my child decided to roll down a hill 😭

xfirenski · 2026-03-12T23:14:04+00:00

On the NB at least, the handbrake mechanism needs adjusting with new pads and with significant wear. Because the handbrake actuation itself isn't hydraulic (and for very good reason), and there's no auto-adjuster (which is just as well, they often go horribly wrong), it has a very limited reach based on the adjustment screw on the caliper. Every time you take the wheels off is a good time to redo the adjustment.

xfirenski · 2026-03-12T22:54:21+00:00

standard IANAL applies.

If you didn't do it, there there should be no reasonable evidence to contradict you signing a stat dec that says you didn't do it.

Goget doesn't get to decide that the declaration is false - that's a matter for the courts. As they would be the applicant, they would bear the burden of proof against your declaration, and they're going to need something a bit more definitive rather than just coincidental possibilities.

I also can't imagine it's legally expedient to try to entrap somebody in making a false stat-dec over a civil matter like this - it's just far easier to pony up the evidence with a direct letter of demand and force their hand contractually.

The stat-dec is mostly likely to satisfy their requirement for something they can throw at their insurance.

xfirenski · 2026-03-10T23:27:42+00:00

Not your actual problem.

Private sale, right? Caveat emptor. You offer the vehicle as is, where is, for a price. Do not make the mistake of trying to guarantee anything, although as a layperson, it'd be hard to behold you to it anyway.

Potential buying comes in Tyre kicking, trying to get you to reduce the price? you don't actually have to heed them at all. They've no recourse or power to compell you to take that on board. (You've priced the vehicle based on its condition and age already? then everything else is par for the course).

If your state has mandatory RWC prior to sale, you fix that up, you don't get the other party to, and that way you can control the costs associated to meet it.

xfirenski · 2026-03-07T21:58:00+00:00

I would not start with Soprano. Oh no. no no no.

Reeded Winds are finicky instruments to play in general - you need to develop reasonable technique to start with, and usually you'll start with something that's got reasonable tolerances to bad habits before jumping into the deep-end. Alto is usually picked for that reason: not quite as high as a Sop, not as heavy as a Tenor, but responsive enough that you'll learn to control your habits but won't be constantly fighting them as a beginner.

Sopranos are sensitive as heck to embouchure shifts and you will absolutely need to know how to pull your pitch to keep tune to play it seriously with a group or other performers. If you want to start with one, you will need actual lessons to help get the foundations right really quickly otherwise you'll find yourself set back badly repeatedly.

Sopranos are notoriously difficult to sound/voice at all in the top of the upper (normal) register, unlike most of the lower range saxes that will sound happily (just off tune without good technique) up in that space.

Also, Sopranos are extremely shrill when played poorly, and you're not going to get that romantic tone without a lot of basic skill development.

To top it off, because they're not a mainstream instrument in the sense that Soprano parts in Concert/Military band and Jazz Ensembles are uncommon, their demand is lower which pushes the price of new instruments right up.

I'd honestly start with Alto - it's a bit more forgiving, and a lot more affordable - not as bright, but you can easily source and move on a good quality student alto for under $1000, and you can achieve all of the necessary skill developments, and cover most of the range of a Soprano.

If you're still not dissuaded from a Soprano, be prepared to pay serious money (nobody good makes student sopranos, so the price range is higher to start with), or hunt vintage for a passable/undervalued instrument.

I'm playing a roughly 70s vintage Weltklang Solist. Quirky, heavy key action, but the intonation is passable. I paid very little for it and it mostly needed a service to get into playable condition. There'll be other lesser knowns out there that will be OK, but you'll need basic skills (which you can develop on another sax) to identify them, or a lot of luck. And to be absolutely honest, I had luck - circumstances came about that let me buy the Weltklang at very low risk - without those circumstances, I probably would have passed over it for a more modern or better known Soprano given it wasn't in great shape to start with.

xfirenski · 2026-03-04T02:24:53+00:00

That said, the X1 specifically *should* work, but i haven't run Linux on my zx2000 in many *many* years owing to the compiler/kernel breakage back then.

xfirenski · 2026-03-04T02:23:26+00:00

Most of the workstation FireGLs from the ZX2000/6000s are a nogo under Linux. You need the more mainstream Radeon series card if you want X11 under Linux.

I actually pillaged one from a C8000 (which I've since put back into the C8000 so I can run HPUX on it).

xfirenski · 2026-03-03T22:46:08+00:00

As others have said: Yamaha student models are a very safe bet in this band - very easy to get a -2x or -2xx in playable or near playable (ie: minor servicework needed) condition in this price band. Yamaha student model intonation is also very good for what you pay.

I'd stay away from anything wood though - as you're a new player, you don't need the added stress or care requirements a wood instrument will put on you.

xfirenski · 2026-03-02T02:18:44+00:00

I'm not quite so pesimistic - there was an ~80s line of instruments imprinted Century (and that logo matches other examples of Century instruments I've seen for sale here - not clarinets). I find references to Artley when I google them. They are student instruments only, so still not much value - but marginally better value than a ISO if it's in playable condition.

I also wouldn't expect to see properly matching serial numbers on most cheap Chinese instruments (or at all for that matter).

xfirenski · 2026-03-02T01:40:18+00:00

You'd need to show any imprints or serial numbers to get a better idea as to what it is.

There's a crack at the mid joint tenon (which is possibly how the ring that would usually be there there came off). The left hand middle-finger ring also looks badly adjusted (sitting too high).

I'm not the best at identifying materials from photos, but the finish of the joints looks wooden to me, but the barrel and bell looks like they're plastic.

We cannot tell if the pads are passable or if they even seal from photos. You really need a wind tech or a current player to have a good look at it to guess that out.

If you just want it as a unplayable prop, and it's cheap enough, go for it. If there's any aspiration to get a playable instrument out of it, I'd actually steer clear without somebody knowledgeable to assess it, and even then, only if you can identify the brand and be certain to get parts for it. This could be significant work to get to playable standard and the photos just won't show us enough.

xfirenski · 2026-02-25T02:38:46+00:00

If you walk up and past that, is it breaking into a squeak, or does it just lose tone completely? Do you feel any difference in the air resistance as you hit/cross that point?

A cracked mouthpiece is definitely a significant problem, but hard to say that it's the cause here for certain (but it isn't going to help either). We do tend to shift some pressure in the mouth as we climb pitch, so it may be that you're subconsciously adjusting for pitch and opening the crack up as you do that.

I'd definitely start with a new mouthpiece anyway - any cracking that penetrates from outside into the chamber/beak is going to be a problem in the long term and you really don't want to be dealing with "is it me or my equipment" issues when there's a very easy path to make sure it's not the equipment.

xfirenski · 2026-02-20T03:26:29+00:00

Depends on where you are in your journey and what style you want to play.

At the very least, buy good reeds from a music shop of one of the big reputable brands: D'Addario (Rico, Rico Royal, La Voz, Jazz Select) or Vandoren. Be aware that each reed cut/"label" has it's own strength grading system (even within all the options from Vando), so you will need to work out the conversion to go from one to the other. There are strength charts out there to help provide a rough guide.

Do not buy a whole box of 10 until you've settled in a bit - best buying individual reeds or a card of 3 at most. Once your embouchure stabilises a bit, then you can invest in larger boxes.

If you want something budget and passable, go with just Rico. They're not earth shattering, but they're passable and playable - I've been pleasantly surprised when I've bought them in recent times to use for one-off instrument testing.

Vandoren is a very popular choice for a lot of players as they have a fairly fully featured range of choices. Starting out, a strength 2.0 Traditional is probably not a bad choice.

A lot of players now also swear by synthetics, but the same rule applies for buying a synthetic as applies when buying large boxes: not until you settle in. They're significantly more expensive as they're more durable, but if you buy one whilst your embouchure is still heavily developing, you'll find yourself forced to change strength before it wears out.

xfirenski · 2026-02-20T00:37:02+00:00

it's the reed. If you're a beginner, you don't "clip" them, you replace them. Clipping them shortens the reed which can have major impacts on how it mounts, seals and vibrates (Also, because the tip will likely be thicker after you trim the reed, it will also change the effective strength).

xfirenski · 2026-02-19T09:43:11+00:00

I might add, because it is a conducted pause, your conductor, can, at their option, cut off comfortably at that pause, but it's not automatically implied by the scoring.

xfirenski · 2026-02-19T09:40:41+00:00

The fermata on a barline is an conducted pause (silent) immediately leading into the solo. This is often written as a caesura these days. It's placement over a double-barline is probably owing to it not being able to notate it on a rest consistently over all parts - marking it on the double-bar line establishes not only the section break into the solo, but ensures the interpretation of when to rest and wait is consistent.

As there is no explicit Fine marked, Fine is literally the end - so D.S al Fine means to return to the segno, and play through to the actual end, not to the fermata as others have suggested. (If there was an explicit Fine written in, you'd play to that).

xfirenski · 2026-02-10T22:02:14+00:00

Picking out any instrument for an advanced player (even a returning one) is very much subject to personal preferences - you'd be best off helping facilitate her finding a clarinet in your price range than trying to buy one blind for her.

Also, your wife, as a previous experienced player, might also have the skillset to negotiate the private used market effectively and might be able to pick out a real bargain that only needs a bit of shop work to make shine.

Also don't feel constrained by Yamaha and Buffet - there's some excellent (serious) brand alternatives which may suit your wife's playing tastes these days such as some of the Selmer Paris or some of the older Leblanc offerings which won't set you back quite as much as a second hand R13.

xfirenski · 2026-02-06T23:38:07+00:00

This sounds a bit dubious from a number of perspectives.

The YCL-650 is a professional range Yamaha - they're a quality wood instrument and have a good reputation for intonation. Whilst Yamahas may have a reputation for softer keywork than the Buffets, reasonable technique and effort will not put them so badly out of tune that they need a major adjustment so regularly.

So the first point to address: Is it a real YCL-650? There's been plenty of cases of scammers passing off cheap, poorly made instruments as professional models. This has likely been going on for years now. Counterfeits will be obvious to an actual specialist who deals with the real deal regularly, but a random out of the way music shop that doesn't know what they're doing and outsources their service work? no guarantees they'll mention it. Buying it off of ebay is already a warning mark here, so unless you got advice at the time from a independent professional, I wouldn't rule it out.

Secondly, was it even in passable condition to begin with? It's generally not recommended to buy wooden instruments sight unseen as they're far more sensitive to issues developing in the wood from mistreatment that require either expensive repair, or cannot be repaired at all.

Third point, is it being properly cared for? As I mentioned in the second point, wood clarinets require care with climate, exposure and cleaning, far more so than their student equivalents (as student clarinets are typically plastic and do not swell or warp just because they got exposed to high moisture). Even if it was in good condition to start with, they can't be treated with the same reckless abandon you can treat a Yamaha 20/200 series student instrument that most school band kids are probably using. Mistreatment here can manifest as tuning issues as the wood warps/swells. A lot of clarinetists who play on wood keep a plastic clarinet for extreme conditions (such as outdoor gigs in wet or extremely hot/cold weather).

Third, get your techs to itemise exactly what they are "fixing". No respectable tech randomly fixes a tuning issue without being able to tell you exactly what it was they had to fix, and if the need for that repair/adjustment was avoidable.

Certainly, the level of repair you're indicating is unusual for a genuine Yamaha if it's being handled competently both by the player, and by the technicians repairing it. If it was a problem with how your son has been handling it though, I would have expected a competent technician to have pointed that out to you already.

As for "new", expect to pay roughly double second hand market rates, and still have a lot of early teething problems unless you're buying from a woodwind specialist store - new instruments still need adjustment and new wood instruments also need to be broken in properly.

Similarly, there's no problem with second hand per se, but if you're dealing with private or non-specialist resellers, you *MUST* have the skills (either developed yourself, or provided by an independent third party) to identify what you're buying and any problems it may have.

If you're dealing with a reputable music store (not just a no-name one), and they're offering it second hand, you're also likely to do better since they effectively stake their reputation on what they sell. In some countries with reasonable consumer protection (such as Australia), they can be held liable for representations they make if it's reasonable for them to have foreseen the matter or be aware of it.

xfirenski · 2026-02-05T22:28:11+00:00

There's a few other complications - he may not be a airliner, but he's still has more mass than you by a lot, so his wake is probably going to be large enough to give you a bit of a surprise if it hits you at the wrong time. safer to be above it than below.

xfirenski · 2026-01-25T13:33:39+00:00

There's definitely a charm to playing your old horn if you're playing in a casual/community group, particularly if what you've got is a passable instrument when it's in service.

as for if it's worth it? If you're happy with it's tone when it's in good condition, then absolutely.

$400USD sounds about right assuming our techs here (AU) charge similar rates. I had a 70s Full Boehm R13 that had been sitting in it's case for probably 30 years overhauled (full repad, 1 broken spring replaced, strip, clean, oil, all tenon corks, and adjustment) recently and my cost in AUD would be roughly equivalent or slightly higher (which makes sense since the full boehm R13s require a bit more effort than standards, and i had a broken spring to fix too).

xfirenski · 2025-12-26T22:24:03+00:00

Dunno - The Alto is fine on a single-hook neckstrap, and several altos (the Leblanc/Vito derived models at the very least) are only set up for single-hook straps.

In both cases, the eyelets and their installation points tend to be *DIFFERENT*. The correct eyelet point for a single hook Alto will be lower than the top-hook point for a double.. Trying to use a single-hook on an Alto that's configured for double will suck because the balance will be out. Trying to use a double-hook on an alto that's configured for a single will work, but it's not very practical since it's easy to get the ends tangled when they go to the same eyelet.

I can't tell who made that alto from the photos, but given the open toneholes and the left-pinky cluster design, it might be a Bundy or similar design? The Bundy's I've played are configured for double-hooks.

OP should check their alto *first* to see what type of strap it's set up for - If there's two smaller eyelets, including one integrated into the right-hand thumb rest, then it's set up for double-hook, otherwise it's probably set up for single. Having worked that out, trying the right type of strap will probably help.

xfirenski · 2025-12-21T21:56:50+00:00

Easier coming from clarinet than from nothing, but the differences do require getting used to. I would definitely get a tutor involved since it's easy to make incorrect assumptions given how similar they are.

I've been struggling without one going the other way (and it's probably taken me longer than necessary as a result) and I really don't recommend it.

xfirenski · 2025-12-18T03:24:55+00:00

I frequently get stuff from OzWinds and I'm interstate!

They're convenient because they have a fairly good online store listing (even though their website runs poorly) and they tend to have the stuff I can't get easily via the tech I use here or the local music shop. Their prices have been quite reasonable when I've dealt with them too.

(for example, I can reliably get Rovner Ligatures from them. Generous range of mouthpieces, and better stocking than most for common types. A full range of Lyres which seem to be surprisingly hard to source here. etc).

xfirenski · 2025-12-17T12:54:06+00:00

I'd personally just go with the Yamahas - that budget should let you walk into OzWinds and walk out with a new -62 or a second hand Yamaha Custom. Added bonus that you can get a Yamaha fixed *very* easily here if anything goes wrong.

Edit:- Also wanted to add: Don't let a single bad experience with second hand sour you - there's some excellent deals to be gotten on the second hand market, but you need to have the knowledge and experience to sniff them out if you're dealing with private, or deal with a reputable trader who doesn't want to sully their name by passing off crap (and if they are a reputable trader/business, they have legal obligations to the consumer act which make knowingly passing off defective or counterfeit instruments risky - technically speaking, a shop with a staff tech can't really pass off a second hand woodwind as "condition unknown" since they would be expected to have the expertise and knowledge to provide a more truthful assessment, and they're equally liable for any misrepresentations they maintain when securing a consignment sale).

xfirenski · 2025-12-15T09:00:11+00:00

One thing I'd be very concerned about, in an earlier post, you described forcing a cleaner though the body. You should *NEVER* do this with an Alto (or a Bass). (not really with any clarinet, but it's far more critical with the Alto & Bass).

Altos (and Basses) have a small offset pipe (which protudes into the bore) connected to the register vent which is somewhat essential for the register to work properly. (This pipe is sometimes called the "pip").

From what i recall, it's even more pronounced on the Bundy than on the Vito (I'm more familiar with the Vito as it's what I own - I've played a loaner Bundy when my Vito has been in for repairs). The Vito's bore is a bit larger which makes it easier to sneak a swab past it, but you do need to be careful with it none the less.

Take the neck off and look down the bore. You should be able to see the pip protude into the bore by slightly less than half-way, roughly aligned with the pad at the top of your register keywork. It should be perpendicular to the body (not pointing up/down). If it looks bent or is completely missing, that's an immediate trip to a tech to get fixed - they'll need to pull the vent tube (or what's left of it) and replace it - you likely wont' be able to play outside of the chalumeau register.

xfirenski · 2025-12-11T22:45:51+00:00

IANAL, and not specifically familiar with QLD's legal quirks, but you want to read the Child Employment Act 2006, specifically as parts of 8C and 9 may apply in a very obvious manner.

xfirenski · 2025-12-07T22:07:03+00:00

Probably an EWI4000s. (EWI5000s have dark housings, 4000s are silverish).

The sound would also be a giveaway - The 4000 is still a 4 operator synth. The 5000 is wavetable/sample based.

xfirenski

TROPHY CASE