Clarinet models

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clarinetgirlandswimmer

clarinetgirlandswimmer

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering if you could help me, I am looking to buy a new B flat clarinet. I am going to be taking my grade 4 in Easter so I need a good quality clarinet.

At the moment I have a Venus CL511W clarinet. Please see pictures.

Could anyone reccommend me a clarinet? If so, please could you tell me the model, price etc....

Thanks.
From clarinetgirlandswimmer
xxxxx
 
What's wrong with your current instrument? (a local woodwind shop sells these as his "house brand", apparently they're better than what people give them credit for).

Before blindly investing in a new instrument, it's worthwhile to analyse the shortcomings of the current setup and act accordingly. Maybe it's just the reed, or the mouthpiece, or maybe the instrument needs some servicing and all is fine and dandy again - I can't tell from here.
 
clarinetgirl

from your profile it states that you are 12.

at this point it would be best to probably get some lessons from a teacher. You could also use that as an opportunity to have a teacher evaluate your current instrument.

at the beginning stages of an instrument having a good setup clarinet is important to not deter from problems of the instrument. But if the clarinet is "all good" then there is really no reason to spend money (yours or your parents) on a new clarinet. You can advance better with a private teacher.

There is a plethora of instruments out there .. starting with Buffet,, Selmer, Leblanc and Yamaha. Then you have all the other brands such as Jupiter, etc. It really comes down to your budget for recommendations.
 
There will come a time when you will want to either upgrade or add another kind of clarinet to your arsenal of instruments. At 12, that really shouldn't be a priority. Right now getting lessons will give you the biggest bang for the buck (or pound). Buying new stuff is fun but becoming a better player is where the real joy is.
 
Hi,

I already have a private teacher. I have a lesson every friday for half an hour. I also go to my school woodwind band for one hour. He has looked at my clarinet and said I need a new one for a number of reasons. He said there is no point paying for repairs, he says it is better to buy a new clarinet.

I want a clarinet that will last a long time, wooden not plastic, and is a good model/make.

clarinetgirl
xxx
 
The "he" to whom you refer . . . is that your private clarinet teacher or the band director? The reason I ask is because your post wasn't clear about that AND in many instances, band directors are not reed-players. I'd hesitate to buy a new high-end clarinet because a brass-or-percussion-oriented band director advised me to do so.

Assuming the advice was from your clarinet teacher (and he/she is truly a clarinetist), then that may be good advice.

New pro-level clarinets are not cheap (Buffet, Selmer-Paris, LeBlanc, Yamaha). However, I recently played some intermediate models by Buffet and LeBlanc, priced at under $1K, that seemed decent enough. If you or your parents can afford it, the better the horn, the more satisfaction and the longer you'll play it. Upgrading your current horn as cheaply as you can do it may not be the best long-term strategy. DAVE
 
I Play in the Wood Wind Band after School for a hour on Tuesdays and my teacher is the same teacher I have half an hour private lesson with on a Friday.
I need some new felts on my keys and air seems to be escaping.

I paid £200 for my clarinet and my teacher said it is not worth spending the £50 to overhaul the clarinet.

So I was wanting advice, so I can tell my parents the best Clarinet for a Grade 4 and above as I am hoping to do my Grade 5 next year

Inbetween playing the Clarinet I swim 6 times a week and compete in galas.
Many thanks
 
I think we still need clarification on the teacher.

Is this teacher a clarinet specialist whom you study with outside of school?

OR

Is this teacher your band director who plays a different instrument than clarinet as their primary instrument and works with you for 30 minutes a week?
 
The other thing I'd do with one of my students is have them play from low Eb to high D (first D above the staff) with a tuner notating the natural intonation of the horn. For example, when my wife though that her old Selmer Signet (from when she played in high school) would be good enough (when she returned to playing after a 25 year break) we did this with that one and a used Buffet R13.

The Signet ranged as much as 20 cents off on some notes throughout that range. The Buffet ranged to a high of ~5 cents off. That plus the smoothness of the keywords made my gift to Suzy very acceptable. The older Signet went to a beginning student.

The old Signet was probably worth less than a $100 while the used Buffet cost me $1600. Today it is my clarinet as my wife moved to a new Leblanc Symphonie two years ago.
 
This grade business means little to many of us. I recall that it involves increasing levels of competence for school children (maybe limited to the UK), but keep in mind you are engaged here with a lot of older folks from around the world, so Grade 5 means little or nothing to us. For sure, it means nothing in the selection of your new clarinet, if that is what is necessary.

For instance, I am nearly 70 and have been playing reeds for over 50 years. I taught myself clarinet. I play exclusively original jazz from the 1920's, but I can play clarinet and own several, including my main clarinet - a Bb soprano Buffet RC Prestige that I bought new at Howarth's in London in 1985.

So, regardless of "grades, etc." what you want is an in-tune wooden clarinet that responds well, has a good tone, and will remain in your hands for many years to come. I think you need to have your parents take you to a large instrument store (Howarth's comes to mind because I've been there, if they are still in business) where you can play several models and compare them to what you are currently playing. That is exactly how I did it for my Buffet.

True, you may be able to save a few pounds by buying sight-unseen off the Internet, but for the money involved, that seems a bit risky to me. Better that you play what you buy before you buy it.

As far as repairing your current clarinet, a complete 50-pound overhaul may not be necessary. Replacing a few felts and leaking pads may do the trick for now. I can't speak to repair costs in your area, but I'd bet a minor repair would be a lot less expensive than a complete overhaul. AND, 50 pounds for an overhaul seems to be way too cheap, in my opinion. DAVE
 
You might also want to check out http://www.woodwindforum.com/forum/index.php#the-beginners-corner.1321, especially as there is information on where to get used, overhauled, warrantied horns for cheap.

1. There's no specific reason to prefer wood over hard rubber (ebonite) or plastic. You just need to go with a horn that plays well. Yes, I really liked the wooden Yamaha YCL-34, but I really liked it only because it was better than the horn I was playing, one of those interesting Buffet horns with the clear plastic body and copper keywork, and didn't cost more. Direct trade-in.

If you are looking for a replacement clarinet, you have to ask yourself how far you want to go with the instrument -- I'm talking high school or later -- and then think if you want to buy a professional instrument or just something better/different than what you have. And how much you want to spend.

2. Seriously, a really good mouthpiece does make an awful lot of difference. I'm a fan of the Selmer C85, but there are others. I'd try to budget for a decent horn and a decent mouthpiece.

3. A 50 pound overhaul isn't an overhaul. Sounds more like replacing a couple pads and corks. That's almost shop minimum.
 
Since you are only 12, I would recommend getting your current clarinet repaired.
If there are serious intonation issues after that, then a new instrument would be in order.
Unless your teacher is primarily a clarinetist, I would strongly suggest getting the second opinion of a "real" clarinet teacher before purchasing a new instrument.
 
The Venus clarinet is a Chinese made instrument that is being sold in the UK and Australia. I would concur with her teacher that it is not worth putting repair money into. Some of the common deficiencies of the Chinese clarinets include posts and springs that are loose, poorly fit keys, low quality materials, and poor acoustic designs which involve serious intonation problems.

If you are on a budget, a relatively new intermediate clarinet from Buffet looks promising. It is the redesigned E11 made in France.

http://www.normans.co.uk/p-1829-buffet-crampon-e11-france-bb-clarinet.aspx

If money is no object any of the brands previously mentioned --- Buffet, Leblanc, Yamaha, Selmer make excellent top of the line models

John
 
With all due respect jbtsax,
We are only going on the word of a 12 year old child.
The Venus may be the best the family can afford. If that is the case, then bringing the clarinet up to GPC may be the best option.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I tend to be a little wary when it's a 'child' that says they need a new instrument, and not the 'parent'.

Now if the parents are ignorant as to the value of starting their child out on a better quality instrument, that's another story.
If that is the case, and they can truly afford a higher quality clarinet, I might concider making recommendations as to what might be a suitable upgrade.
Until then... Well... I'll keep my mouth shut.
 
Okay, I've been very hesistant towards the Venus brand until a (rather respected) local seller started marketing them. I don't really care if they're Chinese, Vietnamese, Klingon or even (gasp!) American, long as they're in tune with themselves, use standard parts etc.
Now, if you insist on getting a new instrument, your best bet might be Clarinuts, they're selling refurbished instruments of known quality with trial and warranty periods.
My personal favourite for "undervalued yet long-lasting" instruments are the Noblet Artist and the Vito VSP (782x model). They're no longer made but will get you very far and beyond. And can be had for an apple and an egg. My last VSP was 29.99 and didn't even need fresh pads.
 
I'm kind on the fence about Venus instruments, assuming there is only one maker using that name. A friend of mine who plays professionally purchased a venus sax and was very happy with it as a backup instrument. But he did later buy another Mark VI last week too. So that instrument could be suitable till at least high school.
 
Oy veh. Something has gone askew, hasn't it?
(I'm a father of a twelve and ten year old daughter, so I can (formally) sympathise with your parents)
Now, as a parent it would make me very proud if my kid stood up for me and said "heck they wanted my best". Chapeau. I'd be flattered, as a parent, really.
That being said - the world of online discussion is difficult, and often statements have to be digested with a grain of salt - not everything that comes across rough is meant that way. Not everyone's a great or talented communicator, and not everyone's a native speaker (as in my case). I can't tell if the "ignorant" post was meant to be taken verbatim or if it was just an unfortunate choice of words, nor would I spend considerable time pondering over it.
Now please wave to your parents from me and do reconsider your choice of leaving or staying.
 
Everyone who participated in this thread please take the time to read the girl's original request. Several well intentioned people came up with lots of unwarranted assumptions and unsolicited advice that went well beyond the question asked, myself included.

In retrospect it was obvious that she had already discussed this with her parents and her experienced band/private teacher who is a woodwind player. I would hope that the next student who posts a request would get a more direct and straightforward reply to the question asked.

John
 
jbtsax said:
In retrospect it was obvious that she had already discussed this with her parents and her experienced band/private teacher who is a woodwind player. I would hope that the next student who posts a request would get a more direct and straightforward reply to the question asked.

John
Click to expand...
There are woodwind players and there are woodwind players. We still do not know much at all about the person recommending a better instrument be purchased. If the private teacher was a clarinet player, I would think a few recommendations on instruments to look at as well as to avoid would have been presented.

As to giving a direct reply, I need more information, which was requested in my only other post in this thread, which was not answered, btw.

Reading comprehension seems to be a vanishing skill by folks of all ages.:-((Not aimed at you John, or any other specific poster in this thread.)
 
tictactux said:
What's wrong with your current instrument? (a local woodwind shop sells these as his "house brand", apparently they're better than what people give them credit for).

Before blindly investing in a new instrument, it's worthwhile to analyse the shortcomings of the current setup and act accordingly. Maybe it's just the reed, or the mouthpiece, or maybe the instrument needs some servicing and all is fine and dandy again - I can't tell from here.
Click to expand...

Hi Ben
Have you tried the rosewood Venus clarinet?
They look cool pretty cool :)
 
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