 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jenetic69
Date: 2018-11-08 19:08
Hi! My 10 year old son just started clarinet in school and absolutely loves it. We are planning on switching him from piano to clarinet as his main instrument per his request.
He currently has a school issued rental (A Buffet, but plastic model), but I realized that accidentally chose the 4 month rental package instead of the 10 month package. After the 4 month package rate, the per month rate goes up significantly. That being said, I am looking purchase a clarinet for him. There is a newly re-hauled Buffet E11 available locally for around $300. It does not have a mouthpiece, but from what I am reading, that may not be a bad thing. I have been seeing some mixed reviews about the E11. Should I be looking at something else for him or would the dissatisfaction with the E11 (I am assuming from higher level players) not really affect him as a beginner? And if I were to purchase this, any recommendations on a mouthpiece?
Post Edited (2018-11-08 19:40)
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2018-11-09 06:31
Unfortunately the E11 has got something of a bad rep. This isn't altogether fair, as a good E11 can be a very playable instrument, but Buffet's quality has become patchy in recent years and there are a lot of bad ones out there. The fact that it is made in 2 separate locations, one in France and one in Germany also adds to the confusion. $300 is a good price, and if you could have the instrument satisfactorily evaluated by an experienced player or by his teacher it might be worth pursuing, but otherwise, speaking personally, I'd avoid it.
Tony F.
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Author: jenetic69
Date: 2018-11-09 07:25
Thank you for the info. The seller said it was Made in Germany with serial number 697331. Does that mean anything? My son doesn't have a private teacher yet (he is learning through school), but I'll see if his piano teachers knows anyone.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2018-11-09 09:38
An E11 made in Germany and in good condition is a very good clarinet for a beginner.
The E11 France (that's the model name) has a design defect and best to avoid it.
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Author: TomA ★2017
Date: 2018-11-09 09:51
My E11, S/N 982302, was made in Germany by Schreiber and purchased in 2007.
It has been a very good instrument and I would not hesitate to recommend it for the student in question. Assuming that the overhaul was well done, that is.
Schreiber was a good manufacturer (until they went bankrupt).
Tom
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Author: Doug Leach
Date: 2018-11-09 20:44
The two best choices for a beginning student mouthpiece would be either a Brad Behn Overture
https://www.clarinetmouthpiece.com/overture-student-clarinetmouthpiece
or a Clark Fobes debut
https://www.clarkwfobes.com/collections/soprano-clarinet/products/debut-clarinet-mouthpiece?variant=6110309445
The Fobes is also available online from several of the large scale music retailers. They are both very similar, and you absolutely couldn't go wrong with either.
Doug
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2018-11-13 09:13
Doug Leach wrote:
> The two best choices for a beginning student mouthpiece would
> be either a Brad Behn Overture
>
> https://www.clarinetmouthpiece.com/overture-student-clarinetmouthpiece
>
>
> or a Clark Fobes debut
>
> https://www.clarkwfobes.com/collections/soprano-clarinet/products/debut-clarinet-mouthpiece?variant=6110309445
>
>
> The Fobes is also available online from several of the large
> scale music retailers. They are both very similar, and you
> absolutely couldn't go wrong with either.
>
> Doug
I work with lots of beginning and intermediate students and absolutely second this opinion. A decent mouthpiece is crucial and most of the ones supplied to beginners are bad to awful. Fobes or Behn are the exceptions.
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