Need advice for beginner clarinet
McQz
clarinet. She already plays and teaches piano and guitar, and now she wants
to expand her repertoire. She lives in Arkansas, so she won't need a
humidifier for a wood instrument, as she would if she were still home in
Arizona.
We can't afford a "good" instrument, but we don't want to buy her junk
either. My guess is that she'd be better off with a better "plastic"
instrument than with a cheap wooden one.
We'd appreciate referral to a good brand and some guidance regarding the
price break where quality would be appreciable.
As long as you've been charitable enough to read this far, how much would it
likely cost to replace the corks and pads on an older instrument?
Thanks,
fran mchugh
winslow, az
Jim Polaski
"McQz" <mc...@cableone.net> wrote:
You should be able to find a used wood Normandy, Vito or Freeman for
price nearly as the plastic student clarinets. I'd say $3-450 from a
reputable shop.
It might be wise for her to look locally since there will be times the
clarinet will need some service, or she will need advice and it would
pay to get to know the shop.
She should ask around locally to see what place folks use.
--
Regards,
JP
"The measure of a man is what he will do
knowing he will get nothing in return"
Tim Roberts
>Our 25 year old music major daughter is interested in taking up the
>clarinet. She already plays and teaches piano and guitar, and now she wants
>to expand her repertoire. She lives in Arkansas, so she won't need a
>humidifier for a wood instrument, as she would if she were still home in
>Arizona.
>
>We can't afford a "good" instrument, but we don't want to buy her junk
>either. My guess is that she'd be better off with a better "plastic"
>instrument than with a cheap wooden one.
>
>We'd appreciate referral to a good brand and some guidance regarding the
>price break where quality would be appreciable.
In my opinion, you can't go wrong with a Vito, by Leblanc. They are among
the best of the plastic clarinets, and are, in my opinion, better than many
of the lower wood clarinets. If it wasn't for the prejudicial stigma
against plastic clarinets, I suspect you'd find them in professional
orchestras.
You will find many Vitos on eBay, quite affordably.
>As long as you've been charitable enough to read this far, how much would it
>likely cost to replace the corks and pads on an older instrument?
A local music store would be happy to give you a quote. I would expect to
pay in the $100 to $125 range, for recork, repad, and tuneup.
--
- Tim Roberts, ti...@probo.com
Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.
Steve Marshall
"McQz" <mc...@cableone.net> wrote
> We can't afford a "good" instrument, but we don't want to buy her junk
> either. My guess is that she'd be better off with a better "plastic"
> instrument than with a cheap wooden one.
As others have said, a VIto is a good choice.
As for wooden ones the cheaper end is sometimes essentially the same
clarinet as the plastic version but the body is wooden, so the quality of
plastic isn't better.
The market is currently flooded with cheap instruments. Don't be fooled in
to thinking a new £100 instrument will be any good. Stick to those know
makes Buffet (B12), Yamaha (26II), Selmer (CL300) and the Vito. These are
all decent plastic instruments that can be got for a good price.
You can also pick up a Selmer Signet quite cheaply and they play really
well, but you may need to pay for a repad to get the best from it. These
are a very nice instrument of which I've sold a few that I've overhauled.
All the customers have been very happy.
Steve M
Mark the Valiant
Mark
"McQz" <mc...@cableone.net> wrote in message
news:10o83sn...@corp.supernews.com...
McQz
for $150.00. It is listed as "old stock" for what it's worth...
Thanks a lot for your suggestions. It is a little overwhelming for a
bluegrass
banjo player...
fran
"Steve Marshall" <s...@atmosBlockA.plus.com> wrote in message
news:41859888$0$4014$ed26...@ptn-nntp-reader01.plus.net...
Steve Marshall
"McQz" <mc...@cableone.net> wrote
> What do you think of the Amati? I've found a wooden one, Ernst Riedl,
> for $150.00. It is listed as "old stock" for what it's worth...
> Thanks a lot for your suggestions. It is a little overwhelming for a
> bluegrass
> banjo player...
I haven't seen the recent wooden ones, though I'm told they are OK. The
plastic ones aren't great.
The old ones went under such names as Corton and La Fluer and had a manmade
bell to keep costs down. These can be quite reasonable instruments when
set-up properly.
Steve M
Rene Schmidt
First of all, a plastic clarinet isn't a bad idea, as long as you stick with
some of the main producers (Buffet, Selmer, Yamaha, LeBlanc). A Vito seems
to be widely used in the US, but there is also a Yamaha starter clarinet and
the Buffet B12. Another idea might be a used instrument, but only, if you
have an experienced shop nearby that can make adjustments and repairs. To
rent an instrument might also be a good option. Maybe your daughter later
discovers that she rather likes a saxophon?
Just to add one warning: Do not buy those Chinese instruments offered on
EBay for small budget! In any case, be extremely careful with web offers.
Good luck to you and your daughter!
"McQz" <mc...@cableone.net> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:10o83sn...@corp.supernews.com...
DC
professionally in Orchestra.
"Tim Roberts" <ti...@probo.com> wrote in message
news:bnpao0lm2lk2t5v9r...@4ax.com...
Bennett Price
in purchasing, or perhaps first renting, a suitable intstrument. While
a music major certainly can manage to learn any instrument on her own,
a teacher will help her immeasurably in the early stages.
Tim Roberts
>
>Tim, are you insane? No, they don't sound nearly good enough to play
>professionally in Orchestra.
No, I'm not insane, and I'm not wrong, either. Assuming both horns had
been professionally maintained, in a blind listening test, you would not be
able to tell the difference between Ricardo Morales on a Buffet R13 and
Ricardo Morales on a Vito.
There is nothing inherently inferior about plastic clarinets.