As a result of watching this, I now own a Thomann bass recorder. I love this instrument SO much. I can't afford a Yamaha, and this definitely exceeded all expectations! Thank you so much for the review.
Very interested in a review of the Tenor! And a whole family review would also be sweet. Please mention how the finger stretches are vs. similar instruments. Thanks!
I really would also like to see reviews of all Thomann recorders. I have re-started playreallycorder with an alto from Thomann because of it's price. And for that it was not bad. Later I bought a plastik yamaha and a wooden mollenhauer.
ENORMOUS VALIDATION, MY KEYS CLACK, THE F AND F SHARP ARE SO HARD, MY B IS WAY TOO SHARP TOO, I'M NOT GOING INSANE, THANK YOU SARAH!!! I still love it though. I like that woolly warm sound.
I bought this bass instrument when I was studying the recorder and couldn't afford a wooden instrument. It was new on the market and I had no comparison to the plastic Yamaha instrument. Now I use it for teaching and I think it's very handy. Since it's not expensive I leave it at the school and students can try it out. I try my best to make the intonation work with fingering and blowing technique. Of course I'd still love to have a wooden bass recorder for obvious reasons but I think it's also very practical for teaching. It's light and it's very easy to take it with me on public transport.
I've had mine for just over a year, and I bought a cheap model because I wasn't sure I would get into bass. Now I know I love bass, I'm planning to upgrade! However I've learned loads through using it so it was a good choice for me. Like Sarah I have to use different fingering for B and Bb to get it more in tune, but I haven't found that a huge problem. I've found it a really good value starter instrument.
I would add that the Yamaha really lasts for years, it just keeps on sounding good. It’s robust enough to stand the passing of time. My first Yamaha got a key problem after, perhaps, 20 years. I got another one but the father of the student I lent the old one to, actually fixed the old one. Now I have two perfectly fine Yamahas, of which the newer one does sound a bit better but the difference is subtle. I wouldn’t even get rid of the two Yamahas even though I also have the wooden Yamaha bass now. They just always come in handy, even if it’s for students. Probably they can last easily for another 20 years!
Lobke, I was thinking the same exact thing. While the Yamaha is noticeably more expensive an instrument is something that you'll use for years. Another thought is anytime a person tries to sell cheap things they usually take much more of a hit then when they try to sell good things. Last year when I decided to sell my Hasselblad medium format camera I had a buyer in two hours who was happy to pay the price I asked. Often times buying nice things ends up being the less expensive road in the long run. Thanks a million to Sarah for doing these wonderful videos.
I am on a limited budget. Yes a review of all these instruments would be wonderful. Thank you so much. Enjoyed my Thanksgiving morning with this video so much. Have good days!
Hello Sarah, thank you for this review. A 99 Euro basset is bound to create expectations and it's quite useful to have your professional opinion on it. I don't know if it is me, but in the video the Thomann sounded a bit like your wooden basset - the latter has a much more attractive sound, though. The Yamaha is definitely better than the Thomann and apparently more phonogenic (is that even a word?) as it sounded more loud in my headphones than the other two. P.S. of course we need a review of the others, pretty please???
Thank you for this helpful review. I actually bought this bass recorder from Thomann some weeks ago. I agree with what you say about it. Mine fits together very tightly, so I only learned from your video that the head comes apart. Recorder is not my main instrument. I already owned a plastic alto, soprano and sopranino from Aulos. I hadn't played them in years and was motivated to start again after buying a transverse flute and a couple of bamboo flutes. I am now gradually switching over to wooden recorders. However, it's nice to have plastic ones for the convenience. I think the keys on the bass will eventually wear out or break and for frequent use, it would probably be better to invest in a better quality instrument, if possible. However, for occasional use or trying out the bass recorder to see if one likes it, the price makes it a good deal. Thomann is also very cooperative about returns, in case one really doesn't like it after having bought it. As of today (Dec. 10, 2022), it costs 119 €.
I was looking at that bass recorder for a while, wondering if it'd be worth it, so thank you so much for this video! I kinda like the wooliness of the sound :) A video on the tenor recorder would be really welcome!
I have owned a Thomann bass for five years, and remain quite pleased with it. The fingering chart supplied was definitely not tailored for the instrument, and I very soon settled on no right hand finger for Eb (confirmed by a website with charts for specific recorder models, can't remember address, sorry!) and top C# with all 3 LH fingers and the little finger of the RH rather than the forefinger. Keys still work properly, and seem to me less noisy than.some instruments. I tried the sling provided, but didn't take to it, and now play it with a cello-type spike, which works well for me. My hands are small - too small for most tenors - but everything is in easy reach on this instrument. I accept that the sound is on the airy side, but actually rather like it. The only thing that hasn't proved very durable is the zip on the case. Thanks, as ever, for your videos with their frank views, Sarah. Though I don't consider myself in the market for the rest of the Thomann range, I'd certainly be interested to hear your view on any or all of them.
Hi Sarah, I bought one! Thanks for the review that encouraged me to jump. For me, your truthful review made me interested, and the 100 price-point made it doable. I am pleased with the sound, and it plays easily. Lowest notes are not finicky (like they are on my wooden tenor). Yes the keys clacked, but I added very small bits of felt and double-sided tape between the two bits of the keys, and the problem was solved! Now it plays without any clacking, and the slight change in height of the open position was not enough to alter the tuning. It is fun and truly worth 100. As to tuning, I've not noticed the issues you found, but then your ear is professional, and mine is anything but. Is it possible the tuning of low notes is a bit squishier (less noticeable) than high notes? Again, thanks Sarah, for a wonderful UA-cam site, and I wish you all the best this new year.
I have a Thomann bass recorder and it has worked well for me. A professional player told me I was lucky because you need luck to get a good one. Sometimes they are not in tune or something and you have to send the instrument back to get a good one. But yes, with a bit of luck you can get a decent instrument with 99 euros.
I got one and was really disappointed, mainly because some notes no matter the alternate fingerings I could use would never be in tune. The B/Bb was the issue for me too and I thought it was maybe just a bad recorder I got but seeing the same issue on yours I guess it is inherently an issue. The low B was impossible to tune for the reason you stated and also as you said I got this to play in a group (well, all me playing multitrack recording but still a group) so it was essentially unusable. I ordered a Yamaha because another store had it slightly less than normal price and the difference was notable. It’s very odd because when comparing the two it looks like they were made from the same molds in a factory down to the injection/mold holes so I don’t understand why the timing issues are there. The sound of the Yamaha is better too, but if they just fixed the tuning it wouldn’t be nearly as much of a disappointment. It’s like the Yamaha has some of the same issues to a much lesser extent, all able to be dealt with, and they are all magnified on the Thomann. I’m glad you made the video, though I wish I had seen it before I got mine, so that others can have a good expectation of what they are getting from the Thomann.
Yes, please - honest review of the full series! Please go on comparing with plastic Yamaha’s too. They make a good benchmark. Have you done anything about the Tribert series? Some people swear by them!
I bought this recorder year before last for my birthday present to me from me and a book to help me learn. I got it as I was unsure how I would take to it. I have small hands, child size even though I am an adult in my 30s. I have baby fingers with bone missing that don't bend. I like the bass but as you said the keys make a load of noise, some muffling. But for me it made a good entry in level affordable bass, especially as at the time I was not working. I am now thank God.
@@emile_fa I would say for 9 plus years of age. But it’s length maybe too long for a child. I am 153cm tall, just over 5foot and when I go to play the lower notes I need to bend my body back a bit.
I bought the Thomann bass and tenor recorders some years ago. I sent them straight back. Poor tuning, poor construction (cheap keys, sharp plastic moulding seams and burred screw heads) and a case for the bass with a broken zip. I then bit the bullet and bought the Yamaha bass and tenor instead. Hugely better and well worth the extra money.
The yamaha is £332 in England. I think when we look at getting one I'll go for the cheap one, I actually liked the sound better as you played lower notes. Maybe by the time we're ready for one the little issues will be resolved.
Another thing to mention is that the keys don't last very well. This recorder did get me into the bass recorder, but 3 months of regular play and the C key had basically gone.
I would really like to hear your thoughts on the Tenor. I bought one about a month ago to learn recorder on. Some of the notes sound kind of weird to me, not necessarily out of tune but kind of wheezy if that makes sense. I'm not sure if it's my amateur playing or the instrument. I also noticed that the pads are really spongy which makes me want to press down hard even though it seems to seal fine with a lighter pressure. I'm thinking of replacing the pads with firmer ones but I'm not sure if that is recommended. I'm having a difficult time getting the low C to ring out consistently especially when tonguing. That's probably partly me as it seems to be a common beginner problem but I'm wondering if the instrument is temperamental and working against me. Any advise would be appreciated. Thank you!
Hi Fern, I find that my tenor's low c is problematic if one of my other fingers isn't placed right, so I go through finger by finger to figure out which one is guilty.
I can totally relate to that, as I had the same problem in the beginning (actually just a few months ago). If the fingering that Susanne mentioned is not the problem, then it's probably the warm air/cold air thing, that Sarah talks about in her beginner videos. The low C is really easy to overblow.
Thank you for this review. Would you mind doing a video that compares the Yamaha 300 series plastic bass with the Aulos symphony series crook 533 and knick 521 bass? Besides the Thomman I believe these are the three starter/relatively inexpensive bass recorders in plastic/resin and it would be quite helpful.
The text on screen "Tenor 29€ !" with an exclamation mark says all. Yes, a review would be very much appreciated! And thanks for this (and all other) videos!
I wouldn't go for it. Buy a Yamaha bass with a combo price with the other members of the family. The price she gives for the Yamaha bass is much higher than what I've seen.
I like the sound of the Yamaha both the plastic and wood one, the Thomann sound makes me think back to my old school recorder and the horrible sounds coming out of that thing that made me hate recorders... I am not a recorder player.
🎶A fingering chart!!! 🎶 This review came out between the time I ordered a plastic Yamaha basset and when my Yamaha arrived... it was with great trepidation that I clicked play to find out whether or not my money had been misplaced! I won’t spoil the end of this video for other viewers, though. Thank you, Sarah, for your reviews, and for all the other content you create; you’re my go-to resource when it comes to educating myself and sharing info with others about recorders!
I am slowly saving up to get a setup together... I got everything in the high register at an ok quality... but hell... those low instruments are kick in the b###s. Though for understandable reasons Though I guess I am saving up for the Yamaha Bass cause I played it before and love it's sound
Have you ever made a video on advice for purchasing secondhand recorders? I would personally like to upgrade to a wooden bass, but I don’t think I can justify the expense of a new instrument.
@@Team_Recorder I've bought a bunch of plastic recorders, they're great. But a few I sent back because they had scratch leading from a fingerhole or two. Typically a 2-5cm scratch. Is this a flaw with how some plastic recorders are made? With how they're released from the mold? Is a steel pick of some kind used to remove hole-blank plugs after the injected part cools off? Or did I just get a few second-hand recorders with fingerholes that were damaged in similar ways by different people? Do others somehow scratch the body joint when removing a pipe cleaner with a central twisted metal wire core while cleaning them?
I noticed the different fingering for the B flat on my Thomann the minute I first tried it (one finger less) and the tuning sounds perfect that way. I played my teacher's plastic Yamaha and did find the sound clearer, but not unlike an unsound clarinet. So on the whole I enjoy the Thomann, while being aware that naturally a good wooden bass sounds better!
Have you ever tried using a Deburring Tool (like $10) or another method to very slightly increase the size of holes, assuming that is the direction they need to be tuned?
Thanks Sarah - I`ve just ordered my Thomann hearing the sound you got from it! I love the breathy mellow tone - It sounds closer to your professional wooden Yamaha than your plastic Yamaha - the tuning issues are about finding those alternatives - I found having a Kung Subbass and Kunath/Paetzold Sub contrabass that changinig certain fingerings to impove the tuning are all part of the excitement of discovering your instrument.
We recently bought the Aulos A533B, mostly for the family to play around with, but also so I can get the practice, even though I don't generally have a problem just picking up a bass recorder and playing stuff on it. It's on the high end of the plastic recorders, but we wanted one that played with the blowing pipe, rather than a bend-neck one, because it's more comfortable for me (short person, small hands) and I can hold the bass at an angle to my body so that my right hand doesn't have to stretch as far. I have a bent-neck tenor, which is fine because of the smaller size, but I don't think I could handle the bent-neck bass. The Aulos sounds quite good. I've tested out wooden ones, trying to find one for myself, but I wasn't comfortable enough to plunk down that kind of money on something that if I wasn't 100% certain about it. I had tested a Moeck Flauto Rondo and Rottenburgh. I had also wanted to try the Denner, but the recorder place didn't have one available, and now that place is no longer local because the business got sold and moved to a different state. Those finger adjustments on the Thomann could be a huge issue for beginners, I think. I've tried to show people the alternate fingerings that make playing fast runs easier, and it's often hard for them to make the change, and also then go back to the regular fingering when that is more appropriate. The noise of the keys...that would really, really bother me. I'm kind of torn. The price point makes it so much more accessible for people, but the flaws could act as a deterrent to some.
Tudo bem entendo que Thomann tem coisas a melhorar, mas dado o preço entrega até mais do que eu esperava de resultado. Em meu país ocorre um absurdo, flautas doce baixo da Yamaha custam mais caro que Clarinetes ou guitarras elétricas para iniciantes, que são muito mais complexos em construção e tecnologia embarcada. Eu não concordo com os preços das flautas de plástico, principalmente a baixo. O resultado que entregam é pouco pelo investimento em dinheiro. Quanto a flautas em madeira aí tudo se torna proibitivo em relação a preço, mesmo que seja um profissional no instrumento. Acho terrível o quase monopólio da Yamaha em meu país, e as marcas chinesas que começam a aparecer praticam o mesmo descaso com o estudante de música.
Hoje 26/10/2020 em minha cidade uma Guitarra Les Paul EpiPhone Special Slash Afd Signature custa um terço a menos que a Flauta baixo da yamaha YRB 302Bii, só o Maple/mahogany usado para talhar a guitarra deve pagar umas quatro vezes o ABS usado em toda a flauta. A mesma Flauta baixo da yamaha YRB 302Bii custa duas vezes mais que um Venova YVS 120. Thomann poderia comercializar seus produtos aqui, se dariam muito bem neste mercado, já que aqui os preços da Yamaha são inflados, e meio irreais se comparamos com valores nos países vizinhos na região.
I briefly had the Thomann model, but ended up sending it back and getting a Yamaha instead. For me the sound was just way too airy, especially once I got into the high octave. I constantly felt like I was wasting air when playing on it in a way that a bass recorder shouldn't feel like. It's possible that I got a flawed specimen, though, because I've heard other players who didn't seem to have the same problem, yourself included. Thanks for a good video!
This was a great and constructive review. I'd love to see a review of their Sopranino. I picked up the small black Yahama one and I don't know if I'm just having issues with how much I should be blowing into it, but it has a kind of airy / raspy sound - especially in the first octave. It's probably more to do with what I am doing thought ha ha. Happy Thanksgiving!
This recorder is $99 in the US. The Frederick basset is $106. The Woodnote basset used to be down at these prices but is now up to $170 - about the price of a clean used YRB-302B (when you can find one).
Eu gostaria muito de ter uma Aulos concerto bass, mas no Brasil se torna impraticável importar um instrumento como esse, com o absurdo que é desvalorizado o real em relação ao dólar. Absurdo o preço das Yamaha praticado no Brasil, pela qualidade que entregam, e mesmo as chinesas, tem baixa relação custo benefício.
I bought a used Thomann Bass recorder for 60 € a while ago, I just wanted to try what it is like to play a bass recorder and I have lots of fun playing it on my own, so for that purpose I am really happy with it.
Ya know, for someone like myself who plays sax, clarinet and flute but occasionally likes to throw a recorder in, this would be perfect. I do completely hear what you’re saying about the woolly tone, but if it’s in a mix or used as a background instrument it probably wouldn’t matter much. As a solo instrument it definitely lacks in clarity, but for myself this might be the perfect option. Thanks for the honest review, and I would DEFINITELY like to see the others in this line.
I recently bought the Thomann garklein and I was really surprised by it. Sounds nice and the tuning is allright. But I had to look up a fingeringchart from the internet because they included a standard ST-SnA chart...
This is very timely, thank you. I am considering buying my first bass recorder I'd never thought about looking at Thomann and have been considering the Triebert (matt black) which the Early Music Shop are selling for £160. I would really appreciate it if anyone has any thoughts on this, please? Thanks.
I own the Thoman bass recorder and play it in a professional rock band. Although the mechanics really are quite loud, our mixer doesn't complain about it and we don't have any issues with the tuning, either (and yes, our mixer has high standards!!). I can't judge if it would be different in an orchestra, but for what I do, it's definitely a nice instrument.
I‘m so happy for you Wind players that you can get nice instruments for cheap 💕 I’m a string player and there is nothing like that, most likely because there is still a lot of elitism in this area :(
I don't know what you're talking about, tons of budget Chinese instruments have been flooding the market for two decades. You can get a violin for under $100 these days.
Of course I would love an honest review on the whole series from Thomann! ^^ I agree with what you say. A better fingering chart would be soo helpfull for beginners. Better quality keys... but it will add to the price.
Yes, please, review the entire range! I find the Yamaha plastic bassett to be worthy the extra money, the sound is much fuller and the Thomann is in my opinion too "airy" and unfocused in that regard. But I personally don't like "bent neck" instruments, so I've gone for hitting the piggy-bank and going for the Aulos Symphony "crook" model - But that's almost $ 500 and I even don't have that much time to dedicate to it, so I wouldn't always recommend the purchase.
So basically you're better off saving up and getting an aulos or yamaha, or even, s Sound Garden. Having said that, to get a bass for under £100, new, 10 years ago would have been pretty much impossible, and so with a few refinements they could be a viable option.
I'd absolutely love a bass recorder. I'm learning on a tenor (yamaha), but I feel the bass would not upset my neighbours as much. Knowing your opinion helps me to feel I may actually be able to afford it one day. Keep up the good work Sarah, we all love you! Yes - please review the others as well.
My first guitar was one of the cheaper models (not the ultimately cheapest, but not expensive) at thomann (Living in their region, I actually went there). It was pretty good, actually. But there is a huge size difference between their guitar section and their other sections, so they probably also don't have that many recorder experts.
As a result of watching this, I now own a Thomann bass recorder. I love this instrument SO much. I can't afford a Yamaha, and this definitely exceeded all expectations! Thank you so much for the review.
the highest notes are hard to hit
I give it 6 months before you're officially helping Thomann design recorders
I would buy the Sarah Jeffery line of Thomann recoders! Especially if they kept the price not too much more than the current prices.
It seems to me that they need to cripple the design to avoid patents. They also can't make much on these. Add 1+1 and it's not happening.
@@zwz.zdenek I doubt any patents still apply to instruments designed during the Baroque period...
@@zwz.zdenek its probably a compromise of low costs and mass manufacturing
@@zwz.zdenek you can get abs clarinet for 50
Very interested in a review of the Tenor! And a whole family review would also be sweet. Please mention how the finger stretches are vs. similar instruments. Thanks!
I've got the tenor… ii's completly out of tunes. My hears are bleeding.
I would love an indepth review of their tenor!
I didn’t even know a bass recorder was a thing, I’m not musical, I don’t know why I’m here but I watched the whole video 😂
You would be surprised. There are some consorts where the bass takes the top part.
Welcome to Team Recorder!
I came because of the mandalorian
Good job
Procrastinating works in mysterious ways
I really would also like to see reviews of all Thomann recorders. I have re-started playreallycorder with an alto from Thomann because of it's price. And for that it was not bad. Later I bought a plastik yamaha and a wooden mollenhauer.
ENORMOUS VALIDATION, MY KEYS CLACK, THE F AND F SHARP ARE SO HARD, MY B IS WAY TOO SHARP TOO, I'M NOT GOING INSANE, THANK YOU SARAH!!! I still love it though. I like that woolly warm sound.
I'm glad someone agrees with me about the sound. The sound samples on the Thomann website actually helped sell it to me.
I have the Thomann bass and like it. It isn't perfect, but not too terrible for the price.
I would be interested in your review of the Thomann recorder family 😉
I bought this bass instrument when I was studying the recorder and couldn't afford a wooden instrument. It was new on the market and I had no comparison to the plastic Yamaha instrument. Now I use it for teaching and I think it's very handy. Since it's not expensive I leave it at the school and students can try it out. I try my best to make the intonation work with fingering and blowing technique. Of course I'd still love to have a wooden bass recorder for obvious reasons but I think it's also very practical for teaching. It's light and it's very easy to take it with me on public transport.
I've had mine for just over a year, and I bought a cheap model because I wasn't sure I would get into bass. Now I know I love bass, I'm planning to upgrade! However I've learned loads through using it so it was a good choice for me. Like Sarah I have to use different fingering for B and Bb to get it more in tune, but I haven't found that a huge problem. I've found it a really good value starter instrument.
I don't play recorder but I watched the whole thing. (I play accordion and am just starting euphonium.)
I would add that the Yamaha really lasts for years, it just keeps on sounding good. It’s robust enough to stand the passing of time. My first Yamaha got a key problem after, perhaps, 20 years. I got another one but the father of the student I lent the old one to, actually fixed the old one. Now I have two perfectly fine Yamahas, of which the newer one does sound a bit better but the difference is subtle. I wouldn’t even get rid of the two Yamahas even though I also have the wooden Yamaha bass now. They just always come in handy, even if it’s for students. Probably they can last easily for another 20 years!
Lobke, I was thinking the same exact thing. While the Yamaha is noticeably more expensive an instrument is something that you'll use for years. Another thought is anytime a person tries to sell cheap things they usually take much more of a hit then when they try to sell good things. Last year when I decided to sell my Hasselblad medium format camera I had a buyer in two hours who was happy to pay the price I asked. Often times buying nice things ends up being the less expensive road in the long run. Thanks a million to Sarah for doing these wonderful videos.
Dónde puedo comprar una Yamaha bajo de plástico que ya sea usada?
I am on a limited budget. Yes a review of all these instruments would be wonderful. Thank you so much. Enjoyed my Thanksgiving morning with this video so much. Have good days!
Hello Sarah, thank you for this review.
A 99 Euro basset is bound to create expectations and it's quite useful to have your professional opinion on it.
I don't know if it is me, but in the video the Thomann sounded a bit like your wooden basset - the latter has a much more attractive sound, though.
The Yamaha is definitely better than the Thomann and apparently more phonogenic (is that even a word?) as it sounded more loud in my headphones than the other two.
P.S. of course we need a review of the others, pretty please???
Thank you for this helpful review. I actually bought this bass recorder from Thomann some weeks ago. I agree with what you say about it. Mine fits together very tightly, so I only learned from your video that the head comes apart. Recorder is not my main instrument. I already owned a plastic alto, soprano and sopranino from Aulos. I hadn't played them in years and was motivated to start again after buying a transverse flute and a couple of bamboo flutes. I am now gradually switching over to wooden recorders. However, it's nice to have plastic ones for the convenience. I think the keys on the bass will eventually wear out or break and for frequent use, it would probably be better to invest in a better quality instrument, if possible. However, for occasional use or trying out the bass recorder to see if one likes it, the price makes it a good deal. Thomann is also very cooperative about returns, in case one really doesn't like it after having bought it.
As of today (Dec. 10, 2022), it costs 119 €.
I was looking at that bass recorder for a while, wondering if it'd be worth it, so thank you so much for this video! I kinda like the wooliness of the sound :) A video on the tenor recorder would be really welcome!
I have owned a Thomann bass for five years, and remain quite pleased with it. The fingering chart supplied was definitely not tailored for the instrument, and I very soon settled on no right hand finger for Eb (confirmed by a website with charts for specific recorder models, can't remember address, sorry!) and top C# with all 3 LH fingers and the little finger of the RH rather than the forefinger. Keys still work properly, and seem to me less noisy than.some instruments. I tried the sling provided, but didn't take to it, and now play it with a cello-type spike, which works well for me. My hands are small - too small for most tenors - but everything is in easy reach on this instrument. I accept that the sound is on the airy side, but actually rather like it. The only thing that hasn't proved very durable is the zip on the case. Thanks, as ever, for your videos with their frank views, Sarah. Though I don't consider myself in the market for the rest of the Thomann range, I'd certainly be interested to hear your view on any or all of them.
Yeeey! It happens, i bouth a same recorder, just from Yamaha! It awesome! so deep, if compare with alto or even tenor! I'm happy :D
Hi Sarah, I bought one! Thanks for the review that encouraged me to jump. For me, your truthful review made me interested, and the 100 price-point made it doable. I am pleased with the sound, and it plays easily. Lowest notes are not finicky (like they are on my wooden tenor). Yes the keys clacked, but I added very small bits of felt and double-sided tape between the two bits of the keys, and the problem was solved! Now it plays without any clacking, and the slight change in height of the open position was not enough to alter the tuning. It is fun and truly worth 100. As to tuning, I've not noticed the issues you found, but then your ear is professional, and mine is anything but. Is it possible the tuning of low notes is a bit squishier (less noticeable) than high notes? Again, thanks Sarah, for a wonderful UA-cam site, and I wish you all the best this new year.
Beautiful singing at the phrase ‘A fingering chart!’
I have my grade 6 recorder exam in 1 week. Wish me luck :)
How'd the exam go pal?
94/100
9/10 scales
I played sammartini concerto in f for descant and one more piece I dont know the name for and then I played telemann fantasie no 4(I guess)
I have a Thomann bass recorder and it has worked well for me. A professional player told me I was lucky because you need luck to get a good one. Sometimes they are not in tune or something and you have to send the instrument back to get a good one. But yes, with a bit of luck you can get a decent instrument with 99 euros.
I’m a big recorder fan, and I love your stuff. Just saying. I wish I had a bass recorder!
Very good review Sara, thanks a lot !
I got one and was really disappointed, mainly because some notes no matter the alternate fingerings I could use would never be in tune. The B/Bb was the issue for me too and I thought it was maybe just a bad recorder I got but seeing the same issue on yours I guess it is inherently an issue. The low B was impossible to tune for the reason you stated and also as you said I got this to play in a group (well, all me playing multitrack recording but still a group) so it was essentially unusable. I ordered a Yamaha because another store had it slightly less than normal price and the difference was notable. It’s very odd because when comparing the two it looks like they were made from the same molds in a factory down to the injection/mold holes so I don’t understand why the timing issues are there. The sound of the Yamaha is better too, but if they just fixed the tuning it wouldn’t be nearly as much of a disappointment. It’s like the Yamaha has some of the same issues to a much lesser extent, all able to be dealt with, and they are all magnified on the Thomann. I’m glad you made the video, though I wish I had seen it before I got mine, so that others can have a good expectation of what they are getting from the Thomann.
Thanks for this video 🤍
I've bought my wooden bass for 100€, but it was used. Lucky 🙆🏼♀️
Yes, please - honest review of the full series! Please go on comparing with plastic Yamaha’s too. They make a good benchmark. Have you done anything about the Tribert series? Some people swear by them!
Yes, please do review Triebert. I have the sopranino.
I just opened mine, let it warm up and played it. I've got no bottom F or F#!
Great video and I’d love a complete review of the Thomann series!
I bought this recorder year before last for my birthday present to me from me and a book to help me learn. I got it as I was unsure how I would take to it. I have small hands, child size even though I am an adult in my 30s. I have baby fingers with bone missing that don't bend.
I like the bass but as you said the keys make a load of noise, some muffling. But for me it made a good entry in level affordable bass, especially as at the time I was not working. I am now thank God.
So it's ok with child hands?
@@emile_fa I would say for 9 plus years of age. But it’s length maybe too long for a child. I am 153cm tall, just over 5foot and when I go to play the lower notes I need to bend my body back a bit.
Oh I'm an adult but my hands never grew because child abuse lol. I'm 1m57.
I mean they did grow like they're not 7cm long either but they're clearly pre puberty hands
9 sounds good. Thanks.
I bought the Thomann bass and tenor recorders some years ago. I sent them straight back. Poor tuning, poor construction (cheap keys, sharp plastic moulding seams and burred screw heads) and a case for the bass with a broken zip. I then bit the bullet and bought the Yamaha bass and tenor instead. Hugely better and well worth the extra money.
Very useful video. Thank you, Sarah
Hello, I am sara and I am a recorder player.
I am also Sarah, and a recorder player!
@@sarahtoball2606 nah, my name is Philip and haven't play recorder since elementary school. It just seemed like an AA meeting for a second...
Intonation is a deal breaker.
The yamaha is £332 in England. I think when we look at getting one I'll go for the cheap one, I actually liked the sound better as you played lower notes. Maybe by the time we're ready for one the little issues will be resolved.
Another thing to mention is that the keys don't last very well. This recorder did get me into the bass recorder, but 3 months of regular play and the C key had basically gone.
That key looks like it desperately needs a cork or some sort of stop to prevent that
Thank you so much! A review of the entire family would be really great.
I would really like to hear your thoughts on the Tenor. I bought one about a month ago to learn recorder on. Some of the notes sound kind of weird to me, not necessarily out of tune but kind of wheezy if that makes sense. I'm not sure if it's my amateur playing or the instrument. I also noticed that the pads are really spongy which makes me want to press down hard even though it seems to seal fine with a lighter pressure. I'm thinking of replacing the pads with firmer ones but I'm not sure if that is recommended. I'm having a difficult time getting the low C to ring out consistently especially when tonguing. That's probably partly me as it seems to be a common beginner problem but I'm wondering if the instrument is temperamental and working against me. Any advise would be appreciated. Thank you!
Hi Fern, I find that my tenor's low c is problematic if one of my other fingers isn't placed right, so I go through finger by finger to figure out which one is guilty.
I can totally relate to that, as I had the same problem in the beginning (actually just a few months ago).
If the fingering that Susanne mentioned is not the problem, then it's probably the warm air/cold air thing, that Sarah talks about in her beginner videos. The low C is really easy to overblow.
Thank you for this review. Would you mind doing a video that compares the Yamaha 300 series plastic bass with the Aulos symphony series crook 533 and knick 521 bass? Besides the Thomman I believe these are the three starter/relatively inexpensive bass recorders in plastic/resin and it would be quite helpful.
Yes a review on the other recorders plz 🙏🏻
I think if it is out of tune, it is broken
The text on screen "Tenor 29€ !" with an exclamation mark says all. Yes, a review would be very much appreciated!
And thanks for this (and all other) videos!
I wouldn't go for it. Buy a Yamaha bass with a combo price with the other members of the family. The price she gives for the Yamaha bass is much higher than what I've seen.
Would love an honest review of those 👏
Please review the entire family 🤗
I even felt the Yamaha plastic better than the wooden one... I wish you could review the Aulos Symphony bass recorder
I like the sound of the Yamaha both the plastic and wood one, the Thomann sound makes me think back to my old school recorder and the horrible sounds coming out of that thing that made me hate recorders... I am not a recorder player.
Cheaper is getting better and good is getting cheaper, absolutely great for people eager to start a new hobby but can't afford much
Thank you so much for this!
🎶A fingering chart!!! 🎶
This review came out between the time I ordered a plastic Yamaha basset and when my Yamaha arrived... it was with great trepidation that I clicked play to find out whether or not my money had been misplaced!
I won’t spoil the end of this video for other viewers, though. Thank you, Sarah, for your reviews, and for all the other content you create; you’re my go-to resource when it comes to educating myself and sharing info with others about recorders!
maybe people who buy $99 bass recorders don’t play sharps or flats
The keys of my wooden Yamaha bass are very noisy as well (loud clicking sound when released). How can I fix this?
A bit of cork or felt under the "arm" of the key would do (:
@@menotyou4289 Thanks! I'll give it a try :)
I am slowly saving up to get a setup together...
I got everything in the high register at an ok quality... but hell... those low instruments are kick in the b###s.
Though for understandable reasons
Though I guess I am saving up for the Yamaha Bass cause I played it before and love it's sound
Have you ever made a video on advice for purchasing secondhand recorders? I would personally like to upgrade to a wooden bass, but I don’t think I can justify the expense of a new instrument.
Ooh good one, that video is coming!
@@Team_Recorder I've bought a bunch of plastic recorders, they're great. But a few I sent back because they had scratch leading from a fingerhole or two. Typically a 2-5cm scratch. Is this a flaw with how some plastic recorders are made? With how they're released from the mold? Is a steel pick of some kind used to remove hole-blank plugs after the injected part cools off? Or did I just get a few second-hand recorders with fingerholes that were damaged in similar ways by different people? Do others somehow scratch the body joint when removing a pipe cleaner with a central twisted metal wire core while cleaning them?
I noticed the different fingering for the B flat on my Thomann the minute I first tried it (one finger less) and the tuning sounds perfect that way. I played my teacher's plastic Yamaha and did find the sound clearer, but not unlike an unsound clarinet. So on the whole I enjoy the Thomann, while being aware that naturally a good wooden bass sounds better!
OMGGG NOOOO I NEED THE ENTIRE SET REVIEW VIDEO!!!!! You mentioned the tenor in the beginning of the video and I was waiting for it 😭
Have you ever tried using a Deburring Tool (like $10) or another method to very slightly increase the size of holes, assuming that is the direction they need to be tuned?
Please do a total review of your newly bought instruments.
I like your approach: you're very practical and no-nonsense - with humour. Keep it up!
Thanks Sarah - I`ve just ordered my Thomann hearing the sound you got from it! I love the breathy mellow tone - It sounds closer to your professional wooden Yamaha than your plastic Yamaha - the tuning issues are about finding those alternatives - I found having a Kung Subbass and Kunath/Paetzold Sub contrabass that changinig certain fingerings to impove the tuning are all part of the excitement of discovering your instrument.
We recently bought the Aulos A533B, mostly for the family to play around with, but also so I can get the practice, even though I don't generally have a problem just picking up a bass recorder and playing stuff on it. It's on the high end of the plastic recorders, but we wanted one that played with the blowing pipe, rather than a bend-neck one, because it's more comfortable for me (short person, small hands) and I can hold the bass at an angle to my body so that my right hand doesn't have to stretch as far. I have a bent-neck tenor, which is fine because of the smaller size, but I don't think I could handle the bent-neck bass. The Aulos sounds quite good. I've tested out wooden ones, trying to find one for myself, but I wasn't comfortable enough to plunk down that kind of money on something that if I wasn't 100% certain about it. I had tested a Moeck Flauto Rondo and Rottenburgh. I had also wanted to try the Denner, but the recorder place didn't have one available, and now that place is no longer local because the business got sold and moved to a different state.
Those finger adjustments on the Thomann could be a huge issue for beginners, I think. I've tried to show people the alternate fingerings that make playing fast runs easier, and it's often hard for them to make the change, and also then go back to the regular fingering when that is more appropriate. The noise of the keys...that would really, really bother me. I'm kind of torn. The price point makes it so much more accessible for people, but the flaws could act as a deterrent to some.
Can't you add a bit of cork under the keys as they do on saxophones, clarinets, etc.?
Hey I play saxophone it’s no cork it’s like a fuzzy pad
And if you get bored with it, you can use it for guttering
It helps you are a virtuoso recorder musician.
Tudo bem entendo que Thomann tem coisas a melhorar, mas dado o preço entrega até mais do que eu esperava de resultado. Em meu país ocorre um absurdo, flautas doce baixo da Yamaha custam mais caro que Clarinetes ou guitarras elétricas para iniciantes, que são muito mais complexos em construção e tecnologia embarcada. Eu não concordo com os preços das flautas de plástico, principalmente a baixo. O resultado que entregam é pouco pelo investimento em dinheiro. Quanto a flautas em madeira aí tudo se torna proibitivo em relação a preço, mesmo que seja um profissional no instrumento. Acho terrível o quase monopólio da Yamaha em meu país, e as marcas chinesas que começam a aparecer praticam o mesmo descaso com o estudante de música.
Hoje 26/10/2020 em minha cidade uma Guitarra Les Paul EpiPhone Special Slash Afd Signature custa um terço a menos que a Flauta baixo da yamaha YRB 302Bii, só o Maple/mahogany usado para talhar a guitarra deve pagar umas quatro vezes o ABS usado em toda a flauta. A mesma Flauta baixo da yamaha YRB 302Bii custa duas vezes mais que um Venova YVS 120. Thomann poderia comercializar seus produtos aqui, se dariam muito bem neste mercado, já que aqui os preços da Yamaha são inflados, e meio irreais se comparamos com valores nos países vizinhos na região.
I would really like to have a review on different wooden bassets!! Yamaha, Küng, Mollenhauer, Moeck, ZenOn,...
Ah yes please a review of the Tenor!
I briefly had the Thomann model, but ended up sending it back and getting a Yamaha instead. For me the sound was just way too airy, especially once I got into the high octave. I constantly felt like I was wasting air when playing on it in a way that a bass recorder shouldn't feel like.
It's possible that I got a flawed specimen, though, because I've heard other players who didn't seem to have the same problem, yourself included.
Thanks for a good video!
I saved up and got the Yamaha. (Version II not sure if that matters) No regrets! Thank you very much for the review!
Smart move
*checks if b flat is in mandalorian theme*
The Thomann Tenor is still the only one I could afford. Therefore, it would be very interesting to see if it makes any sense at all.
This was a great and constructive review. I'd love to see a review of their Sopranino. I picked up the small black Yahama one and I don't know if I'm just having issues with how much I should be blowing into it, but it has a kind of airy / raspy sound - especially in the first octave. It's probably more to do with what I am doing thought ha ha. Happy Thanksgiving!
I like the sound of the air going through
Would love to see the whole Thomann recorders family review.
At first when you took it out of the bag I thought it’s a plumber pipe. Hahahahha :D
6:12. That was good 😲👏
This recorder is $99 in the US. The Frederick basset is $106. The Woodnote basset used to be down at these prices but is now up to $170 - about the price of a clean used YRB-302B (when you can find one).
Eu gostaria muito de ter uma Aulos concerto bass, mas no Brasil se torna impraticável importar um instrumento como esse, com o absurdo que é desvalorizado o real em relação ao dólar. Absurdo o preço das Yamaha praticado no Brasil, pela qualidade que entregam, e mesmo as chinesas, tem baixa relação custo benefício.
How many recorders do you have by now? Enough to open a museum? ;) Thank god you didn't become a pianist.
I bought a used Thomann Bass recorder for 60 € a while ago, I just wanted to try what it is like to play a bass recorder and I have lots of fun playing it on my own, so for that purpose I am really happy with it.
Ya know, for someone like myself who plays sax, clarinet and flute but occasionally likes to throw a recorder in, this would be perfect. I do completely hear what you’re saying about the woolly tone, but if it’s in a mix or used as a background instrument it probably wouldn’t matter much. As a solo instrument it definitely lacks in clarity, but for myself this might be the perfect option.
Thanks for the honest review, and I would DEFINITELY like to see the others in this line.
thomann is awesome. i got a six string contemporary bass from them for 250 bucks with a active passive pull pod.....................i love thomann
I recently bought the Thomann garklein and I was really surprised by it. Sounds nice and the tuning is allright. But I had to look up a fingeringchart from the internet because they included a standard ST-SnA chart...
This is very timely, thank you. I am considering buying my first bass recorder I'd never thought about looking at Thomann and have been considering the Triebert (matt black) which the Early Music Shop are selling for £160. I would really appreciate it if anyone has any thoughts on this, please? Thanks.
I own the Thoman bass recorder and play it in a professional rock band. Although the mechanics really are quite loud, our mixer doesn't complain about it and we don't have any issues with the tuning, either (and yes, our mixer has high standards!!). I can't judge if it would be different in an orchestra, but for what I do, it's definitely a nice instrument.
I‘m so happy for you Wind players that you can get nice instruments for cheap 💕 I’m a string player and there is nothing like that, most likely because there is still a lot of elitism in this area :(
I don't know what you're talking about, tons of budget Chinese instruments have been flooding the market for two decades. You can get a violin for under $100 these days.
👏💖 FYI, the YT Cc, recognises the clacking of keys as "appluase"😂
Of course I would love an honest review on the whole series from Thomann! ^^
I agree with what you say. A better fingering chart would be soo helpfull for beginners. Better quality keys... but it will add to the price.
Yes, please, review the entire range!
I find the Yamaha plastic bassett to be worthy the extra money, the sound is much fuller and the Thomann is in my opinion too "airy" and unfocused in that regard. But I personally don't like "bent neck" instruments, so I've gone for hitting the piggy-bank and going for the Aulos Symphony "crook" model - But that's almost $ 500 and I even don't have that much time to dedicate to it, so I wouldn't always recommend the purchase.
Can you by them in the USA?
I would love a review of the tenor one! It's the one I would be the most interested in
So basically you're better off saving up and getting an aulos or yamaha, or even, s Sound Garden. Having said that, to get a bass for under £100, new, 10 years ago would have been pretty much impossible, and so with a few refinements they could be a viable option.
i play the Thomann tenor and i am very satisfied. So i would like your opinion about the tenor Sarah
I'd absolutely love a bass recorder. I'm learning on a tenor (yamaha), but I feel the bass would not upset my neighbours as much. Knowing your opinion helps me to feel I may actually be able to afford it one day.
Keep up the good work Sarah, we all love you!
Yes - please review the others as well.
xaphoon ...it's reed .. but different .... it's got strange fingering ... tiny .. but big sound ... .costs around 10 ,,, ?????
I do hope Thomann contact you. Either to explain themselves ór to accept your help.
Excellent comment and advice
That is the lead instrument in the Mandalorian theme
I would like to see a review of the whole line.
Yes, please review the Tenor. Thanks!
My first guitar was one of the cheaper models (not the ultimately cheapest, but not expensive) at thomann (Living in their region, I actually went there). It was pretty good, actually. But there is a huge size difference between their guitar section and their other sections, so they probably also don't have that many recorder experts.
Wondering if you’ve tried the nuvo instruments recorder abs recorder plus?