 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Weavertnr
Date: 2013-02-19 23:50
My Daughter has been playing a beginner student clarinet for 5-6 years. She has expressed interest in upgrading. She played a Yamaha 550, R13, and a cannonball veloce(?). Her favorite seems to be a yamaha. my question is there a difference between the 450 and 550 other than the gold and springs?
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2013-02-20 00:55
The Yamahas are nice instruments at a very reasonable price. If I'm not mistaken, I think the 550 (Allegro) has an adjustable thumb rest, but in most ways, it's quite similar to the 450 and 650. For some reason, the 550s don't seem to be available from the online sellers, although the 450s and 650s are.
I assume you're hoping for something under $2,000. It might be worth having your daughter try a Bliss too. The Backun Protege is also supposed to be a nice choice, although I'm not sure how easy it is to find one.
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Author: clarinetics
Date: 2013-02-20 01:35
I highly suggest Tom Ridenour's Lyrique 576. They are exceptional instruments for a very reasonable price. The intonation on them is fantastic, it is hard rubber (with an extremely good bore) so you do not have to worry about cracking, and has an adjustable thumbrest. It is the instrument I had as an intermediate model. Although, be warned service is not the best on it, but they are surprisingly consistent.
Alexander May
Buffet R-13 Prestige
Vandoren 5RV
Vandoren Optimum
Vandoren V12
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Author: Taras12
Date: 2013-02-21 03:36
I believe the Backun Protege was just released this month (or will be shortly). Dave Kessler at Kessler Music (www.kesslermusic.com) can help you. It's best to call him and speak to him in person. He spent a good deal of time with me (although I was looking for an "advanced" beginning clarinet. He didn't try to sell me something more expensive that I really could handle, even though I could afford it. Give Dave a call.
Also I had good results from Ridenauer. He was very helpful as well. I'd give him a call as well.
Tristan
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Author: Joe Bloke
Date: 2013-02-21 16:19
I too am looking for a new clarinet and, yesterday, I exchanged emails with two trusted sources (one dealer known for their technical expertise, and one professional player who also sells instruments) regarding the Backun Protege. Both report that the Protege is an excellent instrument. One source said, in effect, I'd have to spend a lot more money (more than the cost of an R13, by far) to find anything comparable.
I plan to give the Protege a try before buying anything else.
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Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2013-02-22 03:32
You might want to take a look at the new Buffet E12F. They are just starting to become available in the U.S. They are quite nice.
Disclosure: I am a Buffet dealer, so I am not entirely impartial.
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com
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Author: Orlando Natty
Date: 2013-02-24 13:32
When making this decision back in high school I ended up with a Buffet E11. It was an ok choice at the time and the only thing I could afford (around $700 at the time). However, as I continued on to college, the E11 was limiting. I wished I had saved more and bought a pro level horn.
If your kid is serious enough to want or need an intermediate then you might be better off just getting a used pro horn as you can get one for less than a new intermediate. For example, I have a mid-70s Selmer 10G I bought for around $700 and it blows away the E11 I had.
You can't really go wrong with a pro horn from any of today’s major makers like Buffet, Selmer (Paris, not US), or Leblanc. Everyone has their preferences (mine is Selmer), but they're all quality horns. It's important that your kid tries all sorts of different makes and models to find the right fit for them.
I would recommend finding a good local repair person and seeing if they have any used pro horns for sale. I know my repair guy has a range of used horns from student to pro for sale for way less than you'd pay for new. You'd be able to try them out and you know they're in playable condition. There are also some other people who sell used horns online that have a try out policy. I think www.clarinetperfection.com is one.
P.S. To whomever recommended the backun protege, I checked and it looks like they retail for over $2400. I wouldn't call an instrument in excess of $2000 intermediate in any way. If they shop carefully, he or she can get a great used pro horn by a good maker for nearly half that; even a decent used R13 can be had for way less than $2k.
Post Edited (2013-02-24 14:18)
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Author: Weavertnr
Date: 2013-02-25 23:33
Great Thanks for all the inputs and help. I will let you all know what we decide upon...
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2013-02-26 01:03
About pricing on the Backun Protege (suggested retail is about $2,850):
Kessler Music and Weiner Music are both selling grenadilla models for slightly under $2,000.
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