 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-12-14 04:56
I'm not sure whether it is this forum or another where I have seen plastic Vitos referered to as the same as plastic Yamahas.
Granted there is some link between Yamaha Nd Le Blanc making Vitos, but I have just done a brief comparison between a student Yamaha and a Vito model 7212.
1. Different tone hole placement and diameter.
2. Yamaha lower section is longer.
3. Yamaha lower section tone holes (at least) are undercut. Vito is not.
4. Yamaha key posts are screwed into the body. Vito is molded.
5. Vito has Le Blanc's characteristic side key layout with keys huddled above eachother more.
6. Vito metal is so rigid that adjustments to improce venting, etc are vey difficult.
7. Vito has no bell ring.
8. Spacing between posts is diffferent.
They are similar in that they are shiny plastic and the keys are nickel plated.
Give me the Yamaha any day.
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Author: IHL
Date: 2001-12-14 05:03
I concur, but the bell ring doesnt make much difference besides asthetics. I have, in four years, gone through: a plastic student Vito (school hire), a mystery LaFleur made from some plastic and some wooden sections (and later fell apart), and now I currently use a plastic Yamaha student instrument, which I think works just fine. I might need to upgrade later to a pro horn but right now the yamaha is all I need.
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2001-12-14 17:36
As I understand it, there are no longer any connections between Yamaha and Vito instruments, but in the past, I believe Yamaha plastic bass clarinets were made in the U.S. by Vito (that is, Leblanc USA) while Vito saxes were for a period of time actually made in Japan by Yamaha. Strange.........
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-12-14 18:36
Some Vitos do have bell rings.
As far as strength of the key metal, on student grade horns the question may be should a sturdier metal be used to minimize bending from the rough handling that so many kids subject them to or use a more bendable metal for the ease of adjustment by a technician.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-12-14 19:02
I've been fixing and selling used Vitos and Bundys (both with and without bell rings, for a couple of years now. So far, none have come back. I expect some returns pretty soon for corks, pads, adjustment - routine stuff. But so far these instruments, the ones I've been able to keep track of, have held up very well
I have no experience with Yamahas myself but local techs tell me that, while they may be a bit over-rated, they are very good.
The Vitos that I've worked on so far have given me no trouble from 'hard' metal. But, then, I rarely find it necessary to bend a key. When I have, I've had no difficulty.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2001-12-14 21:18
A Yamaha plastic clarinet my granddaughter uses is first class in tuning and playability. The sound is not quite as good as my R13 but it is quite acceptable. Based on a sample of one, I would rate the Yamaha very high.
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Author: MsRoboto
Date: 2001-12-15 02:15
I did see an example of a Vito that had the whole bottom key set fall off. The post was dislodged from the plastic. This was a fairly recent clarinet.
I did not see the incident take place and the player was a first year 10 year old. So you never know.
I do know that when she tried my R-13 she was using it as a pointing device before I cleverly switched it with the Bundy that I had assembled at the same time. Thank god...
So this could have be more a story of a careless 10 year old than a bad Vito.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-12-15 06:39
I've found that Vitos don't hold up well for crank starting trucks; otherwise, they're pretty sturdy
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2001-12-15 13:19
I agree the Yamaha is a better instrument than the Vito--unless you're going up to the Vito V40 or some of the higher dollar Vitos.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-12-15 14:46
Ron B: Examples of bending a key:
The bottom 2 side keys hit eachother when depressed.
The thumb ring not being level, but at an angle to the vent when closed.
Poor venting of side keys and A/D giving a stuffy sound, especially with harder reeds.
Side F# hitting bridge key if the ring keys are adjusted to good venting.
Poor alignment of E/B and F/C key cups with tone holes.
Dee: It is far preferable for a key to bend than for a post to be knocked loose or right out of the plastic, as happened for MsRoboto.
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Author: ron b
Date: 2001-12-15 17:26
I didn't say I never have to bend keys. Duckbills are the greatest invention there ever was I have repaired a couple of ripped out posts (pillars) though, so maybe I do have to qualify my earlier statement. I've never seen anything like MsRoboto describes. =| Hope I never do....
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Author: MsRoboto
Date: 2001-12-15 20:15
The niece said that it happened to one of the other clarinetists playing a vito too. I would think that they both got their instruments from the great rental deal (big sigh there - nobody asked me if it was a good deal) and these instruments were probably about the same age.
Again these are 10 year olds prone to hitting the music stand with the instrument etc. I have seen her do it. So it very well could be abuse and not a defect. I saw the aftermath and I had never seen anything like that before myself.
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Author: donald nicholls
Date: 2001-12-18 09:22
kia ora Gordon,
i have to say that i went through a whole bunch of clarinets today to help in the purchase of a Christmas pressie, and the Yamaha C100 and Buffet B12 (both of which were new) sounded awful next to an ex-rental Vito i took off the shelf. I didn't really have time to compare the intonation but the tone quality difference was obvious to me and the other people in the shop.
I believe the C100 is made in Malaysia- and i've always been a fan of Yamaha clarinets (especially the student models) so i'm not in any way biased against Yamaha.
nzdonald
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-12-19 12:22
The Yamahas were new. Had they had the obligatory new-clarinet, pre-sale adjustment (very unlikely is my guess), or was your evaluation based on tone irrespective of how they were adjusted. (the normally-open pads often do not close well on an unadjusted, new C100.)
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