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Another option which I used to get some (new to me) instruments at a VERY manageable price is to purchase “used” (or pre-owned) instruments. Often people purchase instruments and lose interest, and the instruments are virtually unplayed, and you can purchase at a reasonable price. I did this recently, got excellent instruments at about a 70% discount!
Dear Carolyn:
Welcome to the thread! I initiated this thread some time ago, and well, yes, to a degree it has taken on its own life…lol…
Your point is well taken, certainly if/when one is able to actually play the instrument prior to purchasing it…(having not acquired any “used” instruments, I will defer to your experience, and obviously 30% of original price IS substantial!).
I can well imagine how many good instruments go nearly untouched after purchase…(acoustic guitars anyone???.. 🙂 …), though, at least from MY perspective, I would be surprised that a genuinely high quality recorder would be purchased and then soon fall into disuse, though just perhaps I am a tad biased…lol…Hopefully THOSE purchasers at least stored/cared for their “musical “mistakes”” well, such that little if any instrumental degradation occurred…
I WOULD be curious as to the distribution of high quality to “budget” quality instruments on the “previously-owned market”, and where the greatest value tends to fall, (be they wooden of resin/plastic instruments), and whether or not you might recommend the used instrument stock of reputable instrument sellers/makers, or just on the open market…
Peace/Namaste,
TimTim, just checking, but did you see my March 22 post in this thread? You missed one earlier and I’m just wondering.
, Sarah Jeffery has continued to use the Bernolin Alto in her videos and even talks about that very fact in her latest YouTube video:
So you might take a look.
It’s clear that she really likes this instrument.
As far as I know, Bernolin and Coolsma are the only hand made “plastic” recorders on the market. In my opinion, this kind of instruments should be more common, because they offer professional quality with greater durability at a reasonable price (at least the Bernolin, the Coolsma is actually overpriced).
Dear Richard/Leonardo:
Yes, indeed, I DID watch Sarah’s most recent video…it seems she REALLY does like that Bernolin resin alto!…lol…
Unfortunately, I am currently monetarily tapped-out…as I have begun to foray into the electronic/amplified realm of music making…(I have found myself playing in a couple of largely “Blues” style music jam ensembles!), and in order to “compete” with electric guitars, keyboards, saxophones, drum-sets and a trombone or two, I “broke down” and purchased a mic., instrument amp., mic. pre-amp/effects loop foot pedal, along with parametric EQ, reverb. and delay pedals… :-O …lol…
YES, it IS a different sort of experience if not a totally different realm altogether… However, when playing amplified along with a little reverb. and delay pedal “juicing” the sound of the recorder, I seem to take on the status of a “real” musical instrument…LOL…amplified/loud instrument musicians and “audience” members alike making positive comments about the sound of the instruments…indicating not only the relative “novelty” of the sound, but also the actual beauty of the blend of my recorders along with their more “conventional” instruments…
It was with some genuine, pleasant surprise that I noted that on the heels of Sarah’s praise of the Bernolin recorder, she then went on to extol the virtues of the looping pedal!…lol…(As I have VERY recently succumbed to the lure of the delay pedal, and still just beginning to learn how to apply it MUSICALLY…, I cannot yet rationalize the acquisition of yet another pedal!…) Perhaps some day???…
HOWEVER, I WOULD love to converse with Sarah regarding her experience into her foray into the electronic realm…what she has explored, applied, discarded, etc., and why…AND even as alluring as these amazing, late 20th/early 21st century “magic” boxes are, they certainly are not a substitute for musicality in the first place…and YES, I STILL lust after that Bernolin resin alto, almost as I do the inherent ability and playing technique of Sarah or others of “her ilk”!…One must never forget that the musical instruments are only a means of honoring the composer and the music itself!…
Please feel free to “weigh-in” on the foray into the “electric realm”, what you think, have perhaps experienced, and/or any sites that might assist me?…(I am familiar with a website entitled “Horn Fx”, however, it does not appear to be very responsive when I have inquired about issues regarding using recorders as opposed to loud “traditional” instruments…
Please feel free to “weigh-in” on the foray into the “electric realm”, what you think, have perhaps experienced, and/or any sites that might assist me?…(I am familiar with a website entitled “Horn Fx”, however, it does not appear to be very responsive when I have inquired about issues regarding using recorders as opposed to loud “traditional” instruments…
If your main interest is in modern music with electronic intruments, you should probabily consider a “modern” recorder instead of a baroque model. They are quite expensive, but are designed to produce a louder sound particularly in the low register and a larger range (almost 3 octaves), so they blend better with modern instruments for rock / blues / pop music.
Mollenhouer in particular produces an electro-acustic recorder called Elody (actually VERY expensive).
If the player is skilled, also Ganassi style recorders (a modernization of a reinassance design) have a good sound for contemporary music, but require different fingerings and don’t have double holes, so they are difficult for non professional players.The Eagle recorder (you can see one being played by Michala Petri in Sarah Jeffery’s interview video with her) would be my pick for a “modern” recorder. It is pretty expensive, but very high quality, from what I have read. It’s not amplified, but it adds notes to the regular recorder range, and is very loud, from what I have read. The Elody strikes me as simply an amplified mid-priced recorder with a high price.
The Eagle recorder (you can see one being played by Michala Petri in Sarah Jeffery’s interview video with her) would be my pick for a “modern” recorder. It is pretty expensive, but very high quality, from what I have read. It’s not amplified, but it adds notes to the regular recorder range, and is very loud, from what I have read. The Elody strikes me as simply an amplified mid-priced recorder with a high price.
Mollenhouer produces the “Modern alto”, which the same concept as the Eagle for half the price or less. Of course the quality is not the same as the hand-made Eagle, but most amateur players cannot spend more than 2000 $ on a recorder.
The Modern Alto is pretty expensive in its own right, although less than the Eagle. Seems to depend on the type of wood you chose (grenadilla with E-foot is about $1700).
On Thomann.de, the Rosewood one with F foot is about 900€. The price difference to add a single semitone in the low register is not justified in my opinion. That low E is not even used in any traditional recorder music.
In any case, these modern recorders cost as much as three or four good quality alto/soprano, so I would only consider them if I am sure that playing in a modern ensemble is my main purpose (or if I had a lot of money to spend).Timothy, I would say that you have to shop carefully to find good “pre-owned” instruments. I have never seen a high-quality non-wooden instrument anywhere, and the only Yamahas I have ever seen are the student Yamahas that are given to grade-school children. My original two soprano and one alto wooden instruments I bought at a music store in the college town I was in my freshman year of college (I would call them mid-level, the college was known for its music program and the store catered to the students.) I have since purchased two more soprano and one alto instruments (pre-owned,) I gave away some years ago one of my original soprano instruments – wasn’t as good as the other one. All are wooden, my soprano all sound different, my two altos sound pretty similar, and play about the same. I liked the sound of the Bernolin in the Sarah Jefferys video, but to me it just does not sound as “warm” as a wooden instrument. (I play mainly classical-Baroque, so this may influence my opinion.)
Timothy, I would say that you have to shop carefully to find good “pre-owned” instruments. I have never seen a high-quality non-wooden instrument anywhere, and the only Yamahas I have ever seen are the student Yamahas that are given to grade-school children.
Plastic recorders are definitely NOT only for children. Many professional players use plastic instruments for practice, because they don’t require maintenance and can be played for hours and everybody says that a good plastic recorder is better than a cheap wooden one.
Buying a second hand recorder may be dangerous if you’re not expert enough to check its conditions.“Plastic recorders are definitely NOT only for children. Many professional players use plastic instruments for practice, because they don’t require maintenance and can be played for hours and everybody says that a good plastic recorder is better than a cheap wooden one.
Buying a second hand recorder may be dangerous if you’re not expert enough to check its conditions.[/quote]
I completely agree that they are not only for children. I have just never seen any quality plastic (resin) recorders anywhere around where I live. I would like to see some “in person” to see if I like them or not. I would LOVE to go to a recorder store like Sarah Jeffery has in her one video.
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