Rheuben Allen – Hunter Custom Plateau Clarinet

Description

Rheuben Allen – Hunter Custom Plateau Clarinet

After my retirement I decided not to produce instruments with my name on them any longer. The main reason for this is I am 78 years old and it takes about a year to get the instruments with the custom logos made and I might not have the year to wait to get the products any longer.
I have started a new Nonprofit the “ICoMusic Foundation” (icomf.org) here in Muncie, we do accept donations and will be devoting my time to this project. I have purchased a small church to house this Nonprofit and we will be providing deserving young people with musical instruments all at no charge to them and/or their parents or guardians. We will also offer Master Classes and give students a place to play recitals in our Concert Studio at no cost to them.
*If you love music and want to help young people learn to play a musical you can donate to us on our website icomf.org and receive a tax deductable receipt. I do not take any money from the Nonprofit and no one on the board does either. All the money donated goes to helping young people play instruments.

Rheuben Allen – Hunter Custom Plateau Clarinet
I personally set up these RA – Hunter Plateau clarinets. They are the same desing as the ones I made with just my name on them and they play great!

Custom Modifications I make:
Cut my taper in the barrel
Adjust register key tube with my taper design
Balance Pad Heights for best possible response
Adjust break keys for quick response
Balance Spring Tensions
Adjust tone holes as necessary for better pitch and response.

Brand Name: Hunter
Model No.: H-PCL
Product Description: B-Flat Plateau Clarinet
Key: B-Flat
Material:  ABS
Finish:  Nickel Plated Keys
Engraving: Hunter Logo

Accessories Includes:
Rheuben Allen Mouthpiece Made in the US
Mouthpiece Cap & Ligature
Cork Grease
1 Set of Rheuben Allen Traditional barrel tuning rings
Case: Plastic form fitted

The most common types of clarinets are the Eb clarinet, C clarinet, Bb clarinet, A clarinet, E-Flat Alto clarinet, B-Flat Bass clarinet, E-Flat Contra-Alto clarinet,  B-Flat Contrabass clarinet.

What kind of groups use the clarinets? Orchestras, Concert bands, Jazz groups – Modern, Dixiland, Expermintal Jazz, Movie & TV Music,

Who invented the clarinet?  It is generally agreed, based on a 1730 statement by J. G. Doppelmayr in his Historische Nachricht von den Nürnbergischen Mathematicis und Künstlern, that Johann Christoph Denner (1655-1707) invented the clarinet sometime after 1698 by modifying the chalumeau.

Plateau Clarinet Disclaimer:
Purchasing a plateau clarinet is not going to make you a better player, only practice can do that!  It is important to think about where you are in your playing ability and do not expect the plateau clarinet to make a remarkable improvement in your playing.
You will have the same challenges playing a plateau you have playing a standard clarinet when it comes to your technique. If you can’t play on the key of C-Sharp on the standard clarinet then you will likely not be able to play in C-Sharp on the plateau.
I have played the plateau for over 10 years now and it allowed me to continue playing with the many hand problems I have. However, I still cannot play like I did when I was young. As our man Clint Eastwood said, “A man’s got to know his limitations” and it is the same for women.

I enjoy playing the clarinet a lot but do know what I can and cannot do on the mystery stick now. I no longer have the lightening technique and of course can no longer play the “Fly Shit” I once could! I do believe I am more musical and have learned to play what I can and not punish myself or feel bad about myself because of my limitations.
Even on the plateau you must close the keys for the clarinet to work. You will still need to practice. My friend Dan tells me he thinks it takes 30 minutes a day of hard practice to stay even and if you want to improve a good amount of time longer. If I can’t play the part, then I give it to someone else.

You can consider if you still have trouble doing custom work for your problems. I have had to extend my left-hand little finger keys, put a pearl on the 2^nd finger of the left-hand key so I can hold it down. I mostly use the right-hand little finger keys whenever possible because my left-hand little finger is hit and miss at best if it even works. I slide from the C to E-Flat with the right-hand keys, slide from the C to B right hand keys etc.

For EXAMPLE: I do not know anyone that plays a stock Buffet clarinet. Everyone has something done to them. I spent most of my 50 years working as a woodwind repairman making key and pitch adjustments to clarinets & saxophones for my clients.

*The plateau clarinet is a great instrument and will help make it easier for you to play with hand problems. But do not expect miracles!