 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ChiTownClarinet
Date: 2014-03-26 22:23
Hello, lot's of eefer topics on here lately! And I have a new one, specifically regarding peoples' experiences with Buffet E11 Eb's.
Basically, I've been on a long hiatus from the eefer, but I played it in my university's wind symphony ensemble (school's instrument - Buffet R13 - I was a clarinet performance major at the time). I always loved playing it and always swore one day I'd buy one. Well, I'm in the market now and recently I had the chance to test play an E11 (brand new) at a local music store with a great reputation.
I was actually very surprised at the evenness of scale and the tuning on it. I tested it against my tuner and found it to be pretty spot-on. Altissimo was a little off (no surprises there) but I was able to easily compensate with alternate fingerings, which I expect on any eefer.
So I'm wondering if anyone else who owns one or has owned one could share experiences. I've always played Buffet instruments, but I would definitely try other brands.
My situation is that I'm only looking to play for hobby (I play Bb in a community band but won't be playing Eb there). Usually I'd gravitate towards a professional level instrument but as a hobbyist the price of the E11 is very attractive (and at this store I can get it even cheaper than I'm seeing online at Woodwind/Brasswind or other sites).
While the price is attractive, I don't want to regret my decision a few months or years down the road. So with that in mind I'd love to hear any experiences with current or past owners and thank you in advance for sharing your experiences with this particular model.
Cheers!
Don
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Author: NBeaty
Date: 2014-03-27 03:29
I have tried them. Eb's are hard enough to find amongst professional level instruments, so finding a good E11 with a good sound and even scale (sound and intonation) would be more difficult. There aren't that many around, so it would not be an easy task.
On a related note, the E11 C clarinet is not very even in scale and the sound leaves a bit to be desired. E11 Bb is the same deal.
I would save and buy a better instrument. R13, RC Prestige, Tosca if you want to burn a hole in your pocket. Other brands make Eb's of course.
So my experience has not been great with the E11 Bb, C, and Eb regarding sound and intonation alone. Other factors come after those two in my mind.
I would say "if you're not using it often, then get the E11 for budget reasons". On the other hand, when you ARE playing it, you want to sound and tune as well as possible. Considering the Eb is a very audible and exposed instrument in most every context, any help you can get from the instrument the better!
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Author: ChiTownClarinet
Date: 2014-03-27 04:29
Thank you for your insight and advice! Very helpful. I'll weigh that in my decision. I'm going to try to "audition" a refurbished R13 eefer by a very reputable technician soon. May have to save some dollars but it may be worth it in the end!
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2014-03-28 02:32
Sounds like you have enough experience with Eb clarinets to trust your own judgment over that of complete strangers who may or may not know what they're talking about (me included). I have a friend who plays about your level. He owns an E11 eefer and is very happy with it. I've tried it briefly and was quite favorably impressed with its "fit and finish" and the way it played. IMO, Buffet's E11 utility instruments are higher quality than the E11 Bb. If you've found one that has good response and tuning characteristics, I don't think you'll be disappointed with it later. If you can wait to try the R13, though, that should give you a better reference point.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: bradfordlloyd
Date: 2014-03-28 08:10
I play a 1960s vintage Buffet R-13 for my main Bb, but a 1970s vintage Selmer Paris for Eb.
I never thought that I'd want to play something other than a Buffet, but I have been pleasantly surprised by Selmer Paris instruments. And vintage Selmers can generally be had less expensively than similar Buffets.
Just food for thought….
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Author: ChiTownClarinet
Date: 2014-03-28 23:05
I really appreciate everyone's input. A lot of food for thought.
Bradfordlloyd, I would like to try other instrument brands. I played a friend's Yamaha Bb years ago (don't remember the model) and I remember being very impressed by it.
I see a lot of mention of the "vintage" instruments on this board, like your Selmer Paris. Where did you find them? I currently see a vintage Selmer Eb (c. 1955) on Ebay but I am so leery of buying something outside of a reputable dealer. Plus, it even states it needs a complete overhaul, which isn't the end of the world, it's just that you don't know what you're really getting into.
I noticed you're in Oak Park; I'm in Chicago. Any good dealers in the area that work with vintage instruments that you could recommend? I know of a few but they almost exclusively deal in Buffet products.
If you have any contacts for me that would be great. You can also email me off the board it you prefer not to post contacts on this board.
Thanks!
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