My daughter would really like a bass recorder for her next birthday (11). She can streatch to reach, as she has tried her teachers. Because of her age I am not looking to pay an excessive amount.

Can anyone give me advice between the Yamaha, and the new Aulos knick style? I don't know what knick style means!

The Yamaha is a bit cheaper but we have had a nasty experience with Yamaha treble recorders, not playing all the notes 28B II. Where as up to now our Aulos purchases have all been reliable.

Would really appreciate any opinions, advice, comments.

Thanks

Personally, being a largely Aulos recorder player (moved onto wood now) I find Aulos very reliable compared to Yamaha, but with the bass, the Yamaha is supposedly very easy to play. Being in the Stockport Recorder College, they possess a large number of Yamaha knick basses and everyone really likes them as they are easy to play.

Knick basically means the headjoint is bent so as to make reaching the holes easier (but being tall and having long arms and fingers, not to mention a hatred from knick instruments I don't like them personally)

You probably won't find a cheap decent bass unless you buy brand new off the internet. Some people are selling Yamaha knick basses for quite a good price on eBay

I have a Yamaha 302 bass, which is excellent. Yamaha do two different plastic ranges for descant and treble, and it may be that your bad experience was with the cheaper range. The 302 series is very good - I have descant, treble and bass and am hoping to add the tenor soon.

Reach is not a problem: the extra keys and knick head mean that it is very comfortable for small hands.

I bought mine online from Chamberlain Music; cheapest price but can be very slow in delivery.

Thanks

Can you PM me and tell us a bit More about Stockport Recorder College

Sorry not got the hang of quotes yet,sure I will if I study them

Unfortunately not, since I'm not allowed to use Private messages

The Stockport Recorder College is basically a gathering of recorder players located at a high school there on a Saturday morning 9-12:30 with about 40 recorder players, and about 10 staff. Costs £10 per term and lessons include
1h Large ensemble (in a group of at least 15-20)
1/2h Theory/aural (I've nearly completed Grade 6 theory, and due to start 7 soon)
1/2h Small ensemble (usually in groups of 3-5)
1h of technique (working towards Trinity grades, I'm currently doing 7)

You get to meet various other recorder players and the staff are very friendly, however all tuition are in groups, even technique (unless only one person turns upto technique, it's rare you get 1 on 1, but teaching is VERY good)

They also enter students in local competitions like the Heaton Mersey festival, and several people win one class or another each year. They also have a large supply of larger recorders you can hire free of charge, lots of tenors and basses, a few great basses and 1 contrabass which is pretty much owned by a Grade 8 student (which is being replaced)

The college doesn't recieve government refunding, so it depends on the charity of the students and proceeds of concert tickets (they do 3 concerts a year, seniors (Grade 8+) do a 4th concert) to keep the college running and for the large instruments on hire, and for the school hire

I've only been going since November '05, and REALLY enjoying myself there The students are all very friendly and it is strongly reccomended! However, travel can be an issue, it takes me 2h 45m on 3 trains and about 2 miles of walking just to get there, costing £12 approx each Saturday and leaving at 6:15am

But good luck with recorders

Thanks Irish Loony

I am put off by half hour car journey. However info is interesting. my daughter gets one to one tuition and plays in a recorder group organised by music service.

I would go for a Yamaha - they make the best sound. But you could also investigate a Dolmesch Nova - they're not bad and there used to be an offer - may still exist - whereby it was cheaper to buy the whole set (Sopranino down to Bass) than to buy a Bass on its own(!!!) Quite a bargain!

I 100% agree, and it comes in a really nice case

Hello again Bernie, the first bass recorder I bought was a Woodnote. ?59.99 off ebay. You don't have to spend a fortune, she may not end up liking it....

I bought a plastic one to begin with Then the Msuic Service bought a Mollenhauer wooden bass but recently she's been playing on a Kung. She has played Bass for several years now in the music service ensemble. Last year she had mostly bass and bigger parts at NYRO but this time she's mostly on Sopranino and Tenor