 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: deniseh
Date: 2012-12-29 02:23
My daughter is a senior in High School and looking for an upgrade for her clarinet. She is still playing on the one we bought for her in 5th grade. I can't remember what brand it is. What is a good intermediate brand clarinet and about how much can we expect to pay for it? Thanks for any help you can provide!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: pacherry
Date: 2012-12-29 13:26
If she is planning on majoring in music then I would suggest skipping the intermediate step and going right to a pro model which will run you anywhere from $3,000 and up. If she is continuing it as a hobby then an intermediate is appropriate and will run somewhere around $1500. For pro models, many people prefer the Buffet R13, but there are many who believe that you can enjoy a Yamaha 650 or similar instruments. It's really all up to the player and what they feel comfortable with. As for intermediate models, I have just gone through this process for my son. We found the main competition to be between the Leblanc Bliss, the Yamaha 450, and the Buffet E11 (France). FWIW, we went with the bliss. Again, as the the pro, it is all about what the player feels comfortable with. Have your daughter play as many as she can before deciding. As a side note, have her keep the beginner clarinet for marching purposes. It will prevent your investment from becoming damaged.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tony F
Date: 2012-12-29 14:16
This is a question which comes up fairly regularly. At the present time, As an intermediate step I'd suggest looking at the Yamaha 450 or 650, or the LeBlanc Bliss. The Buffet E11 would normally be one that I'd suggest, but Buffet seem to be having a number of issues with the French-made E11. If you can find a German-made E11 then I'd consider that as a contender.
The Yamaha would probably be my choice, based purely on the ergonomics of the instrument. The Yamaha layout seems to work well for me. It really depends on what you want to pay and how far your daughter wants to pursue her study. I wouldn't exclude good used instruments, as this would bring high quality professional instruments within the same price range as new intermediate ones.
Tony F.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tobin
Date: 2012-12-29 23:08
Adding to Tony F.'s answer, I would suggest looking at the Yamaha's for an intermediate instrument.
Buffet E11's are (IMO) nothing special and not worth the cost. Although I believe the German manufactured instrument is better than the French, they are both unremarkable.
Are Yamaha's perfect? No. But I think that you can find a better Yamaha for a cheaper price compared to the Buffet intermediate models.
I think that the many knowledgeable folks on the Board would provide better advice if you gave us an idea of what you'd like to pay if you had the choice.
James
Gnothi Seauton
Post Edited (2012-12-29 23:10)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2012-12-30 13:34
The others have given you good advice. If your daughter is not planning on majoring in music, I would consider the Yamaha 450, Allegro, or 650. The Leblanc Bliss is another good choice.
If you decide on a Bliss, the all wood LB 210 is a nice option. If you're trying to keep costs down, the LB 310 (composite body with a wood barrel) is a good alternative.
There's one additional factor to consider if your daughter tries out a Bliss, and it has to do with mouthpieces. Many common mouthpieces aren't a good match with this clarinet. Here are some comments I posted a few months ago:
The mouthpiece that comes with it is decent, although it might not be for everyone. Since my post in July, I contacted Conn-Selmer with mouthpiece questions. I learned that some other mouthpieces do work, such as the Vandoren B-45 and the 5RV, but others like the M series are not recommended.
If your daughter decides to try out a Bliss with the mouthpiece that comes with it (and she doesn't currently use one of the mouthpieces listed above), she could try it with Vandoren V-12 reeds (I'd suggest 2 1/2, although she could try 3s if these are too soft for her). After a lot of trial and error with a student last year (going through quite a number of different types of reeds), we discovered the V-12 is an excellent match.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Alphie
Date: 2012-12-30 15:33
I'm just thinking what I would do as a professional clarinet player if my kid wanted to start playing the clarinet. I would definately look for a used professional instrument before an intermediate. Most probably you'll get twice the quality for half the money if you go to a retailor with a good reputation!
That's my two cents
Alphie
Clarinet/Eb-clarinet RSPO
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2012-12-30 17:46
At this point in your daughter's progress, I think it would be good to get her involved in the search for her next clarinet. I'd make it a 3-way deal: you, your player, and a trusted referee --a teacher or pro who can tell good from bad, but who respects the player's feelings.
I'd go shopping in the used market; and I'd pay a whole lot of attention to mouthpiece and tuning barrel, making sure that the reed and 'piece are easy to play and responsive before auditioning any clarinet.
Be patient, and don't buy anything (new or used) without trying it first --two people trialing: your daughter and the "coach."
Bob Phillips
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2013-01-01 14:50
Careful with used instruments. I've seen some parents buy really worn out Buffet clarinets that I would not take over a new intermediate clarinet.
Steve Ocone
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Pastor Rob
Date: 2013-01-01 15:22
I would suggest you look at the sites of some of this board's sponsors. The ideal would be to play test instruments till you found "the one." However, depending on her ability, she may not be able to pick out the best one. Try Jeremy Soule, the Vintage Clarinet Doctor from the sponsor list. He did a fabulous job overhauling an eflat clarinet for me. He has a number of instruments for sale and I would trust him without hesitation. There are probably other sponsors that have quality instruments at fair prices.
Pastor Rob Oetman
Leblanc LL (today)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
