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A few plastic tenor/bass recorder questions

Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2016 11:24 am
by ganchan
Background: I play unaccompanied, just for my own pleasure, using both F and C recorders (Haka soprano, Haka and Yamaha 312 altos, and a basic Aulos 211 tenor). The tenor is the weak link in that group, but I have short arms and skinny fingers and at least I can play the thing. I'd like to try another lower-voiced plastic recorder, and I'm considering the Yamaha 304, Yamaha bass or maybe one of the Aulos basses. With all that in mind...

1. Are there online shops that will let me return a plastic recorder that's too stretchy or otherwise just not a good fit for me? I don't have any local recorder dealers where I can try before I buy....
2. I actually like the idea of the bass's tone and relatively easy stretch (keys!), but I worry about the keys or key springs on a plastic bass breaking. Is this a fix that any music repair place can handle, assuming I can find the right parts?
3. I might decide to add keys to a Yamaha tenor. Anyone here have favorable/unfavorable experiences with the Susato keys? The "real" metal additions offered elsewhere are rather pricey....
4. Should I be considering the Dolmetsch Nova knick tenor as well? Is it on par with the Yamaha?

Re: A few plastic tenor/bass recorder questions

Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2016 12:39 pm
by Peter Duggan
ganchan wrote:1. Are there online shops that will let me return a plastic recorder that's too stretchy or otherwise just not a good fit for me? I don't have any local recorder dealers where I can try before I buy....
Check the return policy of whichever you want to use.
2. I actually like the idea of the bass's tone and relatively easy stretch (keys!), but I worry about the keys or key springs on a plastic bass breaking. Is this a fix that any music repair place can handle, assuming I can find the right parts?
The keys on the Yamaha bass are actually pretty chunky (with metal springs) and won't break unless subjected to very rough treatment (i.e. way beyond just playing them). But if they do you can replace them yourself, though Yamaha apparently prefer selling complete joints to just keys...

http://www.saundersrecorders.com/ybaskey.htm
(This link tells you how to replace the springs with generic equivalents.)

http://www.saundersrecorders.com/repairs.htm
'It is often possible to obtain new plastic keys as spare parts though Yamaha prefer to supply a complete replacement joint. Spare parts for old models are rarely obtainable.'

Re: A few plastic tenor/bass recorder questions

Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 10:44 am
by ganchan
What I really wish is that Aulos would re-introduce a new 311 model of plastic tenor, keyless this time, as an intermediate step between the keyless 211A and the keyed 511B. Something like the comparative upgrade of the 309A alto over the 209A soprano....

Just seems odd that there would only be one cheap plastic keyless tenor option in the entire world.....

Re: A few plastic tenor/bass recorder questions

Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 10:18 pm
by Mae
I don't know if you've already found a solution yet to your problem, but I just joined recently, and thought I would give you some info. I've finally invested in a bent-neck tenor to accommodate for my short arms and small hands. There is a solution to make this happen with your Yamaha here:

http://lazarsearlymusic.com/Yamaha-Reco ... KnickTenor

I think Aulos has a shorter tenor that may help:

http://www.westmusic.com/p/aulos-a211a- ... ach-400222

I ended up having to give away my Yamaha keyed tenor. The reach is bad with that one, even with the keys. The Aulos keyed one works so much better, but it still hurts to play. I waited several years before I finally recently bought my bent-neck tenor (Moeck Rottenburgh Maple). It's on the pricey side, but the guy I bought it from, in the link above, does turn plastic Yamahas into bent-neck ones.