Author: Tom Puwalski
Date: 2017-09-04 14:57
Having had all the "high end" instruments that one maker currently makes, And having the "high end " instruments from a boutique maker, I can make this statement with clarity and honesty. Price point doen't determine quality or playability. In some cases it did make a difference in "built" quality. My Buffet Divine was a much better sealing instrument the the R-13 prestige that I bought around the same time.
Years ago I did an experiment, I had just purchased a magnaelic, that's a device many good repairmen use to determine the seal of the pads in Woodwind instruments. NASA uses this instrument to determine and confirm that space suits are "air tight". I took this instrument to Washington music, a store near me that usually has a lot of stock, and I pulled 10 clarinets down to try. I measured the seal all ten instruments, top and Boston joints then both joints together, I noted each instruments score in my note book from "best sealing" to the "sealing". I didn't mark the instruments in any manor. I then proceeded to play test all the instruments. After about. 2 hours of playing, I had pretty much rated all the instrument. The top 2 instrumets that I liked were the two highest score with the magnehilic. Now that was a surprise, the instruments that I through played the best, had. The best seal. I learned something that day, when I try an instrument, I'm really assessing the condition of the instrument. Who is to say that the instrument on the bottom of my magnehelic test really wasn't the best instrument once it had perfect sealing pads.
Here is the other thing I learned, I don't think any clarinetist from any super orchestra or any "consultant" regardless of the how tight they are with the force would be able to hear that clarinet #10 on my magnehelic test was the "best" instrument after it would have had some pad work. If you buy 10 of the same clarinets make all of them seal the same, then you can make a informed evaluation.
So I'm at a loss to figure out what everybody thinks they're getting when they spend $5K+ on Ulimate version of the "Same" instrument. As good as the Yamahas that I''m playing are, THEY DONT PLAY THEMSELVES! I will say this out of any of the clarinets I've played over all the years They are the easiest instruments I've ever played.
Tom Puwalski
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The Clarinet BBoard
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