 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ruben
Date: 2020-02-17 15:58
Whenever I see a You Tube video of Japanese orchestras, the clarinetists are very impressive. Do they usually play Yamaha-which would stand to reason? I'm wondering whether it's worth trying to sell anything different in that country and if they are open to off-the-beaten-track gear (JL-clarinettes; you can't get more off-the-beaten-track than that!)
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2020-02-17 20:29
It's much more likely that Europeans will be habituated to buying French and German clarinets and reject Yamaha and other Japanese brands than that the Japanese will reject the French for the locally produced. I doubt that the Japanese pros have any kind of nationalist loyalty to instrument brands. Buffet Toscas (both the sopranos and bass clarinets) are popular even among serious Japanese amateurs. Some of the large Japanese music shops carry a very wide range of clarinet brands, including a few high end Oehler instruments that you will never find in U.S. stores. My impression is that price is not much of an impediment either; if the Japanese want an instrument, they usually have the disposable income to buy it, even if it's in the price range of a Divine or top tier Josef clarinet. Backun has a video in which he says his clarinets are doing well in Japan.
It is true, though, that some European born players who live in Japan, such as Dirk Altman and Istvan Kohan, are playing Japanese clarinets (Dirk, a Josef, and Istavan, a Yamaha SE Artist).
Post Edited (2020-02-18 02:26)
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Author: ruben
Date: 2020-02-18 13:52
Dear Seabreeze: Thank you so much for the information. Would you know the name of a first-rate shop in Japan that carries a large line of clarinets of different brands?
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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Author: JohnP
Date: 2020-02-18 15:51
Last time I was in Tokyo I went to the Ishimori shop. I was surprised to see Leitner and Kraus and Senk and Seggelke Boehm system instruments for sale as these are not in any shop here in the UK as far as I know.
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Author: massa
Date: 2020-02-18 19:40
Dolce Musical Instruments of Tokyo carries Backun, Peter Eaton, Wurlitzer. There's also Orsi metal clarinet listed specially designed for Dolce. As I say "metal" it's actually sterling silver listed for approx. $22,000USD.
Ishimori and Dolce aside, any shops that carry brands other than Yamaha, Buffet, and Selmer, they may be interested in dealing with you if that is your intention. After all, Japanese people love premier foreign brands.
- m
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2020-02-18 21:16
Yes, Ishimori carries Schwenke and Seggelke and other German system and Oehler instruments (along with Boehms by Buffet and Selmer), and Dolce has even carried Wurlitzers. Dolce was still advertising Peter Eaton clarinets but I believe Eaton has retired from clarinet making but still does custom mouthpieces, so those must be either "old new" stock or used.
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Author: DAVE
Date: 2020-02-19 01:36
I lived in Japan for a few years. Japanese people generally play the higher end Buffets and sometimes Wurlitzers. I rarely saw Yamahas being played. The B40 is by far the most common mouthpiece for the French clarinets.
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Author: ruben
Date: 2020-02-19 21:41
Many thanks to all of you for the information on Japan.
rubengreenbergparisfrance@gmail.com
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