Mendini MCT-30+SD+PB+92D Intermediate Solid Rosewood B Flat Clarinet with Tuner, Case, Stand, Mouthpiece, 10 Reeds and More

This was a birthday present for my wife. When she first tired to play it she said it did not feel right. Took it to local music shop and they said that the pads and keys would have to be adjusted. Estimated cost of repair was between $60-80. Didn't feel that for a brand new instrument that we should have to pay to have it repaired. Returned instrument for full refund.

I purchased this clarinet after playing on a Selmer Bundy for 9 years and it is a welcome change. The entire clarinet is well-crafted and, with a slight overhaul, has amazing tone. It came with no cracks, scratches, or real problems other than the wood glue on the metal rings having dried out. This is easily fixed. The instrument is all wood, which expands and contracts slightly depending on the temperature and humidity. That being said, the joints can be very hard to put together, *especially* at first, since the joints are not greased at all. There are two barrels that come with this clarinet, one slightly longer for when the instrument goes sharp in your environment, which could happen a lot -- this instrument is very sensitive to temperature.Get rid of the mouthpiece that comes with this clarinet and invest in something worth your time, even if it's just a cheap Rico Graftonite. The reeds that come with the clarinet are a complete joke as well, the quality of ligature almost made me cry, and not in a good way.The "hard plastic case" that came with the clarinet was not plastic, but instead covered in a standard backpack-type material. It is, however, very sturdy, and the backpack straps, though uncomfortable, are a lifesaver on my biked commute to band class. The included tuner is actually decent; it will be replacing my old Sabine metrotuner.If you are purchasing your first wooden instrument, make sure to take special care of this piece of work. Although I live in a dry climate, I take special precautions to completely clean out all the humidity inside the clarinet with a swab (not included in the package).tl;dr:I am honestly impressed at the quality of this instrument that cost less than $300.

I love the clarinet and am completely satisfied with it. However my only comment would be that it was advertised with a set of reed that did not accompany the rest of the product.

I needed a clarinet for my son, to keep him from using (and breaking!) my Yamaha Custom $3000 pro horn. So I tried a few. The Mendini was one of themWhile this rosewood instrument is nicely finished and gorgeous to look at, it has several problems. First off, the silver-plated trim rings must have been press fit on the receivers while the wood was still damp--because all four of them promptly fell off the barrel, bell, and lower joint as soon as I lifted the sections from the case. If you want to keep the Mendini, gluing the rings on is no big deal. But you shouldn't keep it, because there are better horns for the money out there. I'll mention two in a minute.The key-work is tight, and the fit and finish of the mechanism and body look to be good. I confess to knowing little about the sonic properties of rosewood as a material for clarinets but, if this model is any indication, it produces a thinner and quieter tone compared to the more usual grenadilla (sometimes described as "ebony")--or even good plastic. (Admittedly, I'm comparing the Mendini to a Yamaha costing ten times as much; but you can do better even at this price point. See below.)I also found the ergos troubling. The pinky and side keys were OK; but the body keys seem too high. Adjustment by a woodwind tech is possible, of coures; but the other instruments I tried were perfect right out of the box. Rosewood also seems less dense--which might have something to do with the thin tone; but it also seemed to me that the wood was thinner than it should be. The Mendini, despite the description, is very light-feeling.Unfortunately, I didn't check the horn for intonation, because I had made up my mind pretty quick I didn't like the timbre. (I apologize for not being able to report on that important aspect.)But see my reviews of the LJ Huthcen and the Legacy CL750EW Bb clarinets, which I compared at the same time.

This was the clarinet I purchased for my 8th grader and it was so flat that he was unable to play at his band festival two days after I bought it. I returned the first one because a key was broken, and the second one was only worse. Heads up...listen to whatever brand the band instructor tells you to get. This is not a mid grade clarinet, it is a cheap/expensive clarinet!

returned - defective

I purchased this after not playing the clarinet for about a decade, and deciding I'd like to start playing again. I am reasonably satisfied with this instrument.I wouldn't recommend it to a serious player looking for the "next step up" from a beginner instrument. It isn't put together particularly well, and several of the joining rings spin or come off entirely when the instrument is being handled. However, I will say that it produces a beautiful sound, warm and rich.I do like the color of the instrument (superficial, I know, but I get tired of black all the time.) When mine arrived, however, it appeared to be covered in a light dusting of glitter, and I was very concerned I'd bought a sparkly clarinet without realizing it. Fortunately, this was not the case, and it came off with light cleaning. The corks were also extremely dry, and I did not receive the cork grease mentioned in the included contents. The reeds are just terrible, but that's an easy fix.(Let's face it, you probably aren't buying it for the reeds.)The mouthpiece, of course, is not the best, although these are often best purchased on their own anyway.Overall, I would say that this is a solid instrument for the money, and makes a great student piece if you're on a budget.

I've played clarinet since i was young and I've been in the conservatory for 2 years in clarinet, so i know what i am talking about in terms of quality. I've tested the clarinet with my M30 Vandoren embouchure, because the embouchure they give you can just go straight up in the trash can. If you gonna buy this clarinet (which i reaaaally don't recommend) be ready to know how to repair it, spring are thin and cheap (so you have to replace them with stronger ones when they fail ), they took the worst kind of metal to make the keys, like the metal is so soft you have to be extremely careful when assembling the clarinet. And they can't take a measurement for quality control, like i had to sand both side of the inner diameter of the barrel join to fit my mouthpiece and the upper body of the clarinet. The clarinet failed me on the second day when the the E and F# key started to stick together. I had to dismantle them, take a file, and removes the burrs from the axle holes. After bending the key to the right height and for proper clearance, they worked fine. The "steel" ring are not flush with the wood, so i had to sand it to look less ridiculous. Last thing is the inner of the clarinet is not sanded, so when you check with your finger in it, it feels very rough. The only good point of this is when it is working it has a good sound. The accessories they give you are just garbage, the only good thing is the tuner and the cork grease, they give you a clarinet stand but it is not even working XD. Overhaul, Don't buy this clarinet, it is badly manufactured, unless you want to practice how to repair a clarinet.