 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Matt74
Date: 2016-08-01 02:58
Just for curiosity's sake: Do you recommend "intermediate" clarinets?
When I was a kid I played a plastic Yamaha student model, which worked great for me. I got an R-13 when I went to college. Are there any good intermediate models that you would recommend, either as a first clarinet or as a "step-up" before getting a pro model? If you have the option of spending $100-150 on a student model, are the $800-$2,000 models that much better? I would want it to be A LOT better for that price. It seems like you really have to know what you're getting to spend so much more. I would be more inclined to buy a used pro model. I suppose the prices of the pro models make the intermediate ones look more attractive. I can see that if clarinet were my only instrument growing up, and I were playing solos and auditions, I would want something better than a student plastic model, but might not be able to get a pro.
Thanks,
- Matthew Simington
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Author: saxlite
Date: 2016-08-01 03:12
Check out the Yamaha CSVR; it really excellent and should be at about top of your price range. Or, you could consider getting a used name brand clarinet from the site which shall not be named and having a tech give it a proper tune-up.
Jerry
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2016-08-01 03:27
I'm a little confused. You seem already to be grown and have your R-13, so I think this is a hypothetical question for general information. Correct me if that's wrong.
I've never been enthusiastic about intermediate clarinets. I would generally steer a student toward a used "pro" instrument from a reputable shop that would guarantee the instrument's condition.
Karl
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Author: Matt74
Date: 2016-08-01 07:06
I'm not in the market for a clarinet. If I were I would either get a student model or a used pro (unless I was sure there was something intermediate that would play as well as a pro). I wanted to know if others might have a different opinion.
- Matthew Simington
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Author: Pastor Rob
Date: 2016-08-01 09:15
I picked up a Leblanc Rapsodie for $300 on that website. It played great! I gave it to kid in my church and he loves it. It is way better than any plastic student clarinet I have tried.
Pastor Rob Oetman
Leblanc LL (today)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-08-01 14:33
The E13 seems to be a very popular intermediate level clarinet.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: kevinbarry
Date: 2016-08-01 15:02
My Yamaha YCL650 is often advertised as a pro model but I tend to regard it as intermediate. Whatever, it plays very well indeed and I like it a lot.
I finally moved on to the Ridenour Lyrique Libertas which I do prefer - and this is a pro model and very good value in my opinion.
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2016-08-02 00:31
It's been my position that intermediate instruments can make sense for (1) a student not aspiring to pursue a music career, who wants or needs a new, upgraded instrument, and (2) adult amateurs seeking the peace of mind afforded by an unworn, uncracked, warranted new instrument who can't justify the price of a new professional instrument.
The serious student needs a professional instrument. Skip the intermediate.
Used intermediate clarinets? Not worth bothering with, when many used professional instruments sell for just a small premium over intermediates.
And, there's always Tom Ridenour's $960 wonder, the RCP-576BC. With this option and the plethora of affordable used pro instruments, nobody has an excuse these days for playing a subpar clarinet.
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Author: gwie
Date: 2016-08-02 12:02
I would agree that Ridenour's $960 model 576 is a lot of horn for the money. So is Backun's Beta, a wood rendition of practically the best plastic clarinet on the market that's near the $1100 range. Still, I love finding an older, used R-13 in the ~$1200-$1400 range and sending it to folks like John Butler for an overhaul. A lot of life left on most of those clarinets!
The CSVR is Yamaha's direct R-13 competitor...with a really nice "ping" to the sound, beautiful silver-plated keys, stellar intonation, and depending on the dealer you get it from, almost a thousand bucks cheaper to boot. I bought a Bb and A last year and am very happy with their response "out of the box." They're very consistent from one horn to the next too, so for my students who want something great but don't want to cross the $3000 barrier, these are great!
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