Klarinet Archive - Posting 000207.txt from 2005/11

From: Gary Van Cott <gary@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Contra Alto Clarinet Recommendations Wanted
Date: Thu, 10 Nov 2005 13:10:31 -0500

Thanks Richard.

Gary

At 09:57 AM 11/10/05, you wrote:
>Gary,
>
>After sending my comments to [kl] and you specifically, I had an
>afterthought that I believe has merit. I don't have the bore specs
>handy on the contra-altos and BBb contra-basses of Selmer and
>Leblanc, but I do remember that they are less for the Selmer USA
>contra-alto and almost identical to the Selmer/Paris contra-alto than
>what they are for the Leblancs, whether of plastic and American made
>or the French made versions, and the bore for the BBb, rosewood
>Selmer is larger than that of the Leblanc. Leblanc uses the SAME bore
>for there EEb contra-altos and BBb contra-basses. I does seem to be
>quite a compromise Leblanc has chosen to make on two instruments of
>such hugely different dimensions. My gut feeling is that Selmer has
>it right.
>
>RB
>
>On Nov 10, 2005, at 10:31 AM, Gary Van Cott wrote:
>
>>Hello Richard,
>>
>>Thank you for your recommendations. The Selmer USA received about
>>80 percent of the recommendations so I have sent that to the band
>>director (who is also the chair of the performing arts department
>>at the moment) and included your comments.
>>
>>Thanks again,
>>
>>Gary
>>
>>At 11:15 AM 11/9/05, you wrote:
>>>The Selmer USA, aka Bundy, is patterned after the rosewood, French
>>>Selmer contra alto. While not as refined, and maybe needing some tone
>>>hole de-burring and phrazing, it is a true bargain....maybe the
>>>biggest bang for the buck of any low reed harmony instrument. The
>>>keywork is NOT ergonomically comfortable. I really feels like crap
>>>under the fingers, but it plays extraordinarily well. Some material
>>>can be cut, ground, buffed from the tips of the r.h. C/F and G#/D#
>>>(top terrace for the right hand baby finger) to make moving around
>>>down there easier, and there are some other key tweaks that can be
>>>done if one wants, but it is very playable inspite of its dumb finger
>>>feel. Mr. Marvin Roth played book five of Chorus LIne on Broadway for
>>>fifteen years using a Bundy contra-alto. If it's a good enough horn
>>>to be in the pit with some of the best doublers and pit musicians in
>>>the world, then it is probably good enough to be the contra-alto
>>>clarinet in a community college band.
>>>
>>>Richard Bush
>>
>>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>+ Gary Van Cott - Van Cott Information Services, Inc.
>>+ Woodwind and Brass: Books, Music, CDs and More
>>+ http://www.vcisinc.com/ --> VISA MasterCard Discover AmExp <--
>>+ P.O. Box 9569, Las Vegas, NV 89191, USA
>>+ Phone: 702-438-2102 Fax: 801-650-1719 Email: Gary@-----.com
>>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>
>>
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>
>
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++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Gary Van Cott - Van Cott Information Services, Inc.
+ Woodwind and Brass: Books, Music, CDs and More
+ http://www.vcisinc.com/ --> VISA MasterCard Discover AmExp <--
+ P.O. Box 9569, Las Vegas, NV 89191, USA
+ Phone: 702-438-2102 Fax: 801-650-1719 Email: Gary@-----.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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Klarinet is a service of Woodwind.Org, Inc. http://www.woodwind.org