Thanks for the help.

I also live in Maine which has a pretty dry climate. I`m worried that that might have an effect on a wooden clarinet I purchase, too, possibly causing problems such as cracking.

~Amanda~

As long as you take decent care of your clarinet, it won`t crack. The best combination is probably to make sure it gets oiled every couple of months, use a dampit inside the case, and don`t play outside. Also, swabbing out the instrument regularly will help.

As far as the wood/plastic debate is concerned, it`s simple. If you`re going to be playing outside a lot, get a plastic horn. A high end buffet plastic horn is GREAT for outside work, as the keys are the same as their wooden instruments, and the tone is the best of all the plastic instruments.

If you`re going to playing inside, get a wooden professional model clarinet. Don`t bother screwing around with a mid-line horn, all you`re going to accomplish is wasting more money than necessary because you`ll upgrade to a pro instrument in a couple of years anyway. The money would be better spend on a high end barrel/mouthpiece/ligature combination.

I play on a Hawkins B2 mouthpiece with a BG Premiere ligature and Rico GCS Evolution reeds, on a Chadash barrel. My clarinet is an R13, overhauled recently by Tom Yeah out in Los Angeles. The whole setup is like butter.

R13 RC/Premiere/Elite/ etc instruments are all wonderful, but they`re specialist kind of affairs. The Elite, for instance, is good for chamber music because it`s tone is easy to blend with other instruments. The Premiere is excellent for orchestral work because it has a larger bore which, while requiring more air, has a very rich, full tone. Filling a concert hall is no problem with a Premiere.

I like the plain old R13 because I do a lot of different kinds of playing and it is flexible enough to do all of them. It does what I need it to do, although I`m thinking of replacing my A and Bb horns with Premiere instruments because they`re starting to get old and I like the feel of the Premiere.

Yamaha is making some fine wooden clarinets these days, as is LeBlanc. The Leblanc Concerto and Opus lines are excellent instruments for solo work, but I don`t know that they`re so good for orchestral work since the two clarinettists in the section have to blend their sound so closely.

R13 is the industry standard. Some clarinets do some things better (Leblanc - intonation) but I think that for ease of playing and response, a good R13 is ALWAYS a good buy. Also, the R13 (IMHO) has the best keywork of any clarinet on the market today.

Also, I would reccomend that you buy new. A used clarinet from ebay might have cracks that you don`t see, or busted keywork, or pads that have to be replaced. A new horn from a respected dealer will always come with a warranty.

www.rdgwoodwinds.com

These guys get my exclusive business because I`ve always been satisfied with their customer service, product lines, quality assurance, prices, everything. THIS IS NOT A PLUG, THEY`RE JUST REALLY, REALLY GOOD.

So that`s my two cents.

Thanks!

~Amanda~

Thanks for all the information, my daughter`s music teacher is urging her/us in a wooden clarinet. She`s lent us a Buffet E11 for her to try out.

I learned to play on a wooden one and everyone always told me that they love my tone quality. Wooden clarinets have a more suttle tone quality then plastic ones. Low tones are softer and High tones are not as "squeaky". Yes they take a little more work to maintain but adding an extra 10 minutes onto what you do now is not that big of a deal. All professionals that I`ve worked with use wooden clarinets unless it`s an outdoor concert.

overall they are a better clarinet. I have made higher marks on competitions b/c of the clarity and deepness of the wooden clarinets. They are better for concerts and really should not be used on the field. By the way if you take care of it they are not harder to maintain.

Hi, I`m looking to purchase a wooden clarinet in the next few months. I`m doing my research and had auditioned some French wooden clarinet models years ago. Those are the best. Is there a good spot in California I can go to ask questions and audition some horns? What are your model # recommendations? I`ve been playing off and on for 2 decades and I used to be quite good, almost made a career out of it. I chose a different career, which hurt my desire to play like I once used to, but the good thing about that is now I can afford my dream horn.

Thanks!
Sherri

That you can afford your dream clarinet now is awesome! I can`t help, but I wish you the best of luck.

~Amanda~

if u have the money, and want a buffet thats easier than most to maintain, get at least an r13 greenline. when i went to milanos to get my clarinet, i tried a regular r13, and then the greenline version. greenlines have much better response and tone, and are only about a few hundred more. my clarinet though cost about 4,500 bucks... but if you have the money, its well worth it

I bought a Buffet E11, $485. Seems to be in good condition, no cracks. I`ve been playing it a few minutes every day. It`s not my dream horn, but enjoyable as an intermediate piece. Has some good sweet high tones. Still learning how to get the warm tone I want. I may have to break down and admit I bought a horn that needs to go to the repad man. I found a beautifully refurbished Artley for $600, but that was more then I was willing to pay for it. I know they`d take $575 if I got the right guy, the owner even. I`m turning into a semi-expert on auditioning and buying these things. Managed some free reeds and crap like that, and bargained my way into a discount on a stand. Woo hoo.

hi i am also in the market for a new clarinet. i am a junior in high school and i am first chair in the highest band. during marching season, my plastic clarinet cracked. it`s not too bad, but it`s time for a wooden one. the plastic one used to be my dads from when he started in junior high!! so i am definetly blind as to what to look for. i want to shoot for the $500ish range. not too much higher, though, because i will be asking it for christmas from the entire family.
so if anyone can give some good ideas as to where, what kind, or how much i can get a nice one, then please let me know! thank you!

Hello i am Melissa and I am looking to get back into the swing of thing with a Clarinet, Ihave NO CLUE as to what i played 15 years ago in High School. and Iam looking at an E11 I want a WOODEN clarinet ONLY. i think the tones are better, warmer sounds come easier in a wooden one,
any suggestions on what to purchase? mind youi havent been playing in some amount of years,.but i am not looking at getting a beginner one as i will only waste my money in buying another professional one just as quick, ...

thanks
Melissa

If you`re going to march as a clarinetist you might want another plastic horn. THose are easy to come by, garage sales, classifieds, ebay. Ask questions, audition the horn whenever possible, and don`t buy a piece of crap that was meant for the wall at TGIF restaurant.

I don`t think wood clarinets were meant for outdoor use. I read that somewhere. Definitely do your research.

You can get a used wooden clarinet in the range you`re asking for. Make sure you look at the wood, for cracks. Look at the pads, for not falling out, not missing, and new looking. Look at all the cork spots in the same manner. Audition it with a decent mouthpiece and see what you think. If an experienced player like yourself is not getting the tones out of it that you want, warm up the horn and try again. If the horn still doesn`t sound right to you, do a more careful inspection, ask the clarinet`s age, and make them a lower bid. Ask if the clarinet`s been sitting around the shop for awhile, or if it just came in. Find out what it costs in your area to refurbish the horn with new pads, corking, the full treatment. Go in knowing you`re going to stick to your guns and not let them charge you too much. Remember, the horn wants a home, but not if you`re going to be unhappy with it because you paid too much. Get the price YOU want, get the most horn for the cheapest buck, and go home a winner. That`s what doing your research is all about.

I have a Buffet E11. It auditioned well. Once I get my embrochure back in shape I`ll be better able to tell if this horn is going to work for me. It is an intermediate horn, not beginner, not professional. It`s used and right for the price. It got me going, and I can get my embrochure back into shape with it. Do your research, take your time, find music stores in larger towns where you can audition a lot of used horns. Look on the internet, too. Read up, read up, read up. http://www.bestmusicco.com/ this music store web site is where I went to read up on models and companies. I new I wanted a French made wooden horn, because those auditioned best when I was in high school. I wish I had taken my time, or given the horn at the local music store more thought. What`s cheapest isn`t necessarily what`s best. Then again it could be just my embrochure is gone and I need to build it back. Embrochure refers to the mouth muscles and their ability to hold pitch, create good tone, etc. They are muscles like any other muscle! Sherri