 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: tveymusic
Date: 2026-01-24 05:40
Cross-posting from Reddit:
Any clarinetists living in Tokyo here who could provide some advice and may want to set up some sort of a barter (what I can offer: jazz clarinet lessons, English or Russian practice, audio recording)?
I’d like to buy a new, professional/artist level clarinet, and I think I want the Yamaha CSVR (maybe CSVR-ASP). I currently have a 20 year old R13, and I think it’s past its prime. I played a couple of the CSVRs at the Yamaha store in Ginza and was blown away by the ease of playing and how well in tune they played. They only had two I could try, and I am hoping there is way to set up an appointment for me to try 5-7 different ones and make my selection.
I’m going to be in Tokyo again in May. Perhaps I need to visit a different store altogether, or maybe I need to visit a US store instead. I’m currently near LA, and I don’t actually know the best places around here to try these instruments. I really liked the Tokyo store though: great vibe, amazing selection of all kinds of other clarinet accessories, friendly staff, etc. Not sure if it’s cheaper to buy in Tokyo or the US…
For context, I’m “classically trained”, played professionally for a while, and I play mostly jazz and all kinds of “experimental” music these days.
I’d be willing to pay (or barter, as I mentioned) a qualified clarinetist to act as my local guide: help me schedule a visit, arrange for a good selection, help with translation, etc. Maybe you want to practice your English, or learn a bit about jazz, or just want to help out…
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Author: m1964
Date: 2026-01-24 08:47
Many music stores (especially larger ones) participate in the Japan tax-free program for foreign visitors. It usually applies if you’re a temporary visitor (tourist) with a valid passport and you take the instrument out of Japan within 30 days after purchase.
Instruments and accessories over a certain minimum can be purchased without the 10% consumption tax — effectively giving you a built-in discount.
Procedures are done at the store the day you purchase — plan a bit of extra time to walk through paperwork.
Major Yamaha stores:
YAMAHA Ginza – Tokyo’s flagship Yamaha store with a huge selection across many instrument types (including guitars).
Yamaha Music Ikebukuro – Another Yamaha-branded shop with solid selection and service.
Yamano Music Ginza – Not Yamaha-exclusive but one of Tokyo’s biggest music stores; worth checking even if they don’t do tax-free on all instruments (some shops differ in policy).
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Author: gwie
Date: 2026-01-24 10:18
Is the Yamaha Atelier in Los Angeles/Buena Park still making appointments for instrument trials? I know they opened a whole new building last year, maybe give them a call at (714) 522-9011?
The last time I was there was in 2019, and with the help of my colleague Thomas Carroll, we selected a Bb/A set of CSVR clarinets from dozens of available instruments. I had a full overhaul by Wolfgang Lohff and Birgit Pfeiffer a couple of years ago, and they're still my primary set of instruments today. The CSVR-ASP has nice things going for it, and it is very focused and powerful, but I preferred the flexibility of the regular CSVR.
Even out of the box, the CSVR clarinets are very consistent in terms of setup. Yamaha's quality control is excellent. There are the usual minor variations in tone color, and I ended up with a Bb and A that were very similar to one another in that regard.
Post Edited (2026-01-24 10:19)
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