Preliminary review: Spencer's Alto

[Walden]

Here's a sort of first-impressions review, having had this ocarina for a day.

Instrument: Alto 12-hole Ocarina

Body style: Sweet potato

Fingering system: 12-hole.

Maker: Spencer's Ocarinas

Key: C

Color: Green (also available in blue, red, Zelda-replica, and, according to the manual, unglazed)

This ocarina has a great sound, quite consistent through its range.

I am pleased to see an American maker not only taking interest in the 12-hole ocarina, but producing high calibre ones.

At US$75, for the alto, the price is comparable to that of other makers, though he has sold these for US$10 less, on eBay.

There are mass-produced ocarinas on the market, in some parts of the world, that aren't up to par, but this hand-tuned ocarina is of very high quality.

The hole placement is comfortable, and, unlike some sweet potato ocarinas, the left-pinky finger hole is offset enough to keep the scale from seeming confusing. The holes are undercut, for good intonation, without being too large to easily seal with the fingers.

In appearance, the green glaze is slightly mottled, and nice looking. The three bumps, from propping it for firing, form a triangle around the window, on the underside of the instrument. Spencer's logo (the name Spencer, formed into the shape of an ocarina) is impressed on the top of the instrument, opposite the window.

The 12-hole system has the widest range of any standard ocarina, and I am so glad to see its arrival in the United States. The range goes fom la below the main octave to fa above the octave.

Chromatic notes are easy to play, as the fingering system is quite intuitive, and all the notes are clear, yet not piercing. Unlike some ocarinas, even the highest notes sound clear and sweetly.

Spencer includes a manual with a tutorial, fingering charts, background information, and tabs (similar to the tabs on this site, but specific to the 12-hole ocarina), as well as a 27-page tunebook, with tabs for an assortment of tunes, including movie themes, pop tunes, folksongs, carols, patriotic and hymntunes.

After I've had more time to get to know this instrument, I plan to revise this review and add it to the Oc-Land home page.

[Walden]

Having spent a few days with this ocarina, I think I like it even more. Its range is enough that it can handle most songs that are singable, including those that are hard to sing, and as a 12-hole ocarina, has a better range than those used by the Budrio group, which plays classical and baroque music, among others.

I've had a few questions about ordering from Spencer, and if there is a Web site. At this point, they are sold through eBay. You can check to see if any are up for auction at the Spencer's Ocarinas Store:

stores.ebay.com/Spencers-Ocarinas

[kenneth]

I have a Spencer alto and soprano. Both are very high quality instruments, but I would like to point out some differences. The soprano is smaller, of course but MUCH lighter. The soprano, under the ear, sounds softer and warmer in tone. The double holes, which get you the lowerest notes, are easier to cover on the soprano as well. The alto is a powerhouse as far as ocarinas go. For a first time buyer, I would recommend a soprano first.

[Walden]

kenneth said:

I have a Spencer alto and soprano. Both are very high quality instruments, but I would like to point out some differences. The soprano is smaller, of course but MUCH lighter.

You make a good point. Just a few days ago, someone else decided to try and play on it, and first thing they said was "whoa! this is heavy." That said, I must admit, I've sort of wished I'd gotten a tenor.

I really do love the sound of this alto. I played it with my aunt on the piano, at a recent birthday party, and we were discussing when we could get together and do it again.

My thanks to Karen Dunster for pointing me to this maker.

[ocarinasearcher]

where do i get a spencer ocarina other than ebay? i just went on it but i couldnt find a zelda replica ocarina. is there any way i can get a spencer ocarina?

[Nove]

"Spencer's Alto" isn't a zelda replica, although I think he was selling one on ebay. Go to songbird ocarinas for zelda junk.

[ocarinasearcher]

ive already bought an ocarina from songbird ocarinas. now i want a zelda replica from spencer's. is there any way to contact him or somethin? ive checked spencer's site at geocities, but he doesnt have like a "contact me" or order form.

[Walden]

ocarinasearcher said:

now i want a zelda replica from spencer's. is there any way to contact him or somethin?

Sure, you can send him a message through his eBay account at stores.ebay.com/Spencers-Ocarinas

[Walden]

I think that most of what I wrote still applies, and I'll probably post the review to the homepage soon.

The down side is, it's a little expensive for an item that is, with much use, almost a matter of time till it gets shattered. Indeed it did shatter the other night, I was putting it away, after being out with it, and it fell on concrete and broke into pieces. I saved the pieces, intending to glue it back together (which actually sometimes works with ocarinas), but it looks as if it shattered in such a way as to be beyond repair.

[kmsgameboy]

Iv seen one of the Zelda replicas on ebay for $105. I did a web search for Spencer's Ocarinas and even went to the web address on the Oc's guide and came up with nothing. Until now I though it was a fake to reel in Zelda fan boys. Thanks for the heads up...and too bad they are so expensive (for my budget anyway)...they are beautiful ocarinas! ;D

[Walden]

nove said:

"Spencer's Alto" isn't a zelda replica, although I think he was selling one on ebay. Go to songbird ocarinas for zelda junk.

He does offer a Zelda replica, in blue, complete with the gold emblem on the mouthpiece. There's one currently up for auction at eBay. cgi.ebay.com/WARP-TIME-ZELDA-FANS-OCARINA-FLUTE-OCARINAS-OF-CERAMIC_W0QQitemZ8209181634QQcategoryZ62053QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Even if you're not interested in the Zelda-look, this link is worth visiting, as it's got sound samples of Spencer's alto. The link will still work for several weeks after the auction ends, so there'll be some time.

As for his Web site, he has stated, on the Ocarinaclub list, that he won't be putting it onlline till he has enough stock.

His old eBay store is gone. To find what, if anything he has up for auction, now, you can always check here: search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZspencersocarinas

As for Zelda junk, a good several of the makers have produced ocarinas modeled after the ocarinas in Ocarina of Time. Clearly the ocarinas in that game are just traditional "sweet potato" ocs, but the cartoonish form of the game rendered a fanciful hole arrangement, which some makers of 4-hole ocarinas attempted to emulate with mock holes. The only one who took that route and made it really look like the hole setup on the Ocarina of Time, is Terry Riley, so far as I know: www.terryrileyvesselflutes.com/Catalogue%20pages%20and%20sounds/zeldoc.htm

The Zelda ocs offered by Songbird, Clayzeness, and Terry Riley are all just English-system ocarinas in a "sweet potato" shape. They are hybrids. The same is true of Dunster's Itty Bitty Blue ocarina. This makes them also a good choice for players of English-style ocs, who want something traditional-looking.