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Determining if a new clarinet is in tune "enough"

Author: JoeRomano
Date: 2024-11-27 09:11

I found an R13 Prestige A that I almost bought. Great sound and feel.
However, some of the 12ths were off by 20 cents, especially e/B. This turned me off. I'm just wondering what others would find acceptable or unacceptable, as my search continues.
Thanks
Joe

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Re: Determining if a new clarinet is in tune "enough"

Author: Micke Isotalo ★2017
Date: 2024-11-27 12:19

According to Clark Fobes a well tuned and adjusted Buffet R-13 is about 5 cents flat on the first register upper E, and about 5 cents sharp on the corresponding second register upper B - thus 10 cents disparity in total. I don't have personal experience either about the R-13 Bb's or A's, so can't say if perhaps the A's are generally "wilder" in tuning - but 20 cents sounds as quite a lot.

Of course also your mouthpiece can play a role, but if your choice in that regard tunes well on a R-13 Bb, then it probably should tune at least similarly also on an A.

See Clark Fobes's article here: https://www.clarkwfobes.com/pages/tuning-and-voicing-the-clarinet

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Re: Determining if a new clarinet is in tune "enough"

Author: JoeRomano
Date: 2024-11-27 19:28

Thanks for this interesting article. I use a Fobes mouthpiece and bought clarinets from Clark back in the day when he was a Buffet dealer. Anyway, yes 20 cents is too high. I was most interested in finding what the "cutoff" might be, and it seems like 10 cents is about right.

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