 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Fred
Date: 2001-03-22 02:36
It has been standard practice on this board to recommend "the big four" makers as worthy of consideration when buying a clarinet - Buffet, Selmer, LeBlanc, and Yamaha. And it has been widely reported that the Yamaha student models have indeed become a prime contender if not the frontrunner for beginners.
Recently we have read people praising R-13's, LeBlancs, and Signatures. Is anyone out there selecting Yamaha pro horns? I'd like to hear from some Yamaha fans playing their upper level horns and learn what caused them to select the Yamaha above the other "big three".
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Author: Ashley
Date: 2001-03-22 03:07
my teacher plays a yamaha.. and she sounds awesome on it. She, however, doesnt like her sound (but who does? I hate my sound, everybody else loves it.. as is the case w/ our other clarinet player. the 3 of us decided that if we could just trade sounds we would all be very happy) I played a bunch of semi-pro horns a few months ago and liked the Buffets better than the Yamahas... but i dont know. Personal preferance mostly I think....
*ashley*
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Author: Nick
Date: 2001-03-22 06:34
I've been playing a Yahama Custom SE for about three years now. I've just started using a vandoren M13 mouthpiece, rovner ligature and Mitchell Lurie premium reeds. When I tried out the comparable Leblanc, Selmer and Buffet clarinets the Yamaha just felt more responsive to me. It was a pretty close call between them all, but I'd been playing a Yahama YCL34-II before I traded up so the SE felt right.
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Author: Gene Wie
Date: 2001-03-22 11:12
My post here isn't about Yamaha clarinets in particular, but about the Yamaha instrument lines as a whole. I own a Yamaha acoustic guitar, an old Yamaha plastic clarinet, and I (my latest yamaha experience) just bought a YAS-23 Alto Saxophone as a backup instrument for my own alto when it's in the shop...for $325 and being a student instrument, I'm still incredibly impressed by how well it plays. Sure, it's a bit light compared to my good horn, and the bottom end distorts a bit easier at high volumes, but overall it's a remarkably well-crafted instrument.
And generally, I've noticed that the quality control for Yamaha instruments is quite excellent. I played the CS and SE clarinet models at a show and found them to be a close (though different) match for my Buffets. They're definitely something to check out alongside Buffet, Selmer, and Leblanc...
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-03-22 13:05
In Auckland (pop 1.5 million) the second top professional clarinetist for many years, with extremely acute pitch consciousness, was extremely impressed with her custom Yamaha for years, and thought my YCL62 was close behind. She eventually went the Peter Eaton way. She thought it had a bigger sound available from its wide bore if she put a lot of effort into it.
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Author: Aaron
Date: 2001-03-22 16:04
I had the chance in Chicago at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic to try the new Yahama CS and SE (i think correct model names) NAyway...They are great horns. I wasn't able to of course play them with a tuner, but they had a good sound, not too bright. The 2 models are Very different because of their differnet bore shapes, so i would try both,m but they are great horns...great quality.
I wouls also mention the Halworth of London horns. they have their 2 models one is the English large bore(i believe) and the other is a more French/american bore if i remember correctly. These horns play comepletely different than their clarinets that they first came out with. The wood is spectacular and the sound is great. Also if there are any problems with the horn, you are suggested to just send it back to the factory in england and they will fix/repair anything that neds to be done. They are very big on coustomer satisfaction, and making their product the best. I would also Highly reccomend these horns for being outside of the major 4 makers.
patricola is also good, I met Mr. paticola the past summer and he's a great man, dosent spek english, but a great guy. The only complaint i had about all their models was evenness of scale form octave to octave.
Aaron
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Author: William
Date: 2001-03-22 17:09
Good clarinets of all brand names are played by top pros all over the world, and most of them all sound great. Like in fishing, it isn't the make of your fishing pole but how you wiggle your bait that's important. Good clarineting!!!!!
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Author: jbutler
Date: 2001-03-22 23:34
I really like the Yamaha SEV custom. If I needed a NEW clarinet I would this would be my choice. I tried all the clarinets at the last TMEA (Texas Music Educator's Convention). There were some nice clarinets by all manufacturers but I still like the SEV quality and price. The last time I checked WW&BW gave me an $1895 price quote on one.
John
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Author: David Kinder
Date: 2001-03-22 23:51
AMEN to the SEV! I just tried one out 2 days ago and i was very impressed by it. If I had to switch from my R-13, it would be a close one between the SEV and the Opus. I also love the wood color on the SEV. I love it when the natural color of the wood comes out more.
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Author: Gavin
Date: 2001-03-23 03:41
I've played on a Yamaha 62II for the past 15 years. I've occasionally tried other clarinets, but I've yet to play anything that I think is as good. I most recently (last monday) tried out a brand new rosewood Patricola in orchestra and was unhappy with its sound. Also, the positioning of the holes, most notably on the left hand, seemed different which was uncomfortable. I should mention that my A clarinet is a Buffet S1, with which I am very very happy. The Yamaha and the Buffet have an identical feel to them in terms of the fingering. In fact apart from looking at the label, you could not tell them apart (apart from the fact they are different lengths, of course!) by looking at them. As other brands do have differences in keywork, it may be a plus for you that Yamahas feel like Buffets - indeed my "unmatched" pair of a Bb Yamaha and A Buffet, I feel, are a very nice and certainly very compatable pair. I hope this helps.
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Author: Karen
Date: 2001-03-23 03:46
When I have my students try instruments, I generally have them try all four brands. My most advanced student plays a pro line Yamaha, and I consider it every bit as good as my LeBlancs and Buffet R13. If you have the opportunity to go to a huge store like the Woodwind and Brasswind, you can try the different professional instruments that Yamaha makes--There is a lot more to choose from than 'R13 or not R13?'
I also want to add that I firmly believe that Yamaha makes the very best Eb clarinets on the market. I have played Eb for many years, including my entire college career, and when it came time to purchase my own, I compared the Yamaha plastic Eb ($400) to a Buffet R 13 ($2300+) and chose the Yamaha. I now have a student who plays a pro-line Yamaha Eb, and it is unbelievable! I borrow it for gigs!
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2001-03-23 14:43
To get slightly off-topic by commenting on Gene Wie's above post on Yamaha saxes: I just fixed a few things on a friend's Yamaha professional-model tenor sax, and I was actually a bit disappointed by the quality of the keywork --- the levers were surprisingly soft and easy to bend, not nearly as rugged as I had expected. Otherwise the horn felt OK (but not great) to me --- I'll take my Couf (Keilwerth) tenor any day over the Yamaha.
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Author: Stephen Froehlich
Date: 2001-03-23 20:36
The soft keywork is also present on their Bass Clarients - a warning issued to me by my high school band director when he handed me a brand new one. Otherwise, that bass is a very good horn, though it lacks much richness or interest in its tone, it had a rather safe tone more than anything else.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-03-24 10:40
Just a little point: Aaron said of one make "The wood is spectacular ". The most spectacular looking timber has probably had its surface treated with a black gooey filler to fill grain blemishes. Some of the best looking timber looks bad after a few years when the filler starts flaking or wearing off.
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Author: IHL
Date: 2001-11-12 07:46
go yamaha...woooooooo
can I have the reeds after shes finished?
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