 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Matt74
Date: 2016-11-30 05:12
Dumb question:
Are Vitos and Bundys inherently stuffy on the long notes in the second register?
Do student Yamahas or Buffets have this problem? Others?
- Matthew Simington
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2016-11-30 09:24
The Vitos and Bundys I've played have been very easy-blowing. You're probable biting. Play the notes in the low register and gradually squeeze the register key until you suddenly jump into the high register. Keep the support high and the embouchure loose.
They're MUCH better with a decent mouthpiece and barrel.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2016-11-30 11:50
Hi Matt, I haven't played the Yamaha 250, but heard good things about it. I can't speak for the other horns, I haven't played them. A friend used a 250 to go to Europe. He didn't want to take his Buffets. He liked the horn a lot. He writes for the Clarinet Magazine sometimes.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2016-11-30 17:07
I've never found any of the horns mentioned to be stuffy in the long notes. This could well be a mouthpiece problem, a wrong mouthpiece can make a drainpipe feel stuffy.
Tony F.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-11-30 18:02
If any clarinet is stuffy, then check the whole instrument from mouthpiece down. If the lower register is stuffier than the upper register, either the ventings are set too low or you're using a reed that's too strong for you.
If in doubt, seek the advice from a specialist and experienced repairer.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Matt74
Date: 2016-12-01 01:52
The barrel / top joint tenon cork on the Bundy was leaking. It feels ok when you put it on, but it's leaking.
(In addition to being stuffy it wanted to squeak when I played long B. I was probably flexing the barrel joint when I put all my fingers down.)
The top joint itself is Coke bottle tight. When I tried doing the suction test with the barrel on there was a noticeable difference. I put a bunch of cork grease on and it worked better. Ken, then I tried my mouthpiece and barrel on the Bundy and it played great! I intentionally made the student horns easy to put together so that the kids don't bend the keys when assembling the horn. It was a little too loose...
Chris, I'd really like to get a job working for someone so I can learn that kind of stuff. The guys in the area liked my resume, but no one is hiring.
Bob, I had a Yamaha I learned on. I thought it was great, but it's not with me, and I wasn't sure I remembered correctly.
As I'm getting this stuff figured out I'm realizing that some of the problems I experienced when I was learning were actually mechanical problems. My bis key mechanism on the clarinet was probably always out of adjustment. I'm sure at least one of the B/C#/C pads were leaking. My F/C lever was sloppy. On the saxophone I'm sure my G# key, and/or others were leaking and making the bell notes hard to get out. I'm only beginning to understand how bad some kids horns must be.
- Matthew Simington
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Author: TomS
Date: 2016-12-01 05:05
Yamaha 250/255 play super well ... just sharp, IMHO. You will need a low-pitch MP and possibly a longer barrel to play at 441-442 in ideal conditions. I bought one to use outside and the pitch soared to unmanageable sharpness in warm weather. Had the joints just falling apart and still sharper than anyone else.
My Yamaha 650 has rather high throat tones, but I can use a 66mm "C" taper Ridenour barrel or and old 67mm Selmer barrel and a "non-13 series" VD MP and play at 440. That's using Legere Signature reeds which play flatter than typical cane reeds, especially on the top register. I think I like the old smaller bore, shallower baffle VD MPs (5RV plays great with Legere reeds) than the 13 series and most of the big, dark MP that many players use today. Much more solid sound with a nice core and with a good reed, no shrillness.
But I am off the subject.
You can get a brand new Ridenour RCP-576BC that may play circles around the 250 for about the same price ... and with an inherent warm sound that invites a more vibrant MP and reed, which is usually more responsive than a dead MP setup.
Tom
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