Klarinet Archive - Posting 000565.txt from 1995/05

From: Linda Thomas <WAClarone@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Dunja McKenney and the ba...
Date: Fri, 19 May 1995 12:04:37 -0400

Dunja:
Perhaps I can provide you my learning experiences when I bought my second
bass clarinet about 9 years ago.

I bought a Bundy BC with low E-flat for a song, and had my repairman do a
repad job and worked the mechanism. It was a decent instrument. It had few
leaks and mechanically sound. I donated it when I bought BC#2.

I wanted a low C BC for all the orchestral playing and my teacher at the time
suggested a Leblanc. Price was reasonable at the time, and I just loved
playing his BC, he also had a Bay neck on it, which was even nicer. Anyway,
I tried out BCs and noticed several things:
Seating of the pads - they cannot leak if you want to make that ax sing!
Mechanism. - many pro BCs have screws to adjust seating of pads and the key
elevation. If those screws are too loose, or stripped, etc, it could wreak
havoc.
Wood - obviously no cracks, but also check to see if there are no dings at
the tone holes.
Finishes: Some pro BC have silverplate, some have nickel plated finish.
This is a low priority on my list.
Also the neck should be firmly seated in the tenon, or that can be a problem,
too.

I eventually bought the BC and it was play tested before delivery. It has
been a trouble-free instrument, and I am happy with it. I love playing it.

My definition of a good playing BC is one with the feel of a soprano, but has
a beautiful bass sound.

Nuff said!

Linda (WAClarone@-----.com)