 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: clarimad
Date: 2019-08-12 22:37
I'm interested in finding out who produces student to intermediate models in both plastic and wood.
Thanks in anticipation.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2019-08-13 00:35
I'm confused.
Are you asking about plateau KEYS? Or just a panoply of different levels of clarinet?
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2019-08-13 02:31
Leblanc were the last of the big name makers to offer the Leblanc LL, Noblet Artist and Vito clarinets with plateaux keywork - Vitos were the last to be made with plateaux keywork.
Malerne and other European makers offered them too, but those are instruments going to be around 50 to 100+ years old. Chances are they'll need work done to bring them up to playing condition.
While there are brand new Chinese ones being made, I have my reservations there. The Hunter one is a copy of a Vito/Noblet.
http://mmrmagazine.com/gear/band-instruments/hunter-6403eb-plateau-key-bb-clarinet/
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: donald
Date: 2019-08-13 05:20
I've got an older Vito plateau clarinet waiting for the $$$$ to overhaul. My plan has always been to fix it up to rent to smaller students who have trouble with the right hand notes but I can never seem to get around to sorting that out....
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Author: m1964
Date: 2019-08-13 07:35
jdbassplayer wrote:
"M1964,
I think you may be misinterpreting what a plateau clarinet is. For those of you that don't know, a plateau clarinet is a clarinet with closed keys like a bass clarinet instead of open holes."
Ah, thanks, I had no idea.
Would the sound be somewhat muted comparing to a "regular" clarinet?
Donald wrote:
" I've got an older Vito plateau clarinet waiting for the $$$$ to
overhaul. My plan has always been to fix it up to rent to
smaller students who have trouble with the right hand notes but
I can never seem to get around to sorting that out...."
Would it be possible to start such a student on a C clarinet?
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2019-08-13 08:59
>> Would the sound be somewhat muted comparing to a "regular" clarinet? <<
Think of it this way... do the notes with keys on your clarinet all sound muted compared with finger hole notes?
>> Would it be possible to start such a student on a C clarinet? <<
I was way too small for a Bb and started with an Eb clarinet.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2019-08-13 10:21
I have a plateau clarinet which I sometimes use when my arthritis bites a bit. It sounds and plays just like a normal open-hole clarinet with my normal mouthpiece. When I first bought it I thought that it might take a while to become accustomed to the feel of it, but all it took was about 30 seconds. The only difference from a "normal" clarinet is that it is tricky to play a sliding glissando as in Rhapsody in Blue. It can be done, but it is more difficult.
Tony F.
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Author: donald
Date: 2019-08-13 13:49
E flat clarinets (beware the "kinder klari" though, pieces of junk), various C clarinets and the Howarth chalemeaux are all good to start small students... a Plateau B flat clarinet means they can play in school band with the others, plus in general I've found students like the deeper sound of the B flat.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2019-08-13 14:31
Provided the main action venting is set correctly on plateaux clarinets, they shouldn't be stuffy.
They're only made stuffy by repairers with a complete misunderstanding who use pads that are too thick and set the ventings too low (which is all too often the same problem with any clarinet). Add to that, players who use reeds that are too hard for them will also make the lower register stuffy.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: m1964
Date: 2019-08-13 16:34
Tony F wrote:
"I have a plateau clarinet which I sometimes use when my arthritis bites a bit..."
I might start looking for one of those to use in the future 🤣
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Author: Rebeccacleonard
Date: 2022-09-07 22:08
Leonards Music sells them. www.LeonardsMusic.com, 781-271-1189
I have several students who use them and they are very happy.
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2022-09-09 06:05
This is an old thread. In 2022 Uebel offers at least two different plateau model clarinets, both rather expensive instruments made for professional performance.
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2022-09-10 00:50
I have one left over from the sale of my business. I believe it is a Bundy with plateau keys over the largest 3 (normally open) holes.
Steve Ocone
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Author: ACCA
Date: 2022-09-12 12:11
Rheuben Allen:
https://rheubenallen.com/product-category/clarinets/plateau-clarinets/
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Author: Hurstfarm
Date: 2022-09-14 22:23
FWIW I have been using an Uebel Superior plateau key clarinet for about 2 months now, bought to counter ongoing finger numbness after a course of chemotherapy. For now at least, I find it more secure than a standard instrument- although still using those in situations where I’m swapping between Bb and A. It’s exceeded my (high) aspirations for sound, intonation, feel and quality of finish. I still prefer my Legendes but it’s a close call, and the plateau keyed instrument really isn’t a compromise in the important areas - and for now avoids the risk of fingers not sealing holes properly because of the lost sensation.
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2022-09-15 01:57
It's interesting.
While the OP seems to desire plateau clarinets that when sold new...
...where plateau clarinets,
......it's my understanding that instruments not designed that way have been converted to plateau clarinets for clients.
Chris P?....you've done your share of such work, no? 
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2022-09-15 02:25
I've only ever serviced and overhauled them, but never have done a conversion from ring keys to plateaux keywork.
If I was to, I'd most likely aim to keep the existing tonehole chimney heights as tall as possible for the main action by bevelling the tops to form crowns like all the other countersunk toneholes to seat the pads against as that shouldn't impact on the tuning.
Shortening the tonehole chimneys will sharpen things and then they'd need to be filled in along with other work done to retune things. That can always be experimented by using a donor clarinet (an old plastic or wood student model bought for next to nothing) to see how much impact shortening the chimneys has on the tuning and intonation.
Then the keywork can be made to sit at a good height above the chimneys to give good venting as well as keeping the pad cups fairly shallow and the pads relatively thin so they're not making the instrument feel too fat under the fingers, although that extra height will keep the hands and fingers held more open which could be beneficial, just like adding a thick piece of cork or similar immediately below the thumbrest to effectively make the joint diameter feel much larger to make the right hand and fingers more open and relaxed.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2022-09-15 05:25
Thanks for chiming in with your perspective Chris on matters of retrofitting plateau functionality.
Yeah, chimney heights....I'm thinking, non- repair person that I am, that I ideally might want to replace posts with ones that sit slightly higher, considering that where the plateau mechanism (let's just talk right hand for simplicity) is likely to come into contact with instrument's is at a point that's more distal than factory non-plateau rings: which sit at or near the height of the chimneys.
(My personal non-plateau clarinet setup preference is to JUST feel the rings above the holes.)
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2022-09-15 06:24
Lohff and Pfieffer advertises that they can do conversions from ring clarinet to plateau for just about any brand. They caution that the transformation is likely to be expensive, and costs must be determined individually, case by case. They also offer assurance that the operation can be done in reverse, back to the original rings, if the player so desires (at an additional cost, of course.) Most repair techs do not advertise these services.
Post Edited (2022-09-15 07:45)
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2022-09-15 17:12
I converted one three ring mechanism and it was reversible ( I made the new keys fit between the same posts. It is very time consuming for a repair shop to do these modifications unless they decide to specialize in it and set up jigs to match out all the exact measurements needed. One problem I had was finding space to add the extra springs.
A better approach, if possible, would be to just modify keys for a few keys that are problematic.
Steve Ocone
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Author: richardstone
Date: 2022-09-29 23:29
I purchased a used student Hanson clarinet last year that is a plateau type. I was extremely happy when it arrived because I suffer from old arthritic fingers and had difficulty covering the holes consistently. A few months back I inquired to Hanson if they could make a professional model bb clarinet with plateau keys and they said yes. I ordered one and it arrived the week before last.
It is the best clarinet I have played. Very resonant, lots of colors, very easy blowing and great articulation. I use a close Behn mouthpiece that worked well for me but required a fair amount of air. The new clarinet seems much easier to play with the Behn mouthpiece and I finally feel like I'm getting the full benefit of Behn's designs.
I would highly recommend the Hanson clarinets as they are made in England by Alistair Hanson and are of the utmost quality.
richarddstone@mac.com
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