In the student and intermediate market, the big players tend to dominate. Yamaha and Buffet make fine instruments across a range of prices, but sometimes it's worth taking the opportunity to look further afield.

Uebel is a German clarinet maker who has started to make inroads into the Australian retail scene. This review considers the Uebel Etude alongside models of comparable price from Yamaha, Buffet and Jupiter.* The major point of difference with the Etude is that it's mostly made of ABS (plastic), whereas the other instruments are of Grenadilla wood. Unlike other student-grade clarinets, it incorporates features that you usually find on intermediate-level instruments: the silver plated action is completed with blued steel springs and leather pads. Accordingly the Etude is something of a hybrid, taking elements of construction from two segments of the market.

The plastic texture is finished to resemble wood, and I saw no blemishes in the finish of either the body or the keywork. My only concern with quality in the Uebel was some free play in the D ring barrel on the upper joint; you can hear the clicks when you move it up and down between the pillars. No other clarinet in this group showed any free play anywhere in the action.

The specification states that the Etude comes with an E-flat lever; the model I'm reviewing here didn't have this feature. The tenon corks were a little stiff initially, even with cork grease. As with all the other models, you get an adjustable thumb rest, although the Etude and the Buffet are the only ones to include rubber cushions that you can apply to the thumb rest if you wish. This is in contrast to the traditional cork sheet adhered to the thumb rest, used on the Yamaha and Jupiter models.

I had no difficulties with any aspect of the Etude's playability: tone, intonation, ergonomics and response were all perfectly acceptable. I found myself missing the A key a couple of times for some reason, but that's nothing that a little more familiarity wouldn't address. There's also the benefit of the reduced weight that a plastic instrument can provide.

Bearing in mind that this is a plastic clarinet costing a shade under $1,200, what did Uebel do to sweeten the deal? You get two barrels, each made of Grenadilla. You get a professional grade ligature instead of a basic metal clamp. In addition to the thumb rest cushion, Uebel supply a couple of mouthpiece patches and a Vandoren Traditional 2½ reed. These attractions add up.

But for me, whether you're just starting out, or whether you've already graduated to a wooden clarinet and want to buy a plastic instrument that you can safely use outdoors, you should at least check out the Yamaha YCL-255 at $500 cheaper.

* This review forms part of a comparison of the following clarinet models:
- Uebel Etude
- Yamaha YCL-450
- Jupiter 1100DS
- Buffet E12F
My reviews of these other models may help you to evaluate this segment of the clarinet market.

Rating: [3 of 5 Stars!]