 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Leo Sesemann
Date: 2012-09-25 09:16
Hello everybody!
I am planning a trip to NYC in October and I would like to know, if you could recommend a shop for used/vintage clarinets ans mouthpieces. I'm not on the hunt for new stuff, but if there is something like a "special place" to go, please let me know.
Thanks & Greetings from Germany
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Author: Lorenzo_M
Date: 2012-09-25 14:03
unfortunately, I haven't found one! At least not for used/vintage horns and mouthpieces. Sam Ash might have some ... but they are usually overpriced and in poor condition. Jon Baltimore is definitely overpriced, and usually in poor condition, relative to price.
If you want to try out clarinets, the Buffet, Yamaha, and Selmer showrooms are here...you can call ahead and see if they are available. You can spend a whole day just trying out their latest models.
You can try Vandorens, Selmers, and Ricos at Sam Ash, Rayburns, Roberto's, and if you're willing to go out there, Wright Music has a selection of Clark Fobes. Innoledy carries all the Backun products, and usually has a good stock.
I take it back...Roberto's carries some vintage pieces, but they are most likely overpriced.
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Author: weberfan
Date: 2012-09-25 14:56
Leo,
Try Laurie Orr at the Buffet showroom on West 47th Street. (212) 221-3693.
She may have a suggestion.
Kristin Bertrand, the magnificent tech who shares the office, is still on maternity leave, I think.
But to your original question: I'm not aware that there's a shop somewhere in the city that specifically handles vintage goods.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-09-25 15:20
Leo -
There used to be Rob Baltimore's International Music Store, 719 Seventh Avenue (enter on 48th St.), 3rd floor. It was a dark, cavernous space with a huge selection of good and bad wind instruments and a display case full of old clarinet mouthpieces, in which I once found a Chedeville (in unplayable condition). Rob had a nasty falling-out with the landlord and moved to a first-floor store at 168 West 48th St. The last time I was there, some other people had taken over the 3rd floor store, but I'm not sure they're still there. Google Street View shows a laser hair removal company name on the awning. It's worth it to try the 3rd floor and the street level store, which are just a few feet apart. Be warned that they're only as honest as absolutely necessary. Rob is the rather dilapidated guy with the big mustache. At the 168 store, ask for Susan Eberenz, who knows her stuff. Mention my name to her.
Across 48th Street at 165, there at least used to be small stores on the various floors, some of which had interesting stuff. Look at the second story windows above Sam Ash, which has various store names. (But don't go into Sam Ash, which is dreadful.) Don't bother with what used to be Manny's at 156 West 48th. It deteriorated badly and is now a Sam Ash store.
Roberto's, 149 West 46th St. and Alex, 165 West 48th St. have good stuff, and Alex has some interesting things. It's worth going into both, since they're knowledgeable and friendly.
If you only had a time machine, you could go back to 1965 or so, when the whole street was music stores, the best of which was Ponte's. For what you missed, see http://test.woodwind.org/Databases/lookup.php/Klarinet/1999/01/000696.txt.
Send me an email when you come and we can meet.
Ken Shaw
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Author: CocoboloKid
Date: 2012-09-25 18:02
Rod Baltimore's 48th Street shop on the ground floor is gone as of a few weeks ago. His son, Jon Baltimore, has a shop on 46th, but it is very much as Lorenzo said. You will not find anything interesting there, at least not clarinet-related. (though they DO currently have a lovely pair of Selmer Signatures, but that's it. Everything else is about five thousand years old and just gross)
The music stores in NYC are generally kind of horrible, hideously overpriced, and in no way geared toward professional woodwind players. We have lots of specialty shops for that, but if you want a selection of anything decent as a clarinet player, outside of going to the showrooms (which I recommend), you need to go out to Long Island to Weiner Music (call ahead, though).
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Author: larryb
Date: 2012-09-26 00:23
You could check this out for Oscar Adler and Backun clarinets:
http://www.innoledy.com/index.html
I haven't been yet, but am told they're a quality dealer.
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Author: Lorenzo_M
Date: 2012-09-26 02:29
I've been to innoledy. Tong is a good guy and though he doesn't play clarinet (he's mainly a double reed player) he's helpful if you need someone to help you listen. I've been there twice, once with Backun Musical Services there, to try out his Backun stuff. He currently is the only place in Manhattan you can try the Backun clarinets, and the only place in NYC that has a full stock of Backun products.
I second Weiner music if you want a large selection of clarinet stuff to try. They're mainly a mail order joint, so don't expect the most amazing desk service, but I can't think of any place around here that has more stuff available...
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Author: A Brady
Date: 2012-09-26 02:52
One of the "too good to be true" options we used to have in the city was the WW&BW store on 23rd Street, managed by the wonderful Laurie Orr and Jonathan Wright. Incredible selection of basically all brands, and many rooms to try them out, along with a good selection of used instruments and mouthpieces. All this, and Tomoji was the on-site tech, who maintained my wonderful Yamaha Custom soprano sax purchased there for several years before the store's untimely demise, evidently due to the WW&BWs desire for higher profit from another vendor in the location.
I recommend the Buffet Showroom for new Buffets, and I usually patronize the 48th Street Sam Ash (actually a good store in my experience) for reeds and accessories, or visit various NJ options. Roberto pretty much just carries his own brands these days (reeds and the like) and seems to be focusing on his Mexico City store these days, but does have a good selection of vintage Selmers and sax mouthpieces. Weiner Music does have a good selection, but is much friendlier for Internet orders in my experience, and Wright Music is another good Long Island option.
NYC could use a dedicated vintage WW dealer, maybe someday!
AB
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Author: Lorenzo_M
Date: 2012-09-26 03:25
wow! WWBW used to have a store like that in NYC??? Those are three of the best people in NYC too. Laurie now manages the Buffet Showroom, Jon Wright is the proprietor of Wright Music, and Tomoji is a legendary tech around here.
I bought my first clarinet from WWBW in South Bend...and it was at the time a great place to try horns also. Too bad they went fully into the way of corporate America, and no such place exists anymore.
Anyway. Selmer also supposedly has a showroom set up where you can try their clarinets. I haven't been there, but they should have all the current clarinets in stock. The Buffet Showroom mainly has R13s. Last time I was there, they had almost no stock of higher end models, and absolutely no Buffet Festivals. Stock varies of course.
Re: Roberto's yeah, he's pretty much focusing on his own line of products these days. He also focuses mainly on saxophone.
Though they're small, Wright Music is a actually a pretty well stocked place for clarinet, and the only true B&M to carry anything other than Vandoren mouthpieces...
I forgot to mention the Vandoren Showroom as well. They carry, as expected, all the latest Vandoren products, including the difficult to find CL4 and CL5 Masters mouthpieces.
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Author: A Brady
Date: 2012-09-26 04:11
I bought my marvelous RC Prestige B flat from the showroom, from a selection of several, and also a wonderful 1193 bass. They do indeed have many R-13s, but also have Toscas, Festivals and Greenlines available to try. The purchase is made through the authorized Buffet dealer of your choice after an instrument has been selected at the showroom. This is certainly the largest Buffet selection to be found in NYC these days, and Kristin Bertrand is on hand for adjustments or set up.
AB
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Author: Lorenzo_M
Date: 2012-09-26 04:21
They have all the higher end Buffets, but not many. Stock changes, so maybe they'll have more around this time.
When I was last there in June, they had only one RC Prestige, one R13 Prestige, one Tosca, and NO Festivals.
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Author: CocoboloKid
Date: 2012-09-26 05:09
I would also like to HIGHLY recommend a trip to Woodbridge, NJ to visit the woodwind part of Dillon Music. A person can have a LOT of fun in there! (Huge selection of clarinets...last time I was in there, in addition to the usual range of vintage Buffets and Leblancs and Selmer Series 9s etc, there was a pair of Rossis, a pair of Chadashes, a pair of Selmer Artys, several Selmer Recitals/Signatures/Privileges, the new Buffet E11 France and some new R13/R13 Prestiges, and they are also a Backun dealer with a very comprehensive selection of barrels, bells and mouthpieces.
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Author: Lorenzo_M
Date: 2012-09-26 06:26
Is Dillon musc accessible via public transport? OP mentioned he is from out of town - Germany. If a store is inaccessible via public transport, I hesitate to recommend it.
Speaking of which...Weiner Music is pretty far in Long Isand, no? I've gone to Wright Music via the LIRR, but even that was a bit of a trip. At least it's not too far away from the Port Washington stop.
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Author: CocoboloKid
Date: 2012-09-26 17:03
Dillon is a very short walk from the New Jersey Transit station. All of these places are quite far, and I don't imagine that an out of town visitor would actually take the time to GO to them, but if one is dead set on trying a vast range of things, one will be very disappointed if one stays in Manhattan!
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Author: Joseph Brenner, Jr.
Date: 2012-09-26 19:11
I just searched trains at: <www.njtransit.com>. Here's a sample for a trip from Penn station NYC to Woodbridge NJ:
Depart : NEW YORK PENN STATION at 1:43 PM
Board : Train 3247 toward LONG BRANCH
Arrive : WOODBRIDGE at 2:31 PM
Fare Regular Child/Senior/Disabled
Bus $0.00 $0.00
Rail $10.00 $4.50
Transfer Fee $0.00 $0.00
Total $10.00 $4.50
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Author: Leo Sesemann
Date: 2012-10-04 11:54
Thank you very much for the input...I appreciate every posting. So my trip starts tomorrow, and I will try the options around Sam Ash and maybe the Innoledy-Store to try out some Backuns... (they are not available in Germany, but, as a spare-time-player, I think they are way to pricey). I think, my wife is very happy, that the options for good priced vintage stuff and the amount of worthy shops is limited... ;-)
Greetings!
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Author: Clarineteer
Date: 2012-10-04 12:13
Seems like mostly all of the B&M stores past customers are now buying instruments online even though to get the proper fit in person play testing is essential. That has contributed to their demise.
Post Edited (2012-10-04 14:38)
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