Klarinet Archive - Posting 000911.txt from 1998/09

From: ROBERT ABRAHAM <rkabear@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Jazz horns
Date: Thu, 24 Sep 1998 18:55:22 -0400

Lisa,

Couple of suggestions for Jazz Clarinet.

Try looking at the setup from a different angle. Look for the combination, not just the horn.

Elite is a bright sound, but doesn't give the body that the other Buffet Clarinets do, plus it's REALLY expensive...more than the Prestige.

Either the regular or Prestige RC bore horns are great for a *large* sound. You can get a regular RC for the price of an R13 horn.

The Pete Fountain model with the large bore (I think Leblanc still has mor than one Pete Fountain model) is great for jazz! I especially like the way the optional gold plated keys look, and they don't tarnish as fast with my acid perspiration from my hands. I figured the gold keys might be a good option for you, since you like the keywork on your clear Buffet (which *IS* really pretty, especially with the copper keys). You can get SOUND from this horn...not just bright like the Elite, but BIG SOUND. The drawback is somewhat like the Elite, though, because it is not as blending for "legit" sound ensembles.

My thoughts (relating to your criteria) would be to get a Buffet RC (regular or Prestige, though the Prestige has better key placement, and the alternate Eb/Ab is standard on the Prestige <grin>), take a crystal mouthpiece with a big chamber, and howl away. Then, when you have legit stuff...use a different mouthpiece. Also try Bb Soprano Sax Vandoren "JAVA" reeds on the clarinet for more jazz/more bite. This would keep you from having a horn limited *only* to the biting jazz sound, plus the bright sound would still have great body behind it.

In relation to a soprano sax...try a Winston, if the pro prices seem high. My preference for a soprano would be Yanagasawa (by Leblanc) even over the Selmers, but I played on a "black gold" laquered Winston for a gig a few months back, and it was great! Wonderful, stable sound...not tin-like or toy like...SUBSTANTIAL sound. It played in tune, was quite a pretty horn, and I believe new, it resales at most discount woodwind dealers for about $1200 - $1500...MUCH less that $2500+ for a Selmer or $2200+ for different Yanagasawa lines (or Yamaha, LA Sax, etc.) I was really impressed with the horn, and if money had allowed, I would have bought the sax.

Hope it helps.

Kelly Abraham
Woodwinds/Computer Geek
New York City
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I'm going to go out on a limb here and ask-- how does the Elite sound with jazz clarinet? How about Dixieland/trad clarinet in particular? I've been toying with the idea of getting a really piercing, bright (ie, lots of high overtones) clarinet for my Dixieland gigs. Right now I have a student Buffet B-12 (the clear one with the copper keys-- thank you Francois & Buffett for creating something so gorgeous) which was fine for an amateur like me. But I'm getting to the point in my development where I want a more "pro" horn, something that can cut over the trumpet-trombone-tenor sax combo. I've tried the Buffet R-13 and Festival models. They are both lovely horns, but not the sound I'm looking for. I'd like to try the LeBlanc models, particularly the Pete Fountain model, but haven't had a chance. Anybody out there have experience in this particular clarinet niche?

As for Jupiter saxes, I once tried a Jupiter soprano. Now, I'm no great shakes at sax, and the soprano sax is especially onery, but adding me and the Jupiter together was downright scary. On the soprano LA Sax I tried I can get within a dime or two of being in tune; on the Jupiter it was at least a buck-twenty-five.

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