I was planning on getting a Yamaha 304 plastic tenor recorder, thinking that I could add Susato keys if the finger stretch was too great. But I'm also hearing that some people find the Dolmetsch Nova tenor recorder a good instrument with a reasonably easy stretch. What I'm NOT finding anywhere online is a description of the Nova's sound, timbre, ease of tone production, intonation, etc. (The closest I came was one person noting that it sounded "very different" from the Yamaha, implying that it was less loud and/or bright but still sounded nice.) So can anyone tell me how the Nova actually sounds and plays compared to the Yamaha?

Thanks!

When I was deciding on a plastic tenor a couple of years back I had the opportunity to try a few different instruments during my local recorder group's monthly meeting. Although I found the sound of the Nova to be okay, I did find the yamaha to be a bit "deeper" in tone, which was more to my taste. The Nova didn't seem to have a strong intonation. The notes were easy to produce in tune, but sustaining them was not easy.
Now my experiences may not reflect what others find. I had been looking to replace my faithful wooden tenor recorder. After thirty-odd years of playing the block cracked. I could not afford a good wooden tenor at the time, thus my search for a plastic. I bought the yamaha and had the neck knicked to make an easier reach for my hands

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Judy and The Cutterpup
31 cameras, 11 recorders, 14 whistles, 3 mountain dulcimers, 1 vintage practice chanters, 1 wooden mystery flute, 1 hammered dulcimer, 1 bowed psaltry, 1 clarinet, 1 husband, 2 kids, 2 kids-in-law, 2 grandkids, 2 cats, 1 dog

Thanks for your reply. Do you mean that that the Nova required more lung power than the Yamaha for sustained notes, or that it was more difficult to keep the notes in tune the longer you sustained them? (Maybe the instrument is very sensitive to breath pressure?) Did you find the Yamaha to have more reliable or accurate pitch than the Nova?

I found the Nova more difficult to keep in tune the longer I sustained the notes. And yes, to me the Yamaha seemed more accurate. I was able to play in tune without having to think about adjusting my attack. Many folks are happy with the Nova. Just a matter of taste I think, and what you are used to playing.

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Judy and The Cutterpup
31 cameras, 11 recorders, 14 whistles, 3 mountain dulcimers, 1 vintage practice chanters, 1 wooden mystery flute, 1 hammered dulcimer, 1 bowed psaltry, 1 clarinet, 1 husband, 2 kids, 2 kids-in-law, 2 grandkids, 2 cats, 1 dog