Klarinet Archive - Posting 000199.txt from 2006/10

From: "Clark W Fobes" <claroneman@-----.net>
Subj: [kl] Fobes Eb Extensions
Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 00:02:25 -0400

My Eb extension was an idea that had been fomenting for several years, but
initially as an addition for Bb clarinets. The concept came from working on
a pair of full system Boehm clarinets about 15 years ago and noticing how
beautifully the B naturals spoke and tuned on those instruments. But like
most of my good ideas it sat in some neurological way station until David
Niethammer presented an interesting problem to me.

David owned a very old Buffet C clarinet that had a modern bell. This
bell was obviously too short and the instrument was unusable due to the
extremely sharp Bell tones. David wanted me to make a bell, but I don't have
the proper set up. I proposed that I make an extension instead. I believe it
took two versions, but the 2nd worked so well that I decided to experiment
with a similar extension for Eb

Originally the idea was to improve the drastic timber change when
crossing from the throat tones to the bell tones. This it does quite well,
because the tone is coming out of a tone hole rather than the bell. The
interesting phenomenon that I did not expect was how much more even the
entire range of the instrument played and particularly how the extension
stabilized the altissimo register..

I first showed that extensions at the Clarfest in Utah. They were a big
hit. I believe I sold 6 of the 8 I brought

I had never seen this concept used on any clarinet as an extension and I
thought I had an original idea. However, upon showing it with pride to the
Buffet guys at the Utah conference they told me that at one time they had
made something like that for the Elite clarinets!

My newest extensions are made of Cocobolo which produces an even warmer
sound - plus I really like the look of the dark red wood against the black.

Clark W Fobes

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