Klarinet Archive - Posting 000837.txt from 2002/04

From: Neil Leupold <leupold_1@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Rossi clarinets & barrels
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2002 11:55:50 -0400

--- GrabnerWG@-----.com wrote:

> This is because on his clarinets, the barrel is quite a bit shorter and
> there is more length to the body of the clarinet. In other words, more
> length above the register key.

Yes, I noted this in a previous post.

> As far as I was concerned, the Rossis clarinet is a "different animal",
> true to itself, but not conforming to the Buffet (or any other) world.
> SO I don't see the problem.

Then you happen to be the type of person who is inclined to accept a
product out of the box, as it were, without the desire to tweak the
standard configuration to see if it can be customized to your specif-
ic desires. You may not actually be this kind of person, but your
statement implies that mentality, and I prefer to know that I have
choices of customization, i.e., options, rather than having to ac-
cept whatever I receive as the only possible configuration of the
product. It's a $3500 instrument ($4000+ in Rosewood with Luis' own
Bb mechanism and Ab/Eb key). I know it's a fantastic instrument,
but it's still a little disappointing to lose the flexibility of
barrel choice when I could spend $2000 less for an instrument that
is not $2000-worth inferior in overall quality *and* retain the
ability to tweak the barrel spec. 'Know what I mean?

> Another point, which has become very obvious to me, and rather pain-
> fully so: there are so many different bore choices out there, that a
> "Chadash", or "Fobes" or "Grabner" barrel might work well on one clar-
> inet, yet cause a whole raft of intonation and response problems on
> another.

The plethora of barrel choices out there for the major clarinet brands
is a virtue, not a curse. Much like the fact that a brand new clarinet
is not usually performance-ready and needs mechanical fine-tuning, and
that the stock mouthpiece is not usually suitable for high-level play-
ing, the barrel can have such a dramatic impact on tone, intonation,
and response that I take it as a given that I'm going to want to exper-
iment and optimize that part of the instrument as soon as I have time
to conduct some trials. And nobody with a brain just goes out and buys
a $150 barrel or a $200 mouthpiece without kicking the tires and making
sure it does what they want it to do on their specific instrument. Among
the many non-fits of accessories, there are many choices that *do* fit
and, for a given player, serve to enhance their playing. That's an op-
tion I'm reluctant to give up when it comes to barrels.

Interestingly enough, as everybody saw, Morrie Backun actually makes cus-
tom barrels that work on Rossi clarinets, so it's possible that one of his
customized products might provide choices if a person becomes curious about
whether or not they can improve upon their experience with their Rossi clar-
inet by trying barrels beyond the two that came "in the box" <inhale>. The
beauty of capitalism. Market forces abhor a void, and apparently Morrie has
perceived a significant enough market in barrels for Rossis that he's will-
ing to capture part of it for himself.

Neil

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