 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Exiawolf
Date: 2014-11-18 08:54
My friend today went into Music and Arts to check on the status of his Bass Clarinet rental and tried a "Ventus" clarinet which was priced around $2,000... Curious about it I looked it up and found this video which made me die in the ears but laugh at the same time. http://vimeo.com/110301157
If you're going to market a "professional clarinet", make it sound good! Have any of you tried one of theses mysterious things?
Post Edited (2014-11-18 08:56)
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2014-11-18 09:33
It says he's a "Clarinet Artist" in the text for the video. I guess he must draw and paint well. Someone should tell him how the word "grenadilla" is pronounced. I don't think Backun would be too happy with this video.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-11-18 16:01
Technically speaking the pronunciation is correct, unlike the clarinet playing. If this IS a Backun product, why isn't one of his buddies like Morales marketing this horn?
.............Paul Aviles
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Author: James S
Date: 2014-11-18 17:59
I just watched that video; how painful :( I think the worst part is that instrument uses grenadilla wood, of which we don't have a ton. BUMMER.
James,
Owner, James' Clarinet Shop
www.jamesclarinetshop.com
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2014-11-18 18:54
My reaction to the video: surely a Backun creation would sound better than as represented on this pitiful demonstration.
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Author: James S
Date: 2014-11-18 21:42
It's really quite strange to see how the Backun name is getting stapled to cheaper and cheaper creations. I've never seen anything quite like it before!
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2014-11-19 11:09
I don't think it's strange or unprecedented, James. The Leblanc, Buffet, and Conn marques were once reserved for professional-grade instruments, but eventually appeared on entry-level and step-up offerings.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-11-19 11:46
I'm not passing any judgement on the product, just the presentation.
Hey, and in what Universe is $2000 an "ever cheaper clarinet?" I have tried the mid-level Uebel clarinet, the Advantage which is around $2000, grenedeeya wood, silver keys, leather pads, well finished and stacks up quite nicely in response and timbre to an R13.
...........Paul Aviles
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-11-19 14:19
Maybe he thinks grenadilla rhymes with tortilla instead of flotilla.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: derf5585
Date: 2014-11-19 15:08
actually it is
Dalbergia melanoxylon
I think we should pronounce Grenadilla the way Africans pronounce it
Ugilindela.
fsbsde@yahoo.com
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-11-19 16:05
Grenadilla, mpingo, African blackwood, ebene (not to be confused with ebony), etc. used for woodwind instrument bodies is the same thing - dalbergia melanoxylon.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2015-05-21 03:33
I was in the Charlotte store today, and played the cocobolo version for a few minutes.
I liked the sound very much. Even tuning and response and nice timbre through the registers. It seemed to be well constructed (heavy silver plating) and the workmanship was good.
Had I had another fifteen minutes with the horn, I probably would have been able to find something wrong with it, but at first "glance," I liked it.
I'll go back there next week and spend more time with it, and if there's anything more to report, I'll do so.
B. (Who hasn't gone gaga over a Backun clarinet so far.)
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Author: GLHopkins
Date: 2015-05-21 05:20
I've played several Protege clarinets and a grenadilla Moba, none of them did it for me. They are decent clarinets, but not what I had expected. I do think the Protege is a good buy for the money, though. I'm wondering if the Ventus is essentially a Protege that looks different.
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2015-05-22 00:35
The guy at Music & Arts told me that Ventus is their label. Not having played a Protege, I couldn't hazard that they are the same horn, but it'd make sense if it was.
B.
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Author: Jbosacki
Date: 2015-05-24 06:34
Hey guys!
My name's Jeff I'm actually The Woodwind Expert at Music and Arts Pro shop in Itasca Illinois. While it hurts a little bit to hear such negative things about an actually very decent instrument. I would ask you reserve judgement before you actually try it yourself! Since I've spent a very large amount of time playing both of these instruments (considering we have multiples in stock in my store) I'll share my thoughts on them.
Ventus is a name that's part of Music and Arts. We more or less co-sign manufacturers for the Ventus line. Eastman for The saxes, Haynes for the flutes and they design an instrument exclusive to us.
The Ventus line actually serves a really awesome purpose in our stores. We have a huge rental (Rent-To-Own) program in which they gain rental equity towards the purchase of their student instrument. While larger manufacturers don't allow us to use all the rental equity towards their instruments, since the Ventus name is part of Music and Arts, we can use ALL of their rental equity they've stored up on their current student rental and take it directly off the purchase price of either one of the Ventus clarinets. IE if they have 600$ towards their student clarinet they can directly take that off the purchase price of the Ventus and instead of owning a student clarinet they can get a much nicer sounding instrument with a big chunk off the price.
This has been a huge impact on families that might not be able to afford a full priced instrument such as an R-13 but can still get a really solid instrument for their child.
Like I said before, I have a lot of experience on these instruments while it's not going to replace your R-13 (or my festivals!) It's a good clarinet that rivals any advertised intermediate clarinet on the market and has the Backun name backing it up. I would also take a moment to add that I would consider the Ventus VERY close to the Protege, it not only closely resembles the Protege line aesthetically, it sounds very close to them as well.
If you have an opportunity to play one I would definitely do so, and if you have any other questions about it, I'd be happy to answer them or take a picture of one if anyone wants to get a closer look.
-Jeff
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Author: Chetclarinet
Date: 2015-05-24 21:02
The young man playing the brief excerpt on the Ventus video has an extremely impressive resume. He has an M.B.A from Tulane University, a B.A. In Communications and Music from Vanderbuilt University and an impressive business and marketing background.
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