 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-08-14 01:31
Do you go on first hand real world experience with anything clarinet related (clarinets, mouthpieces, reeds, ligatures, add-ons, accessories, etc.) or do you purely go by a load of marketing claptrap?
Just because you read something in a catalogue or whatnot or have been told something tenth hand from an unreliable source, doesn't mean it's relatable to or right for you or even true.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2026-08-14 12:50)
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Author: donald
Date: 2026-08-14 03:50
Never paid the slightest attention to what they write in the marketing bullshit.
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Author: David H. Kinder
Date: 2026-08-14 07:00
I look at the engineering of something and see if I can understand the purpose of it and how it should function for me.
I have my Amazon review of the Vandoren Optimum ligature and plate 1. I took a pic to show how that plate interfaced with the reed & mouthpiece.
The Brad Behn reed cases - just made so much sense to me, especially seeing other reviews on YouTube and videos interviewing Brad himself.
The Brad Behn hard rubber adjustable barrel - similar experience.
Now, that doesn't mean that Brad doesn't add his own 'spin' to his product descriptions (and slight disparagements against competing products). Does the metal turning rings really make that big of a difference in the sound the barrel helps produce? The wood overlay adds 'a little extra warmth and depth' (sometimes I'm convinced we hear what we want to hear to help justify what we spent and invested into).
I think ligatures have the most hype surrounding them, especially the more expensive they are. It may be justified... but I have to wrap my mind around them first to see if I may believe it.
The other day, I saw a IG video of a player playing a new kind of ligature I hadn't seen before. She said it was a Nymph ligature out of Taiwan. So I checked them out. Generally reasonably priced. However, when I compare their designs to my Optimum... I wonder if it would be different enough to warrant giving it a try. So far... I don't see it. (They do look really cool though.)
I prefer the reed to vibrate easily yet have enough 'weight' of the ligature to help contribute a core solid tone quality. That's why I like the Optimum plate #1. Other ligatures... to me... either clamp down more, or don't provide enough tonal core by adding weight. (My amateur way of trying to describe it.)
I am curious about Silverstein and the Vandoren CARBON ligature ($650!), but probably not enough to purchase.
Ridenour AureA Bb clarinet
Ridenour Artist MT36 mouthpiece
Vandoren Optimum black ligature (plate 1)
Vandoren Traditional #3.5 reeds
Brad Behn HR adjustable barrel
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Author: m1964
Date: 2026-08-14 18:28
Chris P wrote:
"Do you go on first hand real world experience with anything clarinet related (clarinets, mouthpieces, reeds, ligatures, add-ons, accessories, etc.) or do you purely go by a load of marketing claptrap?
Just because you read something in a catalogue or whatnot or have been told something tenth hand from an unreliable source, doesn't mean it's relatable to or right for you or even true."
With printed/published material, it's relatively simple.
What about YT "review" videos?
If that's made by a company's artist, that's usually advertising.
What if a video is made by a person not formally affiliated with the company/maker of the product they are reviewing?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-08-14 18:42
As long as they're honest with their experience and not a paid actor sticking to the script, then that's fine.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2026-08-14 19:10
It is not my intention to derail this thread but I do want to explore a tangent.
First, to address it, anything I use has to provide benefit to me that differs from its basic implementation. This justifies why I don't play the clarinet and mouthpiece that were my first 50 years ago, and even why I play a Vandoren ligature: not mind you because I feel it gives me an acoustical advantage over that student ligature, but because its double threaded mechanism gets reeds on and off with half the number of screw spins.
I try to first see if some marketing product pitch could theoretically have substance, then entertain peer reviews, and then try myself; ideally before I buy, or at least a returnable product.
Second, a subtext on my tombstone might read, "a clarinet player's two most important pieces of gear are a good etude book and a metronome." This is not to trash gear, just to prioritize its importance.
That said, my tangent lies in why people buy clarinet junk. I asked A.I. for the reasons that people make bad decisions, and of the list it handed me I am convinced that emotion and ignorance most apply in the clarinet space.
Let's face it. Clarinet play is hard; the competition stiff; the performance jobs (that can put bread on the table) few. This is an environment that can lead to somewhat desperate thinking about how to get ahead and lead players to try gear looking for that magic bullet that doesn't exist. In some ways I think it similar desperation to athletes taking performance enhancing drugs that could affect the quality of their health (later in life.) Sitting at the music stand hours a day can become tedious and people need a diversion, to try something different, that finds them wasting money on gear.
It is interesting to me how much in the way of accessories floods the clarinet market. I really don't think the oboe, or French horn, or an assortment of other instruments have so many accessory products.
Post Edited (2026-08-14 19:32)
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Author: David H. Kinder
Date: 2026-08-14 19:32
I did a Protec case comparison video last month. It's on my YouTube channel and on Amazon for the Protec MicroZip case and case cover. In it, I said that "Clarinetists are the Goldilocks of the band." "That's too hard, that's too soft, that's just right. That's too big, that's too small, that's just right."
If you're curious, I compare the largest protec case to the smallest protec case:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCsl8ea00mo
Clarinets have more parts than every other instrument - five. And aside from the upper and lower joints, all have after-market replacement parts available with a budget willing to have 'endorsement artists' say that their product is the greatest to help induce buyers.
The real question is: do we know why we're buying what we're buying? What issue are we trying to solve?
Even more: Does this really make a difference? Or does it make me THINK it makes a difference?
Of everything, I think mouthpieces are the most confusing or mystical in figuring out if it will work for us or not. We really won't know until we have it in our hands and try it. Having bought a mouthpiece from a retailer that made it difficult to return (in fact, outright discouraged the return/exchange so it didn't happen), having either a local retailer to try or a good return/exchange policy is a must.
Brad Behn just introduced a 3d printed mouthpiece for just $100. However, each sale is final to keep the cost down. At a price less than a Vandoren, I can understand his policy. He does allow a full value credit to trade it to one of his hard rubber mouthpieces within 2 years. After two years, it's a $50 credit and you keep the 3d printed mouthpiece. So there's a way to get more value and lower your purchasing risk.
Ridenour AureA Bb clarinet
Ridenour Artist MT36 mouthpiece
Vandoren Optimum black ligature (plate 1)
Vandoren Traditional #3.5 reeds
Brad Behn HR adjustable barrel
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Author: kdk
Date: 2026-08-14 20:05
SecondTry wrote:
> Second, a subtext on my tombstone might read, "a clarinet
> player's two most important pieces of gear are a good etude
> book and a metronome." This is not to trash gear, just to
> prioritize its importance.
I'm not even sure about the etude book. There's so much authentic and challenging literature available at pretty much any level, all of it so much more available today with IMSLP, that I think you can find plenty of practice material without Langenus, Klosé, Rose, or Bärmann, much less Rubank or any of the Hal Leonard or Kjos methods on the market.
But I agree with you about gear. And tangentially, horn players seem to have enough to fuss over with crooks - I see them endlessly trying each other's, crooks they got in clearance bags from the local brass repair shop, and crooks they bought online at places like eBay.
Karl
>
> That said, my tangent lies in why people buy clarinet
> junk. I asked A.I. for the reasons that people make bad
> decisions, and of the list it handed me I am convinced that
> emotion and ignorance most apply in the clarinet space.
>
> Let's face it. Clarinet play is hard; the competition stiff;
> the performance jobs (that can put bread on the table) few.
> This is an environment that can lead to somewhat desperate
> thinking about how to get ahead and lead players to try gear
> looking for that magic bullet that doesn't exist. In some ways
> I think it similar desperation to athletes taking performance
> enhancing drugs that could affect the quality of their health
> (later in life.) Sitting at the music stand hours a day can
> become tedious and people need a diversion, to try something
> different, that finds them wasting money on gear.
>
> It is interesting to me how much in the way of accessories
> floods the clarinet market. I really don't think the oboe, or
> French horn, or an assortment of other instruments have so many
> accessory products.
>
>
> Post Edited (2026-08-14 19:32)
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