Klarinet Archive - Posting 000770.txt from 1999/06

From: Richard Bush <rbushidioglot@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Fw: Plastic Bass Clarinet comparison (Yamaha YCL-220L, Vito 7168, Selmer 1430P)
Date: Fri, 25 Jun 1999 16:39:02 -0400

Nicolas Echaniz wrote:

> Plain Txt version
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Nicolas Echaniz
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Sent: Friday, June 25, 1999 2:38 PM
> Subject: Plastic Bass Clarinet comparison (Yamaha YCL-220L, Vito 7168,
> Selmer 1430P)
>
> Yamaha YCL-220L, Vito 7168, Selmer 1430P.
>
> Can anyone tell me which of these bass clarinets is better and why?
>
> I'm living in Argentina and here it's impossible to get one, so I'll have to
> buy it by mail order from USA.
>
> Thank you very much for your help.
>
> Nico.
>
>

Dear Nico,

All three of the bass clarinets you are considering have good and bad points.
All three can be made to play quite well, but because relatively little time is
spent setting up instruments in this price range by the companies that make
them, I would strongly recommend that you try to work out a deal whereby you
can have it gone over carefully before having it delivered to you in Argentina.

The Selmer instrument is the same one they've been making for thirty or forty
years. Most of these instruments that are in the school systems were made as
Bundy bass clarinets. Now, they are calling them Selmer USA.

The Selmer 1430P has a good big sound and a descent scale. A lot of the tuning
depends upon having correct pad heights. They don't always get this right.
Also, tone holes can have some burring because the boring of the bore is done
after the tone holes are drilled into the body. While a small amount of burring
or plastic residue has relatively little effect on the big tone holes toward
the bottom of the instrument, it can make quite a difference on the smallest
tone holes near the top end of the bass clarinet.

1430Ps have keyword that is very unnatural and awkward under the fingers.

Selmer student line products made today do not have a great deal of precision.
Key work is not carefully cut and does not always fit well between the posts.
Often, there is a great deal of slop.

The end peg on the Selmer plastic bass clarinet tends to slip. It is hard to
get the tightening nut tight enough to keep it in place.

The Selmers come with a terrible mouthpiece.

The Leblanc bass clarinets (Vito) have much more comfortable key work. Key work
is fit much better to the posts.

The end peg has a no-nonsense wing nut that keeps the end peg from slipping.

No body at Leblanc knows how high the keys should be. Both upper and lower
stacks are way too close and consequently the instruments are very, very stuffy
and uneven when they come from the factory. This can be fixed by a good
repairman, but it really must be done before the true quality of the design is
realized. Vitos can also have the tone hole burring that the Selmers have.

The mouthpieces that come on Leblanc bass clarinets are TERRIBLE!!!!

Neck curve on the Vitos is much better than on the Selmers.

Vitos can also be ordered with the low Eb as part of the main body. This is a
much better way to go than having the lowest note on the bell. Lot's less to go
wrong or get bent.

Vitos usually come with goldbeater skin pads like soprano clarinets have. Don't
get them. They puff up, distort, make funny popping sounds and do not last very
long. Opt for the leather set. I think they add about $60 to the price but they
are worth the added cost and will save you money in the long run.

The Yamaha bass clarinets are made by Leblanc and are basically the same
clarinet. I don't know if they are put together by Leblanc or are assembled by
the folks at Yamaha.
Generally, they play the same and come out with the same problems that need
fixing.

In my opinion, the Vitos or Yamahas are a better place to start, even though
you might have to spend another hundred dollars or more to get one playing like
it should.

Also, get a great mouthpiece. Nothing is more important that a good mouthpiece.
I particularly like the Ralph Morgan D facing bass clarinet mouthpiece, but
there are many others that are of very high quality. For sure, you are NOT
going to get a good stock mouthpiece with a student level instrument. This is
one of the ways they cut corners.

If you are interested, I do this after-market set up work that I've mentioned.
Would be happy to work with you.

Best of luck.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unsubscribe from Klarinet, e-mail: klarinet-unsubscribe@-----.org
Subscribe to the Digest: klarinet-digest-subscribe@-----.org
Additional commands: klarinet-help@-----.org
Other problems: klarinet-owner@-----.org

   
     Copyright © Woodwind.Org, Inc. All Rights Reserved    Privacy Policy    Contact charette@woodwind.org