Author: vboboe
Date: 2005-10-18 04:59
... NOW I have seen & tried out the grenadilla Yamaha 441 (essentially same LHF and low B-flat model as 411) the following ergonomic differences are worth noting
... half hole cap & F# caps both have little raised tongues, very nicely rounded off and smoothly finished on the edges, helps prevent slide-off, limits too much rollover for the half hole, and really helps home both index fingers
... right G# is a bit smaller, rounded off tip, easier to use under finger knuckle and doesn't extend downwards as much, so doesn't poke a dent in flesh under 1st finger
... semi-auto 8ve vent mechanism is set to open up both vents a bit wider than on the 411, which hopefully has addressed the second or so stick-down delay in opening 1st octave pad when it got moderately wet
*** 1st octave is rounded off, not pointed as on 411, shorter in length, set a little closer to the pipe, and the key's gradient on the working end is shallower, with all these little differences, it's more comfortable to hold pipe and operate with less thumb movement ***
*** wider, bigger thumb-rest, wow! yahoo! distributes more weight, MUCH more comfortable, major bonus :-) as far as i'm concerned ***
on the so-so side
... half hole is set down very low on this model, barely lifts clear of tone hole, some of us used to high-set half holes may wonder if that's right, darn it, just when I was getting used to doing dramatic finger drops for top D-low D
... has a raised or high cap on the low D key, makes it look more like full conservatory at first glance, but doesn't have split ring mechanism (nor Ab-Bb trill), could be misleading to the marginally informed, but is less strain to reach and finger this key, don't have to move 3rd up and down so far
... otherwise feels & handles much like 441, sounds good!
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