Klarinet Archive - Posting 000376.txt from 1998/01

From: Edmund William White <ewhite@-----.us>
Subj: Re: Contrabass Reeds
Date: Thu, 8 Jan 1998 00:44:22 -0500

On Thu, 8 Jan 1998, DGross1226 wrote:

> 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.
>
You may be referring to me. I play both, a Leblanc Contrabass,
and a Selmer Paris Contralto with a Selmer C*.

Ed White