Yamaha YCL-650II Bb Clarinet

Yamaha has quite the hold on the student market, and though that's evolving with some of the newer manufacturers in the school band scene, Yamaha still reigns supreme. So, most people who select the YCL-650II are coming from the YCL-255 — likely the clarinet they were handed when they first started playing in school. The YCL-650II is a step-up instrument; though Yamaha calls it "professional," its features and accessories, quality and price all point to it fitting into the category alongside the Royal Global Classical Limited and Uebel Advantage clarinets. That's not to say the YCL-650II is underwhelming — not at all! It is easy to control and feels good in the hands. Brightness-wise, it sits between the Classical-Limited (darker) and Advantage (maybe a little brighter, but quite similar). Earspasm sources this instrument directly from an authorized Yamaha retailer outside the United States, which is how we're able to offer it at a lower price than most US dealers, and why it arrives to your door having already gone through our full setup process rather than sitting in a warehouse somewhere. You'll see that the scale runs a bit flat overall, but that it's pretty uniformly flat. This can be managed pretty easily with a shorter barrel (note: this clarinet comes with one barrel only, so you might want to consider an after-market barrel like the CARBEC or Backun! Just grab a 64mm and you'll be in business!) Resistance: 6/10, Medium In general, more resistance in a clarinet design usually keeps the louder dynamic ranges from spreading; the clarinet "holds its core" and focus, but will provide a smaller dynamic range (on both ends, loud and soft) and smaller color palette. A less resistant clarinet typically provides a much wider tonal palette to choose from, but will require more control from the player to control pitch and sound consistency. When listening for how a clarinet responds to added air pressure and embouchure control, listen to the Weber example (wide dynamic range and color range), then the Berlioz excerpt (wide dynamic range, but narrow color range), and finally the Gershwin excerpt (narrow dynamic range and narrow color range). You will hear how these clarinets respond — for better or worse! — to my input as a clarinet player. Important note about this clarinet's warranty. These are new clarinets sourced directly from an authorized Yamaha retailer overseas, which is why our price is lower than most US dealers. The tradeoff is that they don't come with a Yamaha USA warranty, because Earspasm is not an authorized Yamaha dealer. But never fear: Earspasm provides one directly — with same two-year term, covering manufacturing and material defects, with the same exclusions as the factory warranty. If you have a covered claim, you contact me instead of Yamaha. Honestly, that's probably faster. Full warranty terms are in the FAQ below!