 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Francesca
Date: 2001-04-01 21:59
Hey all!
Here's the deal. I primarily play bass clarinet so I got a brand new Selmer 37. It works great and I'm very happy with it. I start college this fall as a music education major and I will need to play my soprano in various ensembles and solos. Unfortunately, my instrument is a plastic Buffet B12. It's a good instrument, but I don't think it gets the tone I'll need. Will I fall behind in my studies if I wait a year to get the money for a good clarinet like a Buffet R-13 or a Leblanc Opus? If I should "settle" on something cheaper what clarinet will do the job? Thanks!
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Author: Ashley
Date: 2001-04-01 22:19
i'm in the same situation you are, except I dont have my own bass (wish i did though, i'll be renting one from the university). I couldnt exactly afford a really good clarinet, I got a Buffet International in november. Its about the same as an E13 so i'm told. It plays great for me, and i sound pretty good on it. Try out some intermediate horns for the time being, some of them sound really great
*ashley*
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Author: Kim L
Date: 2001-04-01 23:45
I'm a college music major. My band director has always told me that my equipment has held me back. (I had a very old Buffet, then went to an open, free-blowing R-13). In my opinion, these instruments did hold me back. What I needed was resistance. Luckily for me, I had a second chance to get a good instrument since my clarinet cracked. Last week, I chose an R-13 with the right resistance and the richness and fullness that a clarinet should have.
What I'm trying to say, is never settle for second best! You will pay for it in the future as I did. I am sorry I didn't have an R-13 when I started college two years ago. It would have made me a lot better since I'm a great musician. My weak tone quality made me lack self-confidence.
In choosing a new instrument, I'd go with what you think is the best for you. After all, the Opus and R-13 are high quality clarinets!
Good luck,
Kim L.
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Author: 'nifer
Date: 2001-04-02 02:18
maybe you can talk to the professor at your school that you will be attending and see if the university has a (GOOD) loaner that you can use (like one that is used by majors when their instruments have to go into the shop for emergency repairs) and see if you could play on that for a semester so you can settle into playing and get used to whatever changes you may need to make your first semester of college and then maybe wait until like December and then you can have the professor help you pick out the proper clarinet for your setup then. It is awful if you get a new clarinet just before college and then play there for awhile and discover after making some changes that the clarinet no longer works correctly for you (like the intonation is more off than you had previously thought)
'nifer
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2001-04-02 16:06
Francesca,
You really do need to get a better clarinet. The old advice is still the best advice, "buy the best you can afford at the time." Look on the classifieds here on Sneezy and see what's running, and then on eBay. I run stuff on eBay all the time and I also find some great buys on excellent instruments. Just be careful to purchase from a reputable seller (one with lots and lots of positives and a return policy).
I play an Opus and love it. I also have owned the R-13s and they are good instruments as well (they're cheaper than the Opus and easier to find).
If you only want to go up a little bit from what you have, try the Buffet E-11. That's an intermediate clarinet and is a good step-up instrument. However, you would need to remember that it is not a professional model and would only hold you for a while until you could get a better one. So, look for one that is in great shape and a great price--say, under $450.00. You can find a good used one for that.
Or, you could buy a good used R-13 for about $800.00-1,000.00. But, as most of us have said, you do need better than the B12.
Also, get a good mouthpiece. The Vandoren M13 or M13Lyre was designed for the Buffet R-13 and is a good mouthpiece at a reasonable price. With a good tuning barrel (such as a Moennig or Chadash) and mouthpiece combination you can revitalize an old instrument and get a huge improvement in the quality of sound you make on your clarinet.
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Author: Sara
Date: 2001-04-03 03:22
I would say get a good mouthpiece and a good ligature and great reeds before you spend the money on a great horn. You'd be amazed at what a great setup will do for the crappiest horn.
Sara
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Author: David Kinder
Date: 2001-04-03 04:07
Once you've got your great set-up, THEN try out your intermediate/advanced horns. BTW, I also use a Vandoren M13, with a Rovner Eddie Daniels II ligature, and Rico Grand Concert Thick Blank reeds #4 1/2. It's an awesome set up for me with my R-13.
Don't rule out pawn shops if you know what you are looking for. I found my R-13 for $400. Of course they didn't know what they had, but I DID!:)
I would try out some Yamaha 34 and 52's, Leblanc Sonata and Infinite and LL, Selmer CL210 (?) and possibly an Amati. Buffet E-11 and E-13 are supposed to be pretty good too. Just some ideas.
Also, (I heard this from Windplayer magazine) if the armed forces are in your future, their band programs supply you with a professional model instrument (I would guess and R-13.).
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Author: Jim
Date: 2001-04-03 04:09
I really do think that at your level and position you will need a professional level instrument. Not only will you sound better, and enjoy playing much more, you will be taken more seriously by those with and for whom you play.
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Author: Joseph
Date: 2001-04-03 05:49
If you go for an intermediate horn be sure and try out a couple Yamaha's. I've been dissapointed with Selmer.I owned a CL200 before I sold it to my sister and went with a CL220.Both had mechanical diffs after a year.Course I played the living daylights outta them...but thats beside the point.I recently traded my 220 in on a Buffet R-13 Festival.
Le-blanc makes a fair intermediate from what I've heard...I've heard good and bad things about Buffets Intermediate line(believe its E-13).
Like others have said : purchase what you can afford.If you find a good dealer alot of times when your trading up with the same dealer they will give you 80-90% of what you paid for the inter if your trading up to a pro model after like a year or so.Just depends on how much love you give your horn.=)
Good-Luck and Happy Playing!!
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-04-03 10:30
Joseph wrote:
>
> If you go for an intermediate horn be sure and try out a
> couple Yamaha's. I've been dissapointed with Selmer.I owned a
> CL200 before I sold it to my sister and went with a CL220.Both
> had mechanical diffs after a year.Course I played the living
> daylights outta them...but thats beside the point.
That is definitely NOT beside the point. The Selmers have some of the sturdiest key mechanisms around. So if you started having mechanical difficulties, you should look to your technique and handling of the instrument. The sturdy mechanism is why I happen not to like Selmer personally as for me it feels sluggish but a lot of people prefer the secure feeling of the keys.
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Author: Cass
Date: 2001-04-04 12:49
Someone up there in the thread mentioned using a "good" loaner from the school. Don't go there counting on that. I have had to use loaners off and on, started on a loaner in grade school and used one for awhile in college. They were all and I mean 100% in terrible condition. The schools didn't have money to maintain things unless it was absolutely necessary.
The big horns like marching sousaphones that were all loaners because nobody owned their own, got maintained. The Bb clarinet, forget it. They expected people to get their own so they didn't do much to take care of them. I got one, with a pad loose in the case. This is college, not high school! I took it in and spent the money myself to get the pad put back. The repairman said the whole thing needed repadding and some other adjustments, but I didn't want to pay for that, on the school instrument I would only use for a few weeks. (My clarinet was stolen. I had to save up and find a used new-to-me one.) As far as I know the school never did get that clarinet fixed up because it was "only the loaner". It was an older R-13, fine pro clarinet if maintained, but it was really hard to play because of poor care over the years.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-04-05 00:01
Francesca -
If you want to make your living as a clarinetist, you will need to have the best instruments you can find. Except for a few soloists and those in military bands, no one makes a living playing just bass clarinet. In any professional situation, you'll need a pro-quality Bb, and, in an orchestra, an A clarinet.
That said, you don't need to get a new Bb right now, though you will need one, even as a music education major. I would get a really top mouthpiece and barrel from, say, Smith, Pyne or Fobes (which will cost you $300 or so). However, even that should wait until you get to college, since your teacher will be able to evaluate your playing and suggest what will work best for you.
Your teacher will also be able to get you a better professional instrument than you will probably be able to find yourself. First of all, the teacher almost certanily plays better than you and can quickly pick out a winner. Second, he or she is able to send many students to a supplier and will have access to the good stuff. In any case, professional assistance will ensure that you get something good.
Some conservatories have extra Buffet R-13s (usually in pretty worn condition), which you could play for several months while searching for a new instrument.
Keep practicing. Everything will turn out OK.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: 'nifer
Date: 2001-04-05 00:31
when i had previously mentioned using a school instrument.. i know that at my school.. the loaners for when a majors instrument are in the shop are kept by the professor and are VERY GOOD instruments i had to play an opera on one when my clarinet cracked the day before the opening night.... ask your professor! ;-)
'nifer
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Author: John
Date: 2001-04-06 04:09
Why not look for a good used R13 or Opus or even a Selmer series 10 would do nicely. Consider a simple mouthpiece upgrage if you are still using the stock plastic one.
Cheers,
Jv
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Author: John
Date: 2001-04-06 04:11
And don't waste money on "step up units" they aren't much better than the student models and will still wish you had bought a "real clarinet"
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Author: Francesca
Date: 2001-04-06 21:56
Hey all,
Thanks for the great suggestions. They've been very helpful. Just to let you know, I have a Vandoren B45. mouthpiece and an Ultimate ligature. The ligature is an experiment right now. It certainly improved my tone, but I don't know if it's the best for me.
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