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Help needed picking one from two clarinets

Author: KaiLiau
Date: 2017-08-31 08:28

I apologize for the long read (and this almost like asking if you prefer stronger or softer reed) but I am torn. Help is highly appreciated.

To verify the throat notes intonation issue of the CSG2 mentioned the other day, I managed to get a CSG2H (same clarinet but with Hamilton plating replacing silver) from the same seller and this one doesn't have intonation issue so it's slightly higher price is justified. It would be an easy choice which one to keep if it's only the tuning (and key plating) the difference between these two.

And this is where I need your input. What would you pick?
(CSG2H) More sensitivity (requiring more control when consistency is required), less resistance to blow, slightly brighter tone although warm (or dark) sound is still possible.
VS
(CSG2) more consistency in tone, higher resistance, perhaps less flexibility, slightly darker tone. (Please ignore the tuning issue for now).

Details...
Compared to the CSG2, CSG2H has less resistance to blow, especially the throat and the clarion. Overall its timbre is brighter and more flexible, although still focused like a CSG. To me, at least now, it takes more mental focus on my embouchure, tongue position, and air support to sound full and dark on the CSG2H. It could be my current preference to sound the same all the time. It still sounds decent even if I pay less attention. However, perhaps of its sensitivity, sometimes I feel like I hit its ceiling quite easily as it's harder to play loud and covered (vs shrill) at the same time on this CSG2H, if not impossible.

On the other hand, the CSG2 has more resistance to blow but its tone is covered and dark almost all the time regardless of the volume. I don't have to pay as much attention to make this sound on the CSG2. This consistency (or lack of sensitivity) is more like my old Buffet clarinet so I am actually quite used to it but I don't know if this is good or not.

PS. These are the seller's last two CSG2s so these may not be typical case for H and non-H model.

PSS. I am using B45 with Legere European cut 3.25 now.

Thanks in advance...

Post Edited (2017-08-31 18:37)

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