 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2021-07-12 20:50
It hurts me to no end to ask a gear question on this bboard - and I apologize, but I've been unable to find a decisive answer via the search.
A friend's daughter is entering the band program. She's 11 years old, and this is the first year band is offered at her school.
The school provided the following "recommendations":
Selmer
Noblet
Buffet
Yamaha
Selmer Signet
The sticky wicket is a requirement that the instrument be made of wood (which is silly pretentious to me).
My friend is hoping to stay in the $300 - $700 range for a used instrument.
Looking through the bboard, I've come up with the following recommendations:
Yamaha YCL (insert number here...34, etc.)
Noblet 40
and also (even though it isn't on the recommended list): Leblanc Serenade.
I include the Leblanc Serenade simply because my friend has found one of these, and he wondered if it is comparable to the others in the list.
I haven't been around student model wooden instruments for quite some time, so any first-hand experience/recommendations for student-model wood instruments would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Fuzzy
;^)>>>
Post Edited (2021-07-12 20:52)
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Author: kdk
Date: 2021-07-12 23:01
Sounds like the band director is either a brass or a percussion player.
Where (country/region) does your friend live? Does the school offer a rental or rent-to-own program? If so, that's often the best way to start. At the end of the initial rental period (here in my area where I live and taught, that's 3-4 months), if she has settled into staying with the instrument, the parents can decide what she really needs to have. For instance, do they really enforce the wood-only requirement (I agree with your opinion of that) or is it more aspirational on the band director's part?
The advantage of a school-sponsored rental program is that it postpones committing to a purchase and usually the renting outlet provides maintenance and repairs for the duration of the rental agreement.
Karl
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Author: Fuzzy
Date: 2021-07-12 23:12
Karl,
East Texas. It doesn't sound like the school offers a rental arrangement (pretty rural area).
My friend has stumbled across a chance at a Yamaha YCL 450 in the region, so he might go that direction if the price is right. I figure at least a Yamaha might have a decent resell value.
Still looking though.
(Side note: The wood requirement greatly diminished my hope in the school's music program.)
Thanks,
Fuzzy
;^)>>>
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2021-07-13 00:45
I recommend that students start with a good quality plastic clarinet. A good mouthpiece is where any extra money should go. A Yamaha YCL-450 would be a good choice for a wooden clarinet.
Steve Ocone
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2021-07-13 02:12
The Yamaha 450 would be an excellent choice if you can get it within your friends price range. You might find a YCL 34, which is older but of similar quality within their limits.
Tony F.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2021-07-13 02:44
I dealt with a brass playing band director that insisted my student use #3 reeds (not just what the band could provide mind you) even though she demonstrably sounded ten times better on a 2 1/2.
I say that is is ok to go plastic and tell the band director to "stick it."
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2021-07-13 09:22
As a former elementary and middle school band director I agree with Paul. They are not going to kick anyone out of band for having a plastic instrument.
If you do go with wood I would recommend a neck strap unless she has particularly large hands for her age. Size alone make the instrument unwieldy for most very young hands. The extra weight just compounds the issue.
Anders
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Author: donald
Date: 2021-07-13 14:09
I have a wooden student level clarinet that I can't GIVE AWAY, it needs repading. So if you want an old Boosey and Hawkes Regent Wooden B flat clarinet (needs re pading, small crack in bell) just pay me shipping and it's yours. I'd rather mail it off than throw it in the bin...
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