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Re: Grenadilla and moving to Europe

Author: judorange
Date: 2019-10-06 03:11

Thank you for your insights. I do totally understand what you're saying, and I'm not saying I'm 100% rational in my thought process.

Just to clarify a few statements I wrote earlier-- I wasn't suggesting that all "students" or "cheaper" instruments had all of the characteristics I mentioned, but some of them. Neither did I want to suggest that low Eb instruments are comprised quality instruments. Sorry if this came across like that. I meant to say that low C instruments are not common in students or "cheaper" models. If low C is a requirement, it often forces one to go higher end instruments. Low Eb instrument can be perfectly good instruments, I agree.

I wrote an asterisk in my previous post, I forgot to say -- I know that low C is pretty rare in the repertoire, low D a little less, but the thing is that I would like to be able to play bassoon pieces and other transcriptions from piano / cello / and other C instruments like flute (moved 2 octaves down, as bassoon usually does).

So yes, Ridenour has low C, has the double register vents (even if other do well without), has hard rubber said to be of superior resonance quality, has reworked his mechanism to be less fragile, and just one review mentioned the heavy mechanism, and the uncomfortable thumb keys (they seem to press too deep, preventing sliding from one to the other -- again, if low notes are to be played). In light of your counter-review, I will reconsider!

Now, money wise, I have no kids, no mortgage, no car, no house. So sometimes i think it's ok for me to allow myself some eccentricities