pitch to be much better than buffets and I love the feel of the keywork. For me, the keywork lays more naturally in my hands.
Your mileage may very. I would also point you to the search button. I imagine a few hundred threads can be found about different leblanc, selmer, buffet, and other A clarinets.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2012-01-31 04:50
If you have not already done so, consider spending whatever it costs to have a good technician look at your instrument. If there are issues with tone or pitch these may be easily resolvable by someone with the appropriate skill. A good E11, properly set up, is quite capable of playing at a professional level. If you're comfortable with the E11 apart from these issues this could be by far the most cost-effective solution.
Tony F.
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2012-01-31 05:31
Vubble3 wrote:
> My teacher told me nowadays the
> leblanc clarinets are getting more popular. Do you know
> anything about those?
>
Unfortunately your teacher's information is a bit out of date. Production of the upper level Leblanc clarinets ceased in 2010 once Leblanc's partnership with Morrie Backun ended and the Kenosha factory was closed. There are still some new unsold Leblanc/Backun clarinets out there but as far as I know there are no new Leblanc clarinets being made other than student models and the intermediate Bliss line.
I for one hope that the Leblanc professional line will be resurrected but it's currently unclear what will happen. There is probably a good chance that Conn-Selmer will decide that they really only need one line of professional clarinets and may permanently relegate Leblanc to the intermediate level or even kill off the brand entirely.
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2012-01-31 07:11
I agree with Tony F--bring your E11 to a good technician. Stuffy, flat throat tones on an otherwise-good clarinet can most often be corrected.
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Author: Vubble3
Date: 2012-01-31 23:31
How much does it cost to make ur clarinet free of unnecessary resistance, tuning, and yea...
Buffet Bb R13 A RC Prestige
buffet chadash and moennig barrels
Lomax classic lig
b40 lyre
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2012-01-31 23:50
Vubble3 wrote:
> How much does it cost to make ur clarinet free of unnecessary
> resistance, tuning, and yea...
>
That depends entirely on how much work is required to achieve the desired result. You will most likely be billed at an hourly rate and this rate will not be cheap. I'd expect to pay at least $75/hr and quite possibly much more for a very skilled tech.
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Author: ermogene
Date: 2013-05-03 12:25
>Author: DNBoone (---.97-97.tampabay.res.rr.com - (Road Runner) Tampa, FL United States)
Date: 2012-01-31 02:53 said:
My A and Bb are Leblancs, a Concerto and Opus respectively. I paid $1000 for each of them ... <
but were not heavy used, may be ? How much if new (when you can buy it !)?
I find an interesting Leblanc clarinet on the web. It's possible that an OPUS (not opus II) Leblanc was produced in 2004 ? In French or in USA ? Which is his quality product level ? Is it really , how seems here, at a level of a Buffet crampon RC or R13 ? Which could be a right price for it ? I'm looking for the history of this brand but is very difficult , expecially after the mark was cancelled. Someone may help me to find something ?
Thanks a lot
Fabio
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2013-05-03 13:39
THe Concerto and Opus were Leblanc's top of the line clarinets, previous to Tom Ridenour leaving Leblanc, and Morrie Backun designing the Symphonie, Legacy and Cadenza for them. The Ridenour instruments are very well designed, and intonation is excellent.
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: rtmyth
Date: 2013-05-03 15:38
Try before buy, for any make and model, new or used, or price. Do not limit choices to make alone.
richard smith
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