Klarinet Archive - Posting 001165.txt from 2000/10

From: "Kevin Fay (LCA)" <kevinfay@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Stuff (was BAM double case)
Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2000 17:29:21 -0400

Ann H Satterfield asked:

<<<I like the concept of the BAM double 'treking' clarinet case, in
BrassWind and Woodwind catalog, but i have not seen one in real life.>>>

Hi Ann--

I may not be an expert on clarinets, but I have owned a *lot* of cases. My
instruments tend to ride around in the trunk of cars a lot, so the cases get
banged up (so the horns don't have to). My case du jour is an Orly
"integrated" triple. Superficially very nice -- but the interior is made up
of foam that is starting to come apart. Not good.

I have seen a BAM case. Cosmetically, it's very nice. Unless you are going
to use the backpack feature, however, I'd get the Yamaha double case -- it's
also very nice, and much, much less expensive. Plus, the construction of
the BAM case looks a lot like my Orly that's not holding up so well.

My rant for the day -- why can't they make good cases any more? When I was
a kid -- back when mastodons roamed the Earth -- the Buffet double case was
this great big oval-ish thing with a rolled leather edge that was built like
a tank. (The other old fogies on the list should remember -- it's the one
that proclaimed "The Sweetest Clarinet Ever Made" on a ribbon on the inside
of the lid.) Recent Buffet clarinets have better quality control, I think,
but the cases have gotten much less satisfactory. The solution for a while
was to get a Leblanc -- but the triple case I used for a while fell apart.
As Pooh would say, "Oh bother!"

I have used the Yamaha double case for a while; it's pretty good, with room
for 4 barrels and plenty of accessories. I've been playing a lot of Eb
lately, though, so have been using the triple. (I also recent bought a
Yamaha A, so have 2 of them. Someday I'll put the other on eBay).

Ann also asked:

<<<Simple, light single clarinet stand. Also, I want to get a single
clarinet stand. One of the students here
has one that has no name or identifying marks. It is black plastic, has
four legs (pivot attached) to the main piece that lock flat each over a
knob. It folds to fit inside the bell in the case.>>>

. . . that would be a "Pak-a-stand." I guess I like them, since one has
been in my case for about 15 years. I hardly ever use it, though -- only
when I forget a bigger one or have a rehearsal when only 1 horn will be out.
(I'm lazy; I like 1 stand per horn so I can read a magazine whilst the
strings have their sectional in front of us.)

I do a fair amount of pit work, so I have a lot of instrument stands. For
clarinet (as well as oboe, eng. horn, flute & picc), my vote would be to get
a Blayman. They're built like a tank -- literally, a plate of steel for the
base. You need a crowbar to knock the 4-peg base over. They cost more
money, but a whole lot less than having your horns repaired. K & L makes a
nice fold-up model that will take 4 pegs too, but it's not as stable.

Tip of the day -- an old teacher of mine taught me this. If you're playing
in a dark pit and your clarinet peg is black, you will spend a fair amount
of time hunting for it when you should be playing. (It's embarrassing when
you miss). To find the peg in the dark, paint a white dot on the tip of the
peg with White-Out; it sort of glows in the dark, and you can find the peg
much easier.

kjf

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