Klarinet Archive - Posting 000238.txt from 1995/01

From: Syd Polk <jazzman@-----.COM>
Subj: Buying a bass clarinet
Date: Fri, 13 Jan 1995 15:04:45 -0500

There are basically two price ranges of new bass clarinets that play
reasonably well:

- The ~$750 range plasticc-student horns like Vito and Yamaha. Actaually,
the Vito and Yamaha are eseentially the same horn. They play mostly in tune,
have a decent sound, and are a good deal. My alto and bass are both Vito,
and I can play all the way to super C and beyond. I am very
very happy with them both, and do not plan on buying replacements
until I need a low C instrument. The Bay neck is supposed to make
these horns play better, but I have not tried it. This is what I
recommend for people who are not going to orchestra auditions
for bass clarinet.

- The ~$3000 and up range that includes the professional Selmer,
Buffet and LeBlanc instruments. From what I have seen and played, they
all three sound great. They all have low C models available, although
they each have their own system of fingering notes below E, which is
annoying. Every one of them has to be treated with kid gloves and they
still have to go to the shop frequently. Great scales, you can play real
high, Buffet has left hand and right hand for low Eb, etc. These
are serious orchestral and recording instruments. If I had one, I would
still use my Vito for pits and jazz band.

Get a good mouthpiece whatever you do.

Syd Polk