 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: new band mom
Date: 2009-08-08 18:10
How do I identify my son's E11 rental as a C, Eb or Bb? I can't find any thing on manuf. website or anywhere else on web. We have been renting it for one year. Now trying to decide about purchasing it. In researching current prices there is a huge difference at Musician's Friend in price between a Bb for $1055 and a C for $3115. The two barrel pieces each have #1045032 engraved and the lower piece also says "made in Germay". Any help on distinguishing characteristics etc. would be very helpful. Thanks
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2009-08-08 18:18
new band mom wrote:
> How do I identify my son's E11 rental as a C, Eb or Bb?
It's a Bb if it's a rental band instrument. Guaranteed. An Eb might be occasionally used in a High School band (and would most probably be owned by the school if one is needed), and a C would be infrequently used in orchestras (even when called for by the orchestration). It's a bit more common in opera orchestras.
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Author: OldClarinetGuy
Date: 2009-08-08 18:28
You can count on it being a Bb. That is the "standard" clarinet. He would not have an Eb or C or an A for that matter.
I do not recommend the Buffet E-11 for my students. I think it has intonation issues and some students find it farily resistance. For a new "wooden" clarinet I like the Yamaha YCL-450 or the Leblanc Bliss LB210. They are all around the same price--about $1000.
I am sure others on this board will disagree with my views on the Buffet.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2009-08-08 20:21
i wouldn't pay $1055 for a used one. they're still available for less than that, new.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: DTrinh09
Date: 2009-08-08 23:32
Yeah about 4-5 years ago they went for ~$700 on WWBW; I think they were even cheaper before that. I was surprised when the retail price went up. I wonder if quality improved?
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Author: willpow
Date: 2009-08-09 00:52
My Buffet Bb (R-13) is about 23.5" long
My Buffet C (E-11) is about 20.5" long
My Buffet Eb (R-13) is about 17" long
I measured my clarinets from the bell to barrel without the mouthpiece.
Will
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Author: BrianChau
Date: 2009-08-09 08:57
From what I know, only the Bb E-11's were made in Germany; all the other E-11 models are made in France, as well as the current E-11 Bb's. So, I'm sure that your son's clarinet is a Bb.
Brian
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Author: new band mom
Date: 2009-08-09 13:10
THANKS EVERYONE, this was very helpful. Ours is exactly 21" from bell to top w/out mouthpiece. I'm sure you're all right about is being a Bb. It's really surprising though that they don't use some distinguishing mark on the instrument to take all the confusion away. FYI, you might find this interesting. At $54 per month, we have made $540 in payments. They still want $1,286 for us to own it!!!! I wonder how many people actually do that!! Plus, I don't know if it was new when we got it...although it was in excellent shape. Unless they knock a $1000 off their asking price, I will be in the market for a new instrument. THANKS AGAIN.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2009-08-09 13:51
new band mom wrote:
> FYI, you might find this interesting.
> At $54 per month, we have made $540 in payments. They still
> want $1,286 for us to own it!!!! I wonder how many people
> actually do that!!
I think most people do ... I know that I did some 16 or 17 back when my first kid joined a band program.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2009-08-09 16:31
Woodwind and Brasswind lists new Buffet E11s for $1,055 - substantially below what your local store is asking. They may actually be selling them for less if you call. The $1,055 may be the lowest price they are allowed to advertise publicly. Also they claim that they will beat any advertised price. Victor Litz in Maryland is listing them as "on sale" for around $850 (http://www.victorlitz.com). I would think that qualifies as an advertised price. E11s are still available for around $750 (new) from other sources that are probably reputable but that I know nothing about. It wouldn't surprise me if the ones being advertised at the lower prices are remaindered clarinets that were made in Germany. (Buffet recently shifted the manufacture of this model to France.) I'm pretty sure WW&BW is selling French-made instruments. They might not match the price on the older German-made version.
If you are in Houston, considering the size of the city, I would not be surprised if you could find a price close to WW&BW's if you shop around at some of the big local music stores. Here's a list of stores in Houston. At least some of them likely sell band instruments. It might be worth calling around. (http://www.musicstoreshouston.com/musical-instrument/).
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: clarinetist04
Date: 2009-08-09 21:59
"I do not recommend the Buffet E-11 for my students."
Do you mean because you think the model is junk or because it's not appropriate for beginning students?
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2009-08-10 03:54
>> Buffet recently shifted the manufacture of this model to France <<
When I tried the new model, and the best I could remember the German model (it wasn't there to compare), it felt different to me. Except for the throat A key, which I thought had a terrible position on the new E11 France, I liked this model better than the old one. Shreiber clarinets, which made the German E11 for Buffet, were pretty decent also.
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Author: 78s2CD
Date: 2009-08-10 04:52
For a student instrument it's hard to see paying more to buy a rental than to buy a new one. The rental money is gone.
Regards,
Jim Lockwood
Rio Rico AZ
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Author: chorusgirl
Date: 2009-08-10 14:42
New Band Mom:
Unfortunately, you and all the other band parents out there get sucked into these rent-to-own agreements that never make financial sense to anyone but the store.
What I always recommend, and if you have other children who may go into band in the future, is to rent a used, refurbished instrument for a beginner. Also, ask the store about the various rental agreements available. You may find a better deal.
What I have done with my three children is rented a used, refurbished instrument (just as good as any new student model instrument) and found that the 4 month rental is the cheapest. I have paid about $9 per month each for two clarinets and a trumpet.
When each child reached a certain level of proficiency, and it was clear that they would continue, we shopped around for an instrument to purchase.
My first child got an E-11 about 5 years ago from WWBW; we paid $750 for it.
My second child got a Lyrique from Tom Ridenour - we were a bit cash strapped at the time so we just bought the RCP-146 for $625 (this was in February) and are pleased with the instrument.
My youngest child is still using his trumpet rental - for $9 a month, if it didn't work out, I would not have lost a huge sum of money. As it is, he's doing well and we are now shopping around for a good trumpet for him.
Even though you've invested $540 into the rental of this instrument, it pays to shop around. I would definately try to negotiate with the rental company on the purchase price - if you go in armed with quotes of the same instrument from other stores, they may negotiate on the price with you.
If you do get another instrument from elsewhere, try to get three or so to try out, and see which one your child likes best. My oldest son got three from WWBW, he worked with his teacher to pick the "best" one, and we returned the other two.
Good luck!
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Author: clariniano
Date: 2009-08-10 21:01
I remember hearing about one of my clarinet students a few years ago buying a new E11 for $850 CDN, and most of the major dealers here offer it for about $1100 CDN.
Meri
Please check out my website at: http://donmillsmusicstudio.weebly.com and my blog at: http://clariniano.wordpress.com
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Author: willpow
Date: 2009-08-12 06:08
"Ours is exactly 21" from bell to top w/out mouthpiece"
Did you measure it with the barrel on? If so, that seems very short for a Bb clarinet. It seems closer to my Buffet E-11 C clarinet measurements which I provided earlier.
Try measuring just the barrel. My E-11 C clarinet stock barrel is about 2 inches long. I think the stock Bb barrel is closer to 2.5 inches.
Also, I looked at some pictures of E-11 Bb clarinets and they all had a metal ring bell ring (around the bell versus the tenon). My E-11 C clarinet does not have a metal bell ring. The bell is just wood (except for the tenon ring).
Like everyone else said, it's likely a Bb. If you son has been playing it in band for a year, he would know if it wasn't a Bb.
Will
Post Edited (2009-08-12 06:36)
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