 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Celeborn
Date: 2005-01-01 04:29
There's a lot of talk about clarinets that are "professional." What exactly is it that separates, for example, a Buffet E 12 from an R 13? Or an R 13 from a Tosca? I'd really like to know what makes a select few "better."
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Author: Contra
Date: 2005-01-01 04:35
Quality is what generally sets a professional from an intermediate or student. Professional models may have extra features that help in various registers or help jumps.
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Author: Dano
Date: 2005-01-01 06:43
I think that people brag mainly about their pro clarinets having an even intonation throughout the entire range. That seems to get the "professional" lable put on a clarinet. After that I think it has alot to do with reliability and longevity, attention to detail like tenon rings and hand made parts. The placement of keys just where you want them. Responsivness, keys that do not hesitate when playing fast, size of bells, on and on. Sometimes a professional will like an extra key to make playing fast and that will be put onto a clarinet making it a "Pro"model. Some clarinets are unstained. What the pads are made of. Of course advertising comes into play also. Sometimes it is just because the company says it is a "professional" model but mostly I would say attention to little things that are not really visible on first look.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2005-01-01 07:38
I'm not sure about all professional models or student models, but the E12 or E13 to compare to the R13 are totally different. If I'm not mistaken, the E12 and E13 are made in Germany and not in France. What I also know is they are made from different wood. Between he Tosca and R13, there is an extra key on the Tosca. A lot of differences are inside the bore or so small that you can't really notice by looking, only by playing.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2005-01-01 08:00
clarnibass wrote:
> the E12 and E13 are made in Germany and
> not in France. What I also know is they are made from different
> wood.
Different wood???
> Between he Tosca and R13, there is an extra key on the
> Tosca.
Among the MANY differences, the Tosca has a low F correction key and a LH Eb/Ab key. The R13 has neither one...GBK
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Author: kal
Date: 2005-01-01 09:14
> Different wood???
Maybe s/he meant they use wood from younger trees? I think a Buffet player told me that once...
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2005-01-01 10:59
By different wood I didn't mean the E12 isn't from grenadilla. A repairman who actually learned it in the Buffet factory told me that the E12 and E13 are made from different wood than the R13 and the better Buffet models. I'm not sure exactly what the difference is though. I should visit him sometime soon for some repairs, I can ask him.
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Author: HedgeWitch
Date: 2005-01-01 11:48
The E-13 is made in the Buffet factory in France not Germany, some E-13's that I've tried are nicer all round clarinets than some R-13's tried side by side, the E's use wood that is sometimes a little too flawed to be used in the R's. maybe it needs a little more filler on natural blemishes etc, all in all the E's and R's are quite similar instruments and if someone looking for a used R'13 draws a blank an E-13 would be something worth trying, of course there is good and bad within all instruments of the same model. Personally I would try out the Hanson Intermediate and Pro level instruments if I were shopping for a new horn, way more bang for the buck if someone hasn't been convinced into thinking they need a 'name' instrument.
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2005-01-01 16:59
In the Buffet factory France only professional and semiprofessional (or top intermediate student level) clarinets are made. The rest of the bunch is made in Germany.
The current semiprofessional models are E-13 and C-12.
C-12 is between the E-13 and the R-13. When C-12 was introduced it was a professional grade clarinet and their serial numbers indicate/fall into pro horn category. Recently (for some reason?) this clarinet was downgraded to semipro level. I don't know if they added a letter in front of the serial number now?
The basic difference (as mentioned) is wood. It doesn't mean that wood is lower quality, it means that the wood used for E-13 and C-12 is not as dense as wood used for the R-13.
Other differences are keywork, plating, craftsmanship and placement of keys on semipro clarinets. These horns do not have cutouts under the right pinky keys and for this reason keys are placed higher than on R-13. The banana key on the LJ has different shape (Leblanc style). Crow's foot is made from a singe (square shaped) piece of metal. Plating, alloy and craftsmanship is lower quality on these horns.
IMO. how these horns sound in comparison to an R-13 is irrelevant.
Vytas Krass
Professional clarinet technician
Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
Former professional clarinet player
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Author: Jimmy Zhong
Date: 2005-01-01 18:15
Yes, I think the wood is more dense on the proffesional grade instruments. The R13s I've tried seem heavier than E11s, and the prestiges are even denser, of course.
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Author: marcia
Date: 2005-01-01 19:39
>Among the MANY differences, the Tosca has a low F correction key and a >LH Eb/Ab key. The R13 has neither one...GBK
I know what the LH Eb/Ab key is, but what is the low F correction key??
Marcia
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Author: Clarinetist
Date: 2005-01-01 20:00
marcia wrote:
>what is the low F correction key??
If the low F is out of tune, the correction key should bring it back to pitch. It might come in handy at times.
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