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Has anyone tried these? They’re not too expensive (though it looks like they’re not available in the U.S., so after shipping from the UK they would likely be expensive) but of the few reviews I’ve seen, they seem to be mixed. Some say the high notes are easy to reach, some say they’re hard or out of tune. Some say the tone is nice; some say it’s not.
I’m fine with my Yamaha 312 and don’t really see any need for another treble, but I have to admit the Trieberts have me intrigued, especially as they’re so much more attractive than all of the other plastic instruments out there (I have always hated that black-and-white or brown-and-white color scheme; I haven’t a clue why makers insist on using it when a solid color would look more convincingly like most wooden instruments out there. Unless that’s the point, to make it look very obviously plastic so nobody mistakes it for wood?).
I’m curious about those too. They have a bass which is a lot cheaper than other basses out there.
You don't stop playing when you get old. You get old when you stop playing.
I almost have the urge to just pay the shipping (which the site alleges will be less than US$13, which means the whole thing wouldn’t cost too much more than $30), just to try it. Not that I need another… but I suppose I’m always looking for my “Goldilocks” instrument, lol. I’m just not too sure about shipping something internationally right now…
I had found one on (US) Amazon as an alleged “promotion” item for around $20 I think, but I’m always wary about stuff on Amazon being fakes. And an eBay seller in the US allegedly selling a bunch used, but that sounds somewhat fishy as well. Probably better to buy straight from EMS.
I almost have the urge to just pay the shipping (which the site alleges will be less than US$13, which means the whole thing wouldn’t cost too much more than $30), just to try it. Not that I need another… but I suppose I’m always looking for my “Goldilocks” instrument, lol. I’m just not too sure about shipping something internationally right now…
I had found one on (US) Amazon as an alleged “promotion” item for around $20 I think, but I’m always wary about stuff on Amazon being fakes. And an eBay seller in the US allegedly selling a bunch used, but that sounds somewhat fishy as well. Probably better to buy straight from EMS.
I got my Aulos tenor from Amazon, it was fine, and at a reduced price. I also got a Kalimba from there, a surprise from my other half, and it is surprisingly good!
You don't stop playing when you get old. You get old when you stop playing.
I got my Aulos tenor from Amazon, it was fine, and at a reduced price. I also got a Kalimba from there, a surprise from my other half, and it is surprisingly good!
Oh, yes, I got my Yamaha recorders from Amazon as well. But I’m a bit more wary when it comes to a brand that isn’t well-known (I think it might actually be EMS’ own brand), and a brand that isn’t available in the U.S. from any actual music shops yet somehow some Amazon seller got ahold of some (especially since in this case, the seller didn’t even know how to spell the name of their own product– they had it advertised as “Tribert”).
Interesting about the kalimba, though. I’d seen the ones on Amazon and wasn’t sure if they were any good or not…
I’m trying to think how to word this… Over the last several decades that relations with China have been ‘normalized,’ I’ve had a number of friends and acquaintances that have ventured into having whatever their product was manufactured in that country. They’ve all had problems maintaining control over their product.
If I may over-simplify and even make a guess, I would think that when older recorder manufacturing molds get out of spec, they continue to be used for production runs of instruments that we end up seeing on low-priced overseas websites and ‘interesting’ Ebay sales. What may be out of ‘spec’ is a wildcard. It might just be the color. In the case of recorders there are so many variables that can affect intonation and voice adversely.
Of course I’m unqualified to speculate about an inexpensive recorder line that I’ve never examined, but inexpensive instruments are often called “School” recorders, inferring that they are only good enough for a child to learn the basics on. Also there’s the old, “If it sounds too good to be true…” adage. Sometimes a ‘deal’ can be a dollar’s ‘dead end.’ We end up having to spend the equivalent once more just to get what we wanted in the first place.
Self quarantined these last months, I read trusted reviews and purchased a Descant/Treble pair of Yamaha 400 series, an Aulos Haka Descant, a Zen On G-1A Treble, (and a Mollenhauer Denner wooden Treble.) All well respected makers. Not one ‘dead end’ penny. All seem to have their own special joy at play. I never had the money for a Porsche. Plastic recorders? I can afford a few of the best. I just feel we’re so lucky to have such musical and yet affordable plastic instruments to play. No?
For me it’s just curiosity more than anything else. I have a Yamaha 312, and also an Aulos (I think 509?) that I “rescued” from a thrift store. So I already have decent instruments; it’s not that I’m going out looking for something with a great sound. But, they’re probably “different,” at least, perhaps in an interesting way.
I’ve seen some great reviews of these instruments (from people who claim they’re experienced players) and some bad ones (from same). It seems the line may be on its way out, since some music stores seem to not stock all of them and many of the reviews I read are from many years ago.
And, as I admitted above, partly it’s also that these are instruments I can actually stand to look at, unlike the Aulos and Yamaha… it would be nice to find out I can also stand to listen to them. 🙂
It’s so interesting that you find the Yamahas and Aulos unattractive, Katia. I’ve seen so many museum originals here in the States and abroad that today’s plastics copy. Those Baroque turnings are so ornate yet still tasteful. I love them. I’m amazed how true-to-form the plastics are to the originals, especially for the Rottenburghs that you mentioned you dislike with their faux-ivory rings. My memory is that you don’t find such rings on new wooden recorders till you’re up around $2,000 USD. Somebody likes them.
By the way, if you want ‘new and insteresting’ without any ivory, you might want to check out the Kelischek penatonics and/or their Renaissance instruments at Susato in North Carolina. I was planning a visit before the Pandemic hit. Very interesting instruments there. Here’s the website…
Penny for your thoughts if you check it out. – k –
It’s simply a preference in a matter of aesthetics, as everyone has. Some people like the look, some don’t; I fall into the latter category. I’m not much of a fan of the two-tone look in many things. I wouldn’t like it any better if I had a high-end instrument. Most wood recorders I see for sale and being played are all wood, with no ivory whether faux or real, so if the plastic recorders are trying to “blend in,” I would think that would be what they would want to emulate (and if we’re trying to fool anyone– not that they would be fooled in the first place– it would be more believable that I might be playing a mid-to-lower grade wooden instrument than one costing over $2000 or an antique). For many people, it will evoke the look of school recorders, not high-end recorders. But, I don’t feel the need for my plastic recorder to pretend to be wood in the first place. A simple solid color would be fine.
(I still haven’t figured out Yamaha’s Ecodear. I have a craving for banana cream pie every time I look at them. Were they trying to make it look like boxwood, or is it just unashamedly yellow?)
I’ve not seen Susato’s pentatonic instruments, though I know there are pentatonic recorders out there (I think the pentatonic instruments tend to be popular in Waldorf schools and other early education?). Mostly I know Susato for their pennywhistles (though I don’t own any of theirs). I don’t need to take up any more instruments, though!
Katia, we have just proven that it truly is “in the eye of the beholder.” It happened that my Ecodear Yamaha Alto is at my side as I read your last post. It is absolutely ‘yellow’ and would never pass for an imitation of any wood species. The whites are absolutely bright white – not ivory. I think it’s a beautiful instrument and yet it’s totally plastic looking – even glossy. I didn’t buy it for its looks so much as the darker voice that reviewers noted. That turned out to be true with a pleasant dash of ‘reediness.’ I bought a matched Descant/Treble pair for more blended voicing in the duets my wife and I are playing during our self-quarantine. The two sound quite nice when played together.
I got my Aulos tenor from Amazon, it was fine, and at a reduced price. I also got a Kalimba from there, a surprise from my other half, and it is surprisingly good!
Interesting about the kalimba, though. I’d seen the ones on Amazon and wasn’t sure if they were any good or not…
The kalimba was made by Power of Nature, has a deer motif below the hole.
You don't stop playing when you get old. You get old when you stop playing.
Katia, we have just proven that it truly is “in the eye of the beholder.” It happened that my Ecodear Yamaha Alto is at my side as I read your last post. It is absolutely ‘yellow’ and would never pass for an imitation of any wood species. The whites are absolutely bright white – not ivory. I think it’s a beautiful instrument and yet it’s totally plastic looking – even glossy. I didn’t buy it for its looks so much as the darker voice that reviewers noted. That turned out to be true with a pleasant dash of ‘reediness.’ I bought a matched Descant/Treble pair for more blended voicing in the duets my wife and I are playing during our self-quarantine. The two sound quite nice when played together.
Interesting! I think the Ecodear is sort of cute, really… but, “cute” is usually not what I’m going for if I want people to take me seriously, lol. (If, of course, I were in love with the sound of it, obviously I would have one anyway… {it might be interesting to have a discussion on the plastic instruments and see what everyone thinks. I tend to waffle on how I feel about the sound of various models/brands…})
It seems I had read something once that suggested the yellow was simply because that’s the color this particular plastic is by necessity (rather than Yamaha saying “let’s make a yellow one!”). But I’m not sure how true that was (and I can’t remember where I read it, as it was a long time ago, probably way back when I was deciding which recorder to buy). I mean, some boxwood can have a yellowish cast, and it’s hard to tell on a computer screen exactly what colors are, so it’s good to hear from someone looking at it in person.
The kalimba was made by Power of Nature, has a deer motif below the hole.
Thanks! (I’d also thought of making my own, though the process of making the keys {getting edges rounded off and tuning} and the key-mounting system sounds a bit fiddly– but buying the keys ready-made also would kind of defeat the purpose.)
Mostly I know Susato for their pennywhistles (though I don’t own any of theirs). I don’t need to take up any more instruments, though!
I have two Susato Kildare whistles: the Low-D and the Low-G (I recently posted a recording of the Low-G whistle in the “Recordings” section, here). I’m pleased with them. (I own various other whistles, too, but those are the only Susatos.)
FWIW, as a recorder player you’d find it very easy to play a whistle. They’re diatonic rather than chromatic, but it’s not much of a transition. If you like their tone (personally, I think whistles really suit some things), I’d say go for it.
I didn’t buy [the Ecodear Yamaha] for its looks so much as the darker voice that reviewers noted. That turned out to be true with a pleasant dash of ‘reediness.’ I bought a matched Descant/Treble pair…
I also have a soprano/alto pair of Ecodear recorders, as well as a Yamaha 304B tenor (not Ecodear). I have a regular (non-Ecodear) Yamaha soprano, too, and I have to say that I prefer the tone of the Ecodear version.
I think my next recorder will probably be a nice wooden one, though. I’m still thinking about what direction I want to go, there (and recorders or whistles are not my main instrument, so there’s that…). For now I’m content with the Yamahas.
I’m pretty sure Yamaha intended the ecodear range to resemble boxwood. What I want to know is, do they sound different to their regular 300 series recorders? And do they clog as often. My YRA312 is terrible for clogging, despite warming the head up before playing. I need to apply home made anticondens again I think.
You don't stop playing when you get old. You get old when you stop playing.
Mostly I know Susato for their pennywhistles (though I don’t own any of theirs). I don’t need to take up any more instruments, though!
I have two Susato Kildare whistles: the Low-D and the Low-G (I recently posted a recording of the Low-G whistle in the “Recordings” section, here). I’m pleased with them. (I own various other whistles, too, but those are the only Susatos.)
FWIW, as a recorder player you’d find it very easy to play a whistle. They’re diatonic rather than chromatic, but it’s not much of a transition. If you like their tone (personally, I think whistles really suit some things), I’d say go for it.
I didn’t buy [the Ecodear Yamaha] for its looks so much as the darker voice that reviewers noted. That turned out to be true with a pleasant dash of ‘reediness.’ I bought a matched Descant/Treble pair…
I also have a soprano/alto pair of Ecodear recorders, as well as a Yamaha 304B tenor (not Ecodear). I have a regular (non-Ecodear) Yamaha soprano, too, and I have to say that I prefer the tone of the Ecodear version.
I think my next recorder will probably be a nice wooden one, though. I’m still thinking about what direction I want to go, there (and recorders or whistles are not my main instrument, so there’s that…). For now I’m content with the Yamahas.
I already do play whistle, and have for almost ten years now (don’t ask how many I own, lol…). I did find it easy to pick up D whistle fingerings when I did, because of my childhood experience with soprano recorder. In fact, whistle fingering is now the only thing that keeps me having any idea of soprano recorder fingering, since I’m now focusing on alto recorder and trying not to get mixed up between the two (so I’m essentially ignoring soprano for now. I have an easier time of not getting mixed up with whistle because of finding it easier to think of it as a different instrument, especially since it hasn’t got the chromatic fingerings).
I’ve listened to comparisons of the 300 series and the Ecodear (and of the Yamaha with the Aulos and Zen-On altos) but it’s hard to know listening to recordings… so much can depend on the recording technology, the player, whether they’re playing the same piece on each instrument they’re comparing, etc. And, also hard to know when listening to someone else play, how the individual instrument will fit you.
What seems to be universal is that the Yamaha 300 series has (to me) a more “focused” sound than the others, which I like. But also a more “plastic-y” sound as well (which I don’t so much like). To what extent the “plastic” sound has come out has depended on the individual recording/player (which is why I find it hard to tell from others’ recordings. I’ve heard recordings where I prefer the 300 series, recordings where I prefer the Ecodear, recordings where I prefer the Aulos (then we get into which model of Aulos…). I haven’t heard too many comparisons with the Zen-On Bressan so it’s hard for me to form an opinion. I’ve even heard recordings comparing plastic to wood, and a couple times I have preferred the sound of the plastic instrument (mostly for the reason below)!
(Mind you, I will make a confession: to me many/most recorders have what I consider a “plastic-y” sound at times, even the high-end wooden ones. It’s just the way a recorder, as an instrument, sounds in my mind. Other people may describe the sound differently. It’s part of the reason I’ve eschewed some plastic pennywhistles; I’ve described them as sounding “recorder-y” and I think it’s that “plastic” sound. To me a whistle tends to have a more pure and sweet sound. I don’t mean that to sound offensive, it’s just that the way my brain personally forms an impression of the sound of a recorder is, sometimes, as sounding like plastic. I don’t know if this is formed by having played a plastic instrument as a kid and so I attributed the sound of a recorder to the material it’s made from {doubtful since, say, I know clarinets and some Irish flutes are also made of plastic and I don’t consider them to sound like plastic– I can’t really distinguish the sound of either from wood instruments and to be honest with you, if you played wooden and plastic recorders where I can’t see you I probably wouldn’t be able to tell, either}, or if it’s just something about the way my brain thinks plastic “sounds.” And I honestly couldn’t tell you exactly what aspect of a sound I find “plastic” like. I suspect it may be what I would describe as a more “narrow” sound, as opposed to a more “round” or “full” sound? But I can’t be sure.)
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