{"id":922,"date":"2020-11-14T19:04:02","date_gmt":"2020-11-14T19:04:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/?p=922"},"modified":"2021-04-03T11:08:43","modified_gmt":"2021-04-03T11:08:43","slug":"etude-ecl-100-clarinet-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/etude-ecl-100-clarinet-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Etude ECL-100 Clarinet Review: A Popular Beginner Option"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>When looking at purchasing a beginner clarinet, there are many brands available, with a wide range of cost. A very popular option is the Etude ECL 100 Bb soprano clarinet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Etude ECL-100 is a decent affordable beginner clarinet with good quality for the money. It sounds quite good, has an attractive look, and comes with a one-year warranty and a hard case. Being an entry-level instrument, however, it falls short on certain aspects such as keywork, tone, and tuning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we discuss what type of clarinet player the ECL-100 is best suited for, and we go through the main strong and weak points of this clarinet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_64 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-66125a288bcb7\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-66125a288bcb7\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/etude-ecl-100-clarinet-review\/#Who_is_the_ECL-100_Bb_Soprano_for\" title=\"Who is the ECL-100 Bb Soprano for?\">Who is the ECL-100 Bb Soprano for?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/etude-ecl-100-clarinet-review\/#ECL-100_Clarinet_features\" title=\"ECL-100 Clarinet features\">ECL-100 Clarinet features<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/etude-ecl-100-clarinet-review\/#Pros_of_the_Etude_ECL-100_clarinet\" title=\"Pros of the Etude ECL-100 clarinet\">Pros of the Etude ECL-100 clarinet<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/etude-ecl-100-clarinet-review\/#Economical\" title=\"Economical\">Economical<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/etude-ecl-100-clarinet-review\/#Practical\" title=\"Practical\">Practical<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/etude-ecl-100-clarinet-review\/#Good_second_instrument\" title=\"Good second instrument\">Good second instrument<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/etude-ecl-100-clarinet-review\/#Decent_quality\" title=\"Decent quality\">Decent quality<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/etude-ecl-100-clarinet-review\/#Cons_of_the_Etude_ECL_100_clarinet\" title=\"Cons of the Etude ECL 100 clarinet\">Cons of the Etude ECL 100 clarinet<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/etude-ecl-100-clarinet-review\/#Entry-level_craftsmanship\" title=\"Entry-level craftsmanship\">Entry-level craftsmanship<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/etude-ecl-100-clarinet-review\/#Tone_quality\" title=\"Tone quality \">Tone quality <\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/etude-ecl-100-clarinet-review\/#Frequent_questions_for_the_Etude_ECL_100\" title=\"Frequent questions for the Etude ECL 100\">Frequent questions for the Etude ECL 100<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/etude-ecl-100-clarinet-review\/#Final_words\" title=\"Final words\">Final words<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who_is_the_ECL-100_Bb_Soprano_for\"><\/span>Who is the ECL-100 Bb Soprano for?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Etude ECL-100 clarinet is mainly made for beginning clarinet students who are usually in middle school. Many people who choose this instrument like its low price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Parents who aren\u2019t sure their child is going to continue playing for very long will often opt for something like the Etude ECL-100. Once a student starts to progress, they will likely need a higher-end clarinet to matches their abilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This clarinet is also used a lot as a marching band instrument in high school. For clarinetists who don\u2019t want to take their more expensive wooden instruments out in bad or cold weather, this plastic clarinet can serve as a second instrument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"519\" height=\"437\" src=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/download-2.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1253\" srcset=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/download-2.png 519w, https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/download-2-300x253.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 519px) 100vw, 519px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ECL-100_Clarinet_features\"><\/span>ECL-100 Clarinet features<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td>Body<\/td><td>ABS resin<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Included parts<\/td><td>Reinforced thumb rest<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td>Plastic mouthpiece<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td>1 reed<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td>Metal ligature<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><\/td><td>Plastic mouthpiece cap<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Keys<\/td><td>Nickel silver<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Case<\/td><td>Hard shell<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The ECL-100 comes with a mouthpiece, ligature, mouthpiece cap, and reed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The body of the Etude ECL-100 clarinet is made of ABS resin, which is a very durable and inexpensive plastic. It\u2019s a good material for a beginning clarinet student because it\u2019s not as fragile or heavy as a wooden instrument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rather than the standard two screws holding it to the body of the instrument, there are three, making it less likely to wiggle. The EC-100 also has a reinforced thumb rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In clarinets, the mouthpiece and ligature work with the reed to produce the sound. A reed is provided with the ECL-100, however the student will need more than one to work with. Those will need to be purchased separately. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because the reed and the tip of the mouthpiece are so fragile, a mouthpiece cap is also provided to protect them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The keys of the Etude ECL-100 clarinet are made of nickel silver, usually a combination of copper, nickel and zinc. They have an attractive silver look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The plastic case provided has a hard shell, which effectively protects all of the parts of the instrument from damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pros_of_the_Etude_ECL-100_clarinet\"><\/span>Pros of the Etude ECL-100 clarinet<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/91bM94qSjiL._AC_SL1500_.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1250\" width=\"515\" height=\"502\" srcset=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/91bM94qSjiL._AC_SL1500_.jpg 640w, https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/91bM94qSjiL._AC_SL1500_-300x293.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 515px) 100vw, 515px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The Etude ECL-100 has a large number of positive reviews from buyers. The following are the main strengths of the clarinet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Economical\"><\/span>Economical<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Affordable beginning instrument.  Name brand beginning clarinets such as Buffet, Leblanc, Selmer and Yamaha can be two to three times the price, or more.<\/li><li>Good quality for the price. Many reviewers feel the clarinet is very good for the amount they paid.<\/li><li>One-year warranty<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Practical\"><\/span>Practical<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>A good purchase if the student may not continue playing very long. Most beginning clarinetists are in fifth or sixth grade. Parents don&#8217;t know whether their child will like playing this instrument so they&#8217;d rather keep their investment low initially.<\/li><li>Some band directors feel the Etude ECL-100 is a good instrument to use until 10th grade. A number of band directors say that they like the instrument, and that it should last the student for awhile.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Good_second_instrument\"><\/span>Good second instrument<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>For marching band.  The Etude ECL 100 clarinet makes a good second instrument that can withstand being used outdoors in all kinds of weather. In contrast, wooden instruments can be damaged by rain and extreme temperatures.<\/li><li>As a practice instrument at home. Some users tend to use a higher end instrument at school, but practice on their Etude ECL 100 clarinet at home.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Decent_quality\"><\/span>Decent quality<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Good sound: most users find the clarinet to produce a nice tone. <\/li><li>Body of the instrument is brushed to look like wood: the Etude ECL 100 clarinet looks like a wooden clarinet, which would cost hundreds of dollars more.<\/li><li>Mouthpiece is good: many people report that the mouthpiece plays well and responds easily.<\/li><li>Sturdy case: the ECL-100 comes in a hard shell plastic case. This protects the clarinet better than a soft shell case.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cons_of_the_Etude_ECL_100_clarinet\"><\/span>Cons of the Etude ECL 100 clarinet<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The following are a few weaknesses players sometimes mention:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Entry-level_craftsmanship\"><\/span>Entry-level craftsmanship<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Warning that the clarinet can expose the player to chemicals, including lead. This warning appears on a website which sells the Etude ECL 100 clarinet.<\/li><li>Hard to put together: some players complain about the joints being too tight. Most likely, the cork on the tenons may be too thick.<\/li><li>Keys can break easily: the keys seem fragile and not as sturdy as on name brand clarinets.<\/li><li>Keys are out of adjustment from the start: new Etude ECL 100 clarinets may not play well out of the box because the keys need adjusting.<\/li><li>Plating on the keys sometimes start to wear off after a couple of months. When plating starts to flake off, it can leave sharp edges on the keys. In high-end clarinets, key plating typically last years.<\/li><li>Middle joint is too thick to fit a marching lyre: for marching bands that play with their music, a marching lyre is a must.<\/li><li>The Etude ECL-100 doesn\u2019t use standard keywork, so repair shops are not always equipped to repair it.<\/li><li>Some band directors feel they break too easily for use in a band<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tone_quality\"><\/span>Tone quality <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Tone isn\u2019t as good as on name brand clarinets. Some players with some musical experience feel the tone on the clarinet is too bright.<\/li><li>Doesn\u2019t play in tune with itself: this forces the player to have to adjust each individual note to bring it in tune.<\/li><li>Can be frustrating to students who trying to improve their sound and playing: for a clarinetist who wants to progress, it can feel as though they aren\u2019t good at it, but in reality, they just need a better beginner clarinet.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequent_questions_for_the_Etude_ECL_100\"><\/span>Frequent questions for the Etude ECL 100<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Does the clarinet come with cork grease? No, cork grease is not supplied, but it is needed. You\u2019ll need to purchase this separately.<\/li><li>What kinds of reed work with the ECL-100? Any Bb soprano <a href=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/vandoren-vs-rico-reed\/\"  >clarinet reeds<\/a> will work with the Etude ECL 100 clarinet. They come in different strengths, the best strength for a beginner is 2 or 2-\u00bd.<\/li><li>What kind of case does the clarinet ship with? The case has a hard shell made of plastic.<\/li><li>What is the warranty? It comes with a one-year warranty.<\/li><li>Can the ligature screw be easily replaced? You can check with a music repair shop to see if they have a screw that will fit, or just purchase a new ligature. The cheapest ligature is generally under $10.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_words\"><\/span>Final words<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Although the Etude ECL-100 is an inexpensive clarinet with an acceptable quality for the price, depending on your musical ambitions you may want to save up and buy a higher-end instrument to begin with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Yamaha YCL-255, the Vito Student Clarinet, and the Buffet Crampon Premium Student Bb Clarinet are great examples of pricier but much better-made options.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When looking at purchasing a beginner clarinet, there are many brands available, with a wide range of cost. A very popular option is the Etude ECL 100 Bb soprano clarinet. The Etude ECL-100 is a decent affordable beginner clarinet with good quality for the money. It sounds quite good, has an attractive look, and comes &#8230; <a title=\"Etude ECL-100 Clarinet Review: A Popular Beginner Option\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/etude-ecl-100-clarinet-review\/\" aria-label=\"More on Etude ECL-100 Clarinet Review: A Popular Beginner Option\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1248,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/922"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=922"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/922\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1248"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=922"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=922"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/groovewiz.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=922"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}