Eastar B Flat Clarinet Nickel-Plated ECL-300

Au début le problème, ce sont les lièges : très fins, il s’agit de simples bandes collées et de plus ils arrivent totalement desséchés. Conséquence, la clarinette est presque impossible à assembler et il faut quasiment vider le tube de graisse livré avec (prévoir d’en racheter) pour parvenir à emboîter les éléments. Ensuite on s’aperçoit vite que le bec est très, très mauvais, le son ressemble à celui d’un klaxon, il faut impérativement le changer. Avec un Rico B5 à 26 euros, ça va déjà beaucoup mieux. Une fois ces désagréments surmontés on peut jouer convenablement et finalement, pour le prix ce n’est pas un mauvais achat, je recommande même s’il ne faut pas s’attendre à du très haut de gamme, forcément. Point très positif pour le prix, la valise et tous les accessoires livrés avec, y-compris des protège-dents et un support à clarinette, sont très bien.
Rectificatif : pile un mois et un jour après l’avoir commandée, les clefs de la clarinette m’ont littéralement sauté dans les mains, l’une des petites vis est partie et tout s’est démonté, les tiges métalliques qui servent de ressort se sont déplacées, j’ai tenté de remettre ça en place mais c’était effroyable. Je reviens donc sur ma bonne impression (ou du moins pas trop mauvaise) : en fait n’achetez pas ça, en un mois la clarinette tombe en miettes ! (Trop tard pour se faire rembourser, à un jour près).
Deuxième rectificatif : après de délicates opérations de recherche d’une petite vis, puis d’une autre, j’ai réussi à reconstruire la clarinette et à régler convenablement le serrage des vis. Désormais la clarinette fonctionne très bien et j’en suis satisfaite mais que d’émotions pour en arriver là.

I played clarinet years ago in high school and wanted to start playing again. I decided to get a cheap, beginner clarinet. I have had this clarinet about a week now. Out of the box, all parts were present and intact- there is some tarnish already on a few spots, but nothing that effects the playing ability. It came with everything listed; however I did not realize until it arrived that cork grease does not come with it! An instrument that has been sitting in a warehouse for a while with corks drying out definitely needs the corks greased before first assembly. I made do with some lip balm and immediately ordered the grease (lip balm is not recommended-use only as a last resort!). Another oddity is that even though this is listed as a beginner clarinet, it comes with three 2.5 reeds. Beginners should start with a softer reed. Plus, one of the reeds was already attached to the mouthpiece, resulting in it being warped and unusable. It does play well and has a decent sound. If you need a starter clarinet, I recommend this one- just make sure to order cork grease along with it.

Gerne wieder

This Bb clarinet includes everything you need to get started right out of the box, it even comes with soft, white gloves and a stand. There are no assembly instructions, which wasn’t a problem for me as I have done it many times. The cork is very tight because, so be sure to use the included cork grease when you first assemble the clarinet to ensure that there’s no damage to the cork. I always use a twisting motion, which allows for less wear on the cork.
The case is very nice as well, it has a soft lining and seems well protected for a soft-sided case. I like that it also comes with a stand, although I do wish that it fit in the case, so I would not forget it.
The clarinet itself seems well constructed, but a bit fragile for a child who may not be able to handle it delicately. It’s great for beginners, the keys are close together making it easier for smaller hands. The sound is excellent for the price. It has a rich, warm tone. I did find I needed to tune it with a piano to get it at the right flat. The keys work easily and there’s no squeaking. This is definitely an instrument for a beginner though and at this price, it’s far less expensive than renting and can just be passed on to another when you are ready to upgrade after mastering this one.
All in all, I’d say that this clarinet is a great value for beginners looking for an all inclusive, great sounding instrument.

I know nothing about clarinets. What in this review could possibly help you? Well, I’ve had fun with recorders and decided to try a clarinet. I first bought, on Amazon, the cheapest, at around $100. It took a while but I got notes. However, with research, I realized that the top barrel sealed well, allowing notes. However, the bottom barrel, apparently sealing poorly, offered no note changes at all. As I liked the clarinet idea, I finally did research, on You Tube etc. The result was that I purchased this clarinet, opting to go up a couple of hundred dollars. It is by far not the most expensive clarinet out there. I assembled the clarinet and immediately got a nice note. I also got notes from the bottom barrel. So this clarinet appears well made. In addition, it has a wider mouthpiece which is easier to use. It also came with three reeds, each a different size, which is a good idea as one increases one’s skills. There is a little stand which isn’t much use. The case is flexible but solid. I still have no idea what the extra small barrel is, as it seems to fit nothing. The clarinet comes with the usual cork grease, gloves, wiping clean cloth etc. As a beginner’s clarinet, at least, I can certainly recommend this one. I actually plan to take lessons!!