Val's Artist Brand Clarinet...? HELP!?

Question

Hello! I am looking to get back into playing again after a 9 year absence. I need help getting information about one of the clarinets I have now because I can't find info anywhere!

One of the clarinets is a Val's Artist. It is a wood clarinet. I have had it for 13 years and purchased it from an older man who had it for goodness knows how long. There is no model number, just s 'bg' on the mouthpiece. Where does this brand, Val's Artist, fit on the scale of clarinets? I mean, from Venus to Buffet? Is it worth getting it overhauled or should I just buy new (I could only afford a pro cibaili right now....)

Oh, and the other is my first clainet and is 16 years old and is a Vito (upside down triangle, rectangle with sta, fire hydrant, circle pattern on bell) with a number 2. It's most definately plastic and you could see yourself in its reflection.

I would greatly appreciate any info you can give about this val's artist brand. Thank you very much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

squidward plays the clarinet

Answer 2

Hello MG.   I have been a music teacher for 20 years and I have never heard of a Val's ARtist Brand Clarinet.  Ever.   Never heard of Venus either.... so to answer your question,  I would have to say it is at the Venus end of the scale.  According to professional musicians... there is no clarinet on the same level as the Buffet R-13 model.  It is the #1 clarinet of their choice...  I don't know any good and serious players or students of clarinet that plays any other brand.   I would not get the Val reconditioned...  which I think would cost you around $200.00, maybe more.  Get the clarinet that you will be able to play in college if you want to take it that far... as your college clarinet professor will require you to get one at that time anyway.  Hope I was able to help.

Answer 3

It's funny that you mention the Venus and refer to the Cibaili... they are both low end Australian horns, produced by the same company... I would be curious to know if the Val Artist is one of those as well?  I have never heard of the Val Artist, but I assume it is only a student model quality.

It may be made of wood- maybe even grenadilla or rosewood- but it does not mean that it is automatically BETTER than a plastic clarinet.  The quality is heavily dependant on the craftmanship implimented by the manufacturer.  The reason Buffet is so good is because they do not rely on machines as much as say Yamaha; there is a human at every step of the way, from boreing to cutting the tone holes to sanding and measuring... even on their "lower" quality horns.  If something isn't "right", the mistake can be caught earlier and dealt with. Companies like Yamaha use machines to do almost all the work, and put the human aspect at the end of the process... this leaves a lot more room for error and allows more subquality instruments to make it out into the market.

So- all that aside, it really depends on what you want to do with your music.  If you plan on going back to school or pursuing a career in music, then I would strongly suggest saving up your money to buy something like a Buffet R13 or a Selmer Signature.  These ARE pricey instruments ($4500+/-), but you can find them for less if you look online (wwbw.com, eBay, etc.) or find one used in your local music store (I got my R13 for $1250 from wwbw).  I would recommend buying the Selmer Signature ONLY if you can try before you buy- they are usually great horns, but not consistant.  The reason Buffet is the front-runner in clarinet manufacturing is because they have craftmanship AND consistancy.

You mentioned that you only have about enough money to buy a Cibaili... $250+/-... so I would look at the student model Buffet clarinets... it would get you started in the right direction, and if you decide to upgrade in the future it won't be that hard of a transition.

BUT- if you just want to start playing again for fun, and even if you take lessons, if you like your "Val Artist" and its tone, just stick with it for a while!  Just because it's not a Pro model doesn't mean it can't sound awesome!  Actually, you may want to take it to a clarinet teacher and just ask them to play it for 5 minutes so they can tell you what they think about its tone and playability.  Even if it's been sitting in your closet for 10 years, the only things that may need to be "overhauled" would be the cork... maybe some of the pads.  And if it IS wood, I recommend oiling it with bore oil once, let is sit for 72 hours, oil it again, and wait another 48 hours to play it.  It may be so dry that if you play it too much it could crack or warp... then you WILL need a new clarinet.  To get new cork, pads, and a bottle of bore oil, it should only cost you about $150 ($40 for cork, $90 for pads, $10 for an oil swab, $2 for the bore oil)... if there are other repairs to be done it may cost you more, but it would be less than buying a new clarinet.

Again, in the end it's really up to you.  I wish you luck in your musical endeavors, and have fun playing!

PS~ If you would like to email me, I can give you instructions for checking out your clarinet yourself (pads and seals, key alignment, etc.), and the proper way to oil your clarinet.  And I assume you are the same person to post this question on the Clarinet BBoard?... I hope this answer will suffice! :)

EDIT: The back bottom of each joint is where the serial number goes... 1714 is most likely that number... I'll see if I can trace it through that and I'll reply to your email. :)