[woodwindNYC]

The Yamahas are very consistent, and generally play pretty well in tune. I find the tone to be lacking in comparison to the Sonare...the Sonare feels and sounds more like a professional quality instrument, whereas the Yamaha, while a very, very well-built instrument, feels and sounds (to me, at least) very much like the student instrument that it is.

 

[bari_sax_diva]

I bought a VERY nice-playing Yamaha YPC-61 for $700 a few months ago, so there are deals to be had if you keep your eyes open.

By the way, I've found that it's helpful to let all your musician friends know you're looking--almost every time I've gotten a great deal like this, it was because a friend who knew I was in the market for something tipped me off.

Good luck,
Leanne

 

[kymarto]

I disagree with that. I don't think it is a universal truth by any means.

It is the design, rather than the material, that makes a good piccolo.

My teacher had a sterling-silver, conical-bore Haynes, which was one of the sweetest piccolos I ever played.

Gordon, it needs to be mentioned here that there are two different pic designs. Many metal pics have a cylindrical bore, and they do tend to be less well-behaved than their conical (reverse-conical) bodied siblings. Most conical pics are either plastic or wood-bodied: if your teacher had a conical metal pic that is quite unusual IME.

Toby

 

[Gordon (NZ)]

Yup. I have the old 1945 Haynes catalogue he bought it from. The catalogue offered both conical and cylindrical in metal, and conical in timber. All $271.34.

 

[kymarto]

Yup. I have the old 1945 Haynes catalogue he bought it from. The catalogue offered both conical and cylindrical in metal, and conical in timber. All $271.34.

Excellent! I'll take three of each!

Actually, this is the first I've heard of conical metal pics. Learn something new every day...

Toby

 

[bruce bailey]

All of the Gemeinhardt metals are conical. Although their flutes are not the greatest, the piccolos are bargains. A 4S with the solid (coin) silver body is nice.

 

[trc75051]

Does anyone have any experience with the Pearl piccolo? I want a composite piccolo that plays like a high-end piccolo. Burkart isn't currently making the CRC piccolos, so I was thinking about either Sonare or Pearl. I know plenty of people who've played the Sonare with mixed reviews, but I've never spoken to anyone who's played the Pearl.

 

[Chris Peryagh]

For the price, the new Pearl piccolos are hard to beat - they have a plastic ("Grenadite") head and body and there's a sharp drop-off at the far edge of the embouchure hole - not sure what the term is for this, though I suspect it helps with the high notes and general brightness of tone.

According to one UK rep I met a while back these piccolos have been played by several London orchestral pros even during the developmental stage, so if they're good enough for them. The rep demonstrated his demo model which he pointed out wasn't the finished design, so they do stand behind their products.

I worked on a Gemeinhardt 4S recently, but not overly impressed with the fact some of the tonehole chimneys intrude into the bore by around 0.5mm. But it plays well which is probably what matters.

Though I reckon you won't go wrong with a Yamaha YPC-62 - but check the quality of the wood as I've seen some with large vessels on the surface - go for one where the wood is uniform with little evidence of grain or vessels.

 

[Tibbiecow]

I have played the Sonare and the Yamaha 32 and 62. I liked the Sonare very well, great tone. I would guess that a Sonare which did not play well was not set up well. The Yam 32 is a great beginner picc, but I would definitely go for the Sonare (the one I played, anyway) for its depth of tone.
As for Sonare vs. Yamaha 62, I would say Sonare, with a custom head...you could buy a Burkart piccolo headjoint for around $600, last time I looked at the website.
I would like to try one of the Pearls, but have not had a chance. I would like to replace my silver 4SS Gemeinhardt 'outside picc' with a composite such as the Sonare or Pearl, though.

 

[Gordon (NZ)]

The Yamahas are really straight forward to service.

Do you know anything about servicing the presumably Chinese/Taiwan sourced Sonare.

To me, that would be a really big issue. A piccolo that has sloppy pivots, for example, swallows a lot of money. The Yamaha pads I see are very long lasting. Some instruments need repadding within a year or two, because the pad membrane cannot cope.

 

[Chris Peryagh]

I repadded my Yamaha picc (YPC-81) with cork pads throughout, and it's loads more responsive now.

But be careful when repadding or replacing pads on Yamaha piccolos as the finger buttons and lower thumb plate are only soft soldered on! Good job it was on mine that I found this out, so now I'm more cautious when cleaning out the old shellac when replacing pads.

 

[Gordon (NZ)]

Soft solder... Yes, it has caught me too. Wish they at least used a higher temp soft solder, such as 95/5 (tin/silver).

 

[bruce bailey]

I've unsoldered a few too! The only problem I see on the Yamahas is that older ones tend to be loose at the king post where the LH section fits (south of the G).

 

[Chris Peryagh]

It was the thumb touch that fell off when I repadded mine. I can't see why they don't just hard solder the lot a they're all jig mounted keys (and they generally use a low temp. silver solder on all their keywork - much lower than Easy-flo, and definitely much lower than G6). Looking at their most recent repair manual there's no indication or mention of this.

I made the mistake of putting the post ribs back on, replacing the G# key and the RH main action without checking the upper main action first - it was too tight, so the lot had to come off so I could move the post ribs to fit the LH main action so it wasn't sloppy or tight. But the screws were all loose to begin with.

We live and learn.

 

[Gordon (NZ)]

"silver solder on all their keywork - much lower than Easy-flo"

I didn't know that one existed, so I have some doubts about that. If it existed, there sure would be some demand for it. I'd be interested, unless it had a big down-side.

I have used about 8 different silver solder alloys. those with higher silver content than Easyflo, or its other-brand equivalents, have a higher melting temp, and likewise those with lower silver content. This thinking, of course, is simplistic, because it is the NATURE of what is added that lowers the melting/flowing temp.

Typical rods: http://www.postdiluvian.org/~mason/materials/silver-brazing-alloys.html

I take it you are still talking about hard solders, not tin-based ones such as 95/5 (tin/silver) which is reggarded as a soft solder, with a melting point a little higher than typical lead solders.

 

[Chris Peryagh]

On Yamaha clarinets and oboes (and flutes as well) that all have jig mounted keywork, they use the same silver solder on all parts - only on piccolos for some strange reason they use soft solder on the finger buttons. I don't know if the older 31 and 61 series were ike this, but the current ones - 32, 62, 81 and 82 are - I haven't seen a 91 in the flesh to say if that has soft soldered finger buttons, even though it has solid silver keys.

Maybe it's a throwback to Rudall Carte who used soft solder for soldering key arms, touchpieces and other linkages to key barrels. Not their best idea as soft solder isn't strong enough for these applications.

Howarth keywork mounters only use G6 for soldering key cups to key arms and soldering the right(ish) angle bends in key arms, but Easy-Flo for soldering key arms, touchpieces and spring lugs to key barrels, and for soldering the adjusting screw pips over key arms - not butted onto the ends as some makers do.

 

[blondemusicgurl]

I play on a wooden haynes, very nice, I love it more than any other piccolo I've tried.

But yeah, when getting her a piccolo, STICK to reliable brands like Gemeinhardt and Yamaha. They both play well and are durable, and probably more in your price range than a haynes, powell or anything else.

Instead of buying her a cheap piccolo that isn't that good, perhaps it would be better just to save your money, it would take longer, but you could get her a nicer piccolo in the long run, and I personally believe that would be better. Keep an eye out for used piccolos on ebay and other such places. You certainly should be careful when buying used online, but you can also get lucky with a good deal if you look in the right places at the right time.

Goodluck to you. Hope it goes well, and like someone said earlier in the post, she should be touched by the thought, not the instrument.

 

[tduchene]

Pearl Piccolo PFP-105

Hello -

I'm a piccolo player from way back - mostly playing a silver Gemeinhardt 'marching' picc (from American High School Marching Band). My silver piccolo has been great for me (I've been playing since the 1970s). I've just today went and purchased a new Pearl Grenadite Piccolo - as I'm mostly playing in a concert band in Australia now (rather than on a Football field!) and I needed the 'warmer' sound that you get in either wood or this new material.

I'm really impressed with this picc - the sound is beautiful - crystal clear, and the overall tuning is spot on (for a piccolo!). I'm most impressed with the overall responsiveness of this instrument - I tried lots of different Piccolos when making my decision, and this (at $1375 AUD) compared to some of the really expensive wooden models. I'd really recommend this to anyone looking for a good value instrument.

T.

 

[AMIRepair]

I have a Yamaha ypc-81. I like it, it was a step up from the baseline Gemeinhardt I had in High school. I bought the Yamaha from a musician friend though, for about $1,000. Good advice to see if you can find one from another friend or musician. Then you kind of know it's history.

I was thinking my biggest mistake in purchasing instruments is not trying out a lot (I am too hasty). You may consider a shopping trip to try out different brands, if possible.

I have played a Hammig before- really nice.

 

[atoriphile]

I needed the 'warmer' sound that you get in either wood or this new material.

I think the 'warmer' sound has less to do with the material and more to do with the conical shape of the bore. Metal piccolos tend to have a cylindrical bore, which tends to sound more harsh.