Klarinet Archive - Posting 000790.txt from 1996/02

From: Brad Behn <BradBehn@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: C clarinets, Tuning, Mouthpieces,etc.
Date: Mon, 26 Feb 1996 13:23:21 -0500

Regarding C Clarinets, I have had the pleasure of owning a "LL" Leblanc C
clarinet. It was a beautiful instrument. It had silver keys and played
beautifully in tune, perhaps even better than most Bb clarinets! It is now
being played in the Lyric Opera of Chicago...A good home for such a good
instrument!

I now own a Buffet R-13 C Clarinet that I prefer to my old Leblanc. My
buffet is also a beautiful C clarinet. It has silver keys and plays very
well in tune...again better than most Bb clarinets. This instrument has a
serial number in the 267,000 range. Although I don't use this instrument
very often, I do love it. Besides the price was right.

I like my Buffet better than my old Leblanc, But the Leblanc is an
outstanding instrument. I would recommend everyone searching for a C
clarinet to check out the leblanc...especially the old "LL" model from 25
years or so ago.

C clarinets do turn up occasionally, just be patient! I found my old "LL"
leblanc at the local music store in Tulsa...They had traded it in for a
portion of an electric piano purchase. They thought it was a Bb clarinet and
figured they could rent or sell it to a local school kid. When finding that
they had a C clarinet instead of a Bb clarinet, they just wanted to "move" it
out and get their money back. I got a great deal!

My Buffet C clarinet was found in a little music store a couple of blocks
away from Orchestra hall. The owner of the store had been sitting on the
instrument for years I am sure. Infact I wonder if anyone even knows of the
existance of the store. Anyway, I bought the instrument and am very happy
with it.

So, for the record, I would like to say that there are plenty of good C
clarinets out there, you just have to look and be lucky.

Regarding mouthpoieces, my regular Bb clarinet mouthpiece works very well on
my C clarinet. The problem is that many mouthpieces play lower than my
mouthpiece. So I certainly can understand if someone has trouble playing in
tune on a C clarinet with a regular Bb clarinet mouthpiece. Indeed C
clarinet mouthpieces do exist!

Clark Fobes wrote some important things regarding the relationship of the
chamber volume and the bore volume of mouthpieces. So, I would like to
suggest that even when shortening your Bb clarinet mouthpiece you may still
have trouble playing in tune. When tinkering with mouthpieces and changing
important volume relationships etc. problems can arise. Then again, maybe
shortenning the mouthpiece may prove to be just what the doctor ordered! The
question is, are you willing to experiment?

I got lucky with my Bb mouthpiece and it works on my C clarinet. I think
that ideally this is the way to go...just like on your A and Bb clarinets,
you don't want to have a different mouthpiece. It is also nice to use the
same mouthpiece on your C clarinet as you use with your Bb and A clarinets.
But, if you are having trouble playing in tune...try a different Bb
mouthpiece or get a C clarinet mouthpiece. In my experience, C clarinet
mouthieces really make a difference.

If you are having trouble locating C clarinet mouthpieces that are
satisfactory to you, I have a dozen Riffault C clarinet mouthpieces and a few
old Miller (from Milwaulkee) c clarinet mouthpieces. these are very good
blanks to say the least and if you really need one, I would be willing to
give one to you...if you ask very nicely!

Happy C clarinet hunting.

Brad Behn@-----.com