Klarinet Archive - Posting 000005.txt from 2005/04
From: "Keith" <100012.1302@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] RE: basset clarinet - Buffet.....
Date: Fri, 1 Apr 2005 12:47:34 -0500
Roger,
As others have remarked, I have a basset joint made by Steve Fox. This is a
replacement lower joint for the A clarinet, and fits on my Leblanc Concerto.
I use the existing top joint etc, and bell. I am delighted with it. It is
also a very economical way to go. But I am not selling.
I performed the Mozart quintet on it recently and was most pleased. I also
lent it to a very good Royal Academy of Music student to audition for K622
last month and he wrote: "I have to say it's a truly remarkable piece of
kit. If you EVER decide to sell the instrument, please do let me know as I
would snap it up." (he's in line after Forest!). This he used on a Buffet,
RC I think, and there were no fitting or intonation problems. But Steve
would make sure it worked with whatever instrument you used it with. Or of
course, you could buy a complete clarinet from him, or a complete other
clarinet and put the lower joint on the shelf. But it is really not needed.
Exchanging the joint when needed is fine, and preserves the
mouthpiece/barrel setup that one is used to. There is a small difference in
resistance, which was easily handled by a different reed. The sound is, if
anything, improved to my (and Steve's) ear.
Unless he says otherwise, his instruments are all hand crafted from scratch.
The basset joint is a single piece complete new replacement for the usual
lower joint, and yes, it is to low C. I have all my bass/basset instruments
keywork laid out on the Buffet bass clarinet pattern.
I don't know what you mean by "dedicated to the basset clarinet approach". I
don't believe there is any difference between the top
joint/barrel/mouthpiece of the regular clarinet and that of the basset
clarinet, either now or historically. Does anyone know differently?
And as Forest and Ben remark, my basset horn is also a dream. I could hardly
prise it out of Forest's hands, and we joked when I left him that he had to
count his Kaspar mouthpieces, and I had to count my basset horn! I also have
a Fox eefer, which plays in tune in the altissimo without fudge fingering!
Of course, you have to wait a year or so to get one made from Steve, so it
also depends on your urgency.
Keith Bowen
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Date: Thu, 31 Mar 2005 16:21:55 -0600
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> From: Roger Garrett <rgarrett@-----.edu>
> Subject: basset clarinet - Buffet.....
> Message-Id: <5.2.1.1.0.20050331161734.0180e010@-----.edu>
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> On briefly. I'm sending two messages - first is this one, second one
> a question response to an earlier post.
>
> I am currently looking for a Basset Clarinet to purchase - fairly soon
> I would think. The instrument I am looking for would be a modern
> clarinet pitched in the key of A with a low C extension. I know that
> Buffet manufactures one, and I found one in stock ready to go.
> However, I have read quite a bit about Stephen Fox and his work, and I
> wonder if anyone can shed some light regarding the quality of the
> basset clarinets that he produces. Again - anything close to the bore
> of my Buffet R-13 A is best - but it should probably be an instrument
> dedicated to the basset clarinet approach.
> What I have read at his website, the Fox basset clarinets are
> extensions to be added to the standard clarinet. I do see that he
> sells an entire basset clarinet for $4800 US funds (hope I got that
> right). Does anyone have experience with these? Are they brand new,
> hand crafted? Or - are they existing clarinets that have been
> reworked?
>
> Oh - and if anyone is selling one..........!
>
> Thanks!
>
> Best wishes,
> Roger Garrett
> Illinois Wesleyan University
>
> http://www.iwu.edu/~rgarrett/
>
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