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Hello first post. I’m very new to recorders and have the entry level Yamaha soprano plastic one (the model above the clear colored plastic one). I’m looking for a plastic 415hz recorder as I love the more soothing sound of the lower frequency. I’d like to get an alto. I’m having a lot of trouble finding options but here’s the two (technically 3) I’ve found:
1) Zen-on Bressan 1500B, and its updated model the G-1A
2) Bernolin resin recorder (not sure on model name)The Bernolin one is expensive for me so I’ll probably stick with the Zen-on. Are these Zen-on models at 415hz? I didn’t see it specifically stated for them but I’d heard people say they were tuned for Baroque style.
Are there any other plastic options? Also, is there a best site to buy these Zen-on models because I’m having trouble finding them except on places like ebay.
We have been having a similar discussion on recorders.ning. The Zen-On is 440, I believe.
I would NOT recommend the G-1A. I sent mine to a friend who has the 1500B and he compared them (he has been playing for over 40 years). The newer one is not better, according to him. It is worse. I haven’t played the 1500B yet, but I have played the G-1A. It is not good. I have ordered the 1500B from Early Music Shop (http://www.earlymusicshop.com/product.aspx/en-GB/1002725-zen-on-bressan-alto-model-1500b-plain). It is costing me about $63 because it is coming from London.
I also have the Yamaha Ecodear, which I like a lot. The Yamahas, however, seem a tad sharp (as in cutting, not in tuning), but the Ecodear is more mellow to my hearing. I have the Aulos Haka Alto which I have just gotten and it is nice, too.
I considered the Bernolin, and I am sure it is nice, but it is just too much for me to spend on a resin recorder. Now, if I get really good in the future, maybe.
Take what I say with caution as I am fairly new to this. But, my friend has a lot of experience and I trust his expertise.
To the best of my knowledge, the only plastic altos you can get at A=415 are the Bernolin you already know about, and one from Aafab/Coolsma, which you can look at here. NB the Coolsma costs the best part of €2000 so makes the Bernolin look very reasonably priced! I know someone who has the Bernolin soprano which they say is an excellent instrument.
For what it’s worth, I don’t like the Zen-On alto, though that’s purely subjective and I know people who do like it. I can highly recommend the Aulos Hakka.
“Tuned for Baroque” probably means in most cases that they have Baroque (aka English) fingering rather than German fingering. Instruments in A=415 (or other “baroque” pitches) tend to be either top-end models or hand made, thus expensive in either case.
I’m interested in plastic alto at 415Hz, too.
Recently, I started consider 3D printing as valuable way. I don’t have access to a 3D printer but there is a service in my town that can print almost everything with an huge variety of materials. This service printed for me a spare body tuned at 415Hz for my 440Hz Yamaha alto recorder.
I started from here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:712940. As you can read, this model is a copy of this instrument: http://www.bergstrom.dk/draw01.pdf.
I just modified that model in order to fit in Yamaha’s head and foot and get the right lenght, measuring distance from labium to first hole.
The sound is not bad, very similar to Yamaha’s one. It costs me 35 euros due to the drawing work but now I’ve an alto at 415Hz.
If you are interested, you can contact the print service here: https://www.fabbrica3d.com
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