Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2017-06-11 18:32
Just to play devil's advocate for a minute...
One of the main elements in Eric's post is his feeling that he isn't confident he would know which clarinet to choose. It's all very well to say, "pick the instrument "that plays well for you," but Eric isn't sure he'll know or, at least, that he'll know which clarinet is the "best" of many that seem "good."
It's silly to say in 2017 that R13 is the "best" clarinet on the market (as people here on the BBoard remind us constantly). But it's also silly to say that no R13 is worthy of consideration. You can find an R13 that's out of tune or responds unevenly or doesn't seal well enough even to judge response. But an experienced player with enough R13s to choose from can almost certainly find one that plays well. If the same player were to try Yamahas, he would find a good one of those - maybe with fewer to choose from because Yamaha's production techniques seem to produce more consistent results. There are good clarinets to be had from any of the major clarinet manufacturers and many of the smaller ones - including Buffet and, specifically, R13. For an experienced player, the choice comes down to deciding which of a selection of good instruments best meets his expectations for tone quality, intonation and response ("feel").
But a younger, less experienced student is at a disadvantage in not really knowing what he prefers, or at least not having a really strong basis for his preferences, because that's a function of experience. So the choice for him (and other younger students) isn't so much between clarinet brands and models as it is between trusting his own knowledge and "instincts" or trusting those of a more experienced teacher, albeit a teacher with a clear bias toward R13.
To Eric: You should certainly try the Yamaha clarinets and any other brand/model you think you'd like to consider. You should also try R13s on your own to see what *general* opinion you form of those. You'll also experience the range of quality among individual instruments. If you find you have a clear preference of a model's overall characteristics, go with your preference. If you still feel, after finding good examples of each, that you aren't sure what you're looking for and can't decide, then take your teacher's advice.
If you actually decide after comparing that you prefer R13 after all, let your teacher help with a final choice of individual instrument
In the end, it isn't really likely you'll get a "bad" clarinet either way. Assuming you're limiting your choices to Yamaha CSVR and Buffet R13, Yamahas are quite consistent whereas involving your teacher will protect you from the "worst" R13s. Your teacher's resistance may even start to soften if she sees you've done some preliminary work.
Last point - choosing a clarinet isn't a lifelong commitment. Your expectations and your needs often change down the road. So you really shouldn't worry too much about "the long run." Concentrate on what you need now and what will satisfy both your needs and your available cash.
Karl
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