Klarinet Archive - Posting 000375.txt from 1998/01

From: DGross1226 <DGross1226@-----.com>
Subj: Re: Contrabass Reeds
Date: Thu, 8 Jan 1998 00:44:21 -0500

In a message dated 98-01-07 20:13:35 EST, you write:

<< This might sound like a stupid question, but--I am a bass clarinet player
who was just asked to play the Bb contrabass clarinet for her music group
for one piece. My father went a music store and bought a reed for me. It
was the exact same size as my bass clarinet reed. Aren't they supposed to
larger? I've played the contra alto before, and the reeds were twice as
big. Any help is appreciated.>>

With the advent of the contra-alto/contra bass mouthpieces made by the
Woodwind Company for LeBlanc horns, one LARGE reed fits all, which means the
RICO conta-alto/contrabass reeds will work just fine. And you're right, they
are MUCH larger. If your contrabass clarinet has an original LeBlanc mpc,
then I'm afraid only the large Vandoren contrabass reeds (at almost 2x the
price) will cover the opening. I'm just not that familiar with the Selmer
contrabass mpc but I'm assuming that it too will require larger reeds. Please
e-mail me privately if you need more help.

Don Gross
La Canada, California

...who's playing on a LeBlanc contrabass with a VITO mpc and a Bundy contra-
alto with a Selmer C* mpc.