Author: lisseyjj
Date: 2017-07-15 22:38
I've not had that much experience with different brands of clarinet, mainly Boosey and Hawkes, and Yamaha, but both instruments use very high-quality pieces of grenadilla.
I own a 1934 Boosey and Hawkes (model unknown) and it was a family heirloom. I doubt if it's ever been oiled (possibly a bad thing, please don't judge me or my family because of this :P) and there are absolutely no cracks or splits, and no visible repairs. For an instrument of this age, provided it has been stored correctly prior to me using it, this tells me that Boosey and Hawkes used very good pieces of grenadilla. The sound from B&H clarinets, to me, seems to be consistently impressive; in my opinion, if you find the right one, the sound can rival that of one of the best Buffet's for a fraction of the cost.
I've had a Yamaha CSG now for a few months and have been thoroughly impressed by the wood on the instrument. Time will tell if it stands up to regular usage. Its appearance is very nice as well, particularly with the gold keys. The wood is not stained black, so the slight variation of the colours in the grain looks superb. I receive compliments on a daily basis whenever I use my instrument. This instrument, however, does not compromise on the sound quality and intonation.
When coupled with my Rico Reserve X5, Vandoren M/O ligature and a V12 reed, the sound from both instruments is simply outstanding. All of my school's clarinet section stop and turn around when they hear my instruments (not meaning to gloat, simply stating that the wood used on the instruments produces a truly unique sound).
To summarise your question,
Boosey and Hawkes, to my knowledge, are very resistant to cracking over time, even without oiling. They produce a lovely warm tone with stunning intonation given an appropriate mouthpiece, reed and ligature setup.
Yamahas are very good quality if you're looking for a more modern instrument. The higher-end models can have a lovely appearance that is similar to the one you desire. I suppose that because of the reputation of the company these instruments will not be very susceptible to cracking providing proper care. Again, these instruments can have a stunning sound provided the correct mouthpiece and ligature setup.
I hope this info can help.
Alicia
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The Clarinet BBoard
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