 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-14 09:18
Though the Ridenour Bass isn't quite what we expected it to be, it could still be a decent student bass. With myself and several others planning on trying them out as trips to Brook Mays allows, the reviews should start coming in, and I think to be fair, we should have a group to test it against. The Selmer 1430P costs on average about the same, and is also a student-model, so maybe that's a good place to start (Brook Mays also carries the 1430P, so they could be compared side by side). What is the corresponding Buffet model?
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Author: javier garcia m
Date: 2004-06-14 19:05
The 1180 model is the Buffet student Bass. Is made of granadilla, goes to low Eb, and has the double register system (different holes for throat Bb and register vent). it doesn't has the left-hand pinky key for Ab/Eb
Its price is over 3.000
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-14 19:33
Ridenour Bass - BC147 - $1100
Yamaha YCL221 Bass - $1470
Buffet 1180 - N/A for Brook Mays (3975 for WWBW)
The top two prices are from Brook Mays. Is that all, not including Vito and Jupiter models?
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2004-06-14 20:07
Igl Bob, I'm glad that mention was made of the Yam and Vito basses in this "price area". I've not had the opportunity [yet] to try the Rid, but will do so, and attempt to compare [among the equals {in price}] with their SRK "abilities" to the DRK improvements possible on the costly woods from Buff and Sel, [reading your EM on Bass Cl]. Pertinent but difficult ?'s. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-15 00:14
A curiosity to mention - Jerry Zis just hooked me up with a number to talk to Ridenour at Brook Mays, who apparantly is letting some people try out his prototype Low-C bass on appointment basis. Since others are planning on visiting the store, I'll go ahead and supply the number here:
1-800-442-7680
and I was told to "ask for him" at that number, which incidentally, is at the very least not the main store number listed on the BM website. Good luck to all.
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Author: Reed
Date: 2004-06-26 22:22
I live and play in Dallas, TX. On Friday, 25 Jun 2004, I test played both Eb and low C bass clarinets in Tom Ridenour's office/studio at Brook-Mays pro shop in Dallas. The low C bass was the final prototype for production. Ridenour told me that he expects the first shipment of production low C horns to arrive in late July in Dallas.
The low Eb horn has a swedge neck and single register key similar to the Leblanc 325. It is definitely a student model instrument: some not in tune notes - middle line Bb for example - and more chuffiness that I get from my old Leblanc. The keys are nickel plated.
The low C instrument seems to have the mechanical design of the better Yamaha basses. But, this instrument is a magnitude, at least, above the low Eb. The low C prototype played nearly effortlessly. The split/dual register mechanism is simple and weighted (ergonomically) very even with all the other keys on the horn. Ridenour told me that he has worked hard to make sure that this instrument plays in tune throughout the 3 registers. And, while I am not a pro player, I will say that I had no trouble playing and hearing a well made horn - with little or no emboucher adjustments. The keys are silver plated.
I told Ridenour that I will purchase a low C from the first lot when they arrive in Texas. The prototype did not have a serial number or logo on the key sections. If the production horns are as good as the prototype, this instrument is going to be strong competition in the pro market.
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Author: Bob A
Date: 2004-06-26 23:58
Reed, what price range was Mr. Ridenour pitching his low C into?
Bob A
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-27 05:26
Indeed! That is the question. If it's priced similarly to the other Low-C instruments, it's going to have quite a bit of competition. If it's priced more towards the student wallet, it may have _no_ competition! Plastic, "Ridenite", or wood? The silver-plated keys may be a first hint that he's aiming this towards a pro pocketbook.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2004-06-27 06:33
I hope the low C bass has the keywork that a bass clarinet should have. In addition to the regular and extended keywork it should have a left hand Eb/Ab key (indispensable) and articulated G#/C# (almost indispensable). With the necessary keywork, good intonation, and a strong, free-blowing clarion register it could be a real contender.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2004-06-27 12:12
If it is to compete with the high-dollar Low C bass clarinets in current production, the fit and finish of the keywork must be considerably better than the B-flat TR147.
The TR147 has a tremendous sound and flexibility but the mechanics are constantly in need of adjustment.
(The most commonly used keys with through-rods, like the A and Ab are loosely fit and prone to accidental opening.)
It will have my attention if (and only if) it competes with student line instruments on price.
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Author: Wayne Thompson
Date: 2004-06-29 15:34
So, there is an open question here for Reed or for anyone.
What is the cost of the Ridenour low C Bass?
And Mssrs. Small and Botch ask about keywork.
Also, another important question will be how successfully Tom moves from protoptype to production. Does anyone know where he has his clarinets manufactured?
Wayne T.
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Author: Reed
Date: 2004-06-30 04:56
Ridenour told me last Friday that the suggested retail at BMays for his low C bass clarinet should be $2,495.00 with a street price of approximately $2,000.00.
Today, I visited with TR again for a few minutes to tell him that I will purchase one from the frist shipment to arrive in Dallas. The first 5 horns are expected to arrive by July 30, 2004.
The only contingency for me will be techical set up of some things I want on my clarinets. Heather Karlsson, his repair gal, just did some work on my Eb Alto - faced the rails on my Garrett mouthpiece, installed a teflon strip under the spring for the A key in the top joint, evened out the key heights on both joints, replaced register key pads with synthetics (my wet mouth stuff dries on the register key pads no matter how I clean them), etc. She is capable of doing some custom things - she is a player as well as a technician. Works only on clarinets - all sizes, all makes.
I play a Leblanc 325 bass that Speigelthal overhauled last year. It plays just fine. I've always wanted to own a pro level bass clarinet. I think that you will agree that Ridenour has succeeded in producing a competitive instrument. Will it play and sound like a Selmer or a Buffet? I really don't know. Each of you will have to make your own decision.
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Author: Reed
Date: 2004-06-30 05:10
Ridenour's Ridenite (hard rubber) bass clarinets are being manufactured in China. It's globalization, I suppose...
I asked TR about durability of key work: locking post screws, annealing vs. stamping for key covers, spring material, etc. I got generic answers that did not address the techinical aspects of my questions. TR said that he has worked on the acoustics and other folks have/are working on the mechanics. My understanding is that these instruments are not going to be manufactured by old world craftsmen, by hand, each joint reamed by low RPM hand made tooling, etc.
My career has been in the wood products manufactuing industry, specifically high end kitchen cabinetry. I know from personal experience what CNC machines can do AND how human beings can extend to near perfection the machine's work in wood. I am satisfied with the prototype I played. We'll see what the production horns are like soon.
My interest is in a horn that speaks clearly on every note, in tune, with no chuffiness from the low C to altissimo high G, evenly sprung keywork, engineered to withstand daily practice and performance with little adjustment, and repairable (available parts) for years into the future. I am not concerned about who or where the instrument is manufactured.
All this may be different from your point of view. I respect that for you.
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-30 16:51
Well, while we're wishing for things, I wouldn't mind a Bass that has absolutely no extra resistance in the upper clarion! I'll let you know when I find one.
But in seriousness, I'll have to get over there and try one for myself before making sturdy opinions, but really, he doesn't even know what the keywork is going to look like on his own bass? Well it's still relatively cheap for a low-c bass (ok, a lot cheap) so it's still definitely worth looking at. I don't at all expect this to be a top-of-the-line low c instrument replacement, though.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2004-06-30 17:37
Mainland China or Taiwan? Taiwan has been producing saxophones that have earned good reputations. So it's possible that a Taiwanese bass clarinet would be a good well-made horn. But I would be leery about buying anything made in mainland China until the old communist regime is sent packing.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2004-06-30 20:51
Don't hold your breath.
The fact is that the factory products are first rate, even if the "top management" is tin-pot.
GMC has just expanded it's joint venture in Shanghai, as their output is nearly 1200 times more profitable per vehicle than those made (and sold) in the USA. I would not be surprised to find a small factory capable of solid work in the Mainland.
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Author: clarinetcurious
Date: 2004-07-01 17:01
what has communism got to do with it?
is good workmanship the exclusive domain of capitalism?
what about Sviatoslav Richter?
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2004-07-01 17:23
Note the reported improvement of the Amati line of instruments after the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia. They (Amati) made (by all accounts) junk while under the communist regime. Now they have earned a reputation for making very decent instruments at a very good price. I'm reminded of the response given by a Russian worker when asked how the soviet system worked: "They pretend to pay us and we pretend to work." The capitalist system has many flaws but it does tend to produce higher quality products than state controlled economies.
Post Edited (2004-07-01 17:39)
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-07-01 17:37
I should soon have a few data points to report re: Soviet-era clarinets....I'm currently overhauling a pre-Czech Republic era Amata ACL311, and have just won on eBay an actual Soviet Russian clarinet (it was cheap and I was curious!) --- I'll report back on how they turn out..........
I do know that the Communist-era Amati low-C bass clarinet I tried out in the early 80's was atrocious, in terms of materials, workmanship, and playing qualities --- but the current version I tried last year (Graham Golden's 'travelling demo') was quite decent in nearly all respects.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2004-07-01 17:45
Robert Small wrote:
> Note the reported improvement of the Amati line of instruments
> after the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia.
No causation without correlation (in other words, anecdotes don't count).
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2004-07-01 18:39
Robert Small wrote:
> Seems to me if not ironclad proof at least a logical
> conclusion.
Illogical conclusion from the data given.
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Author: clarinetcurious
Date: 2004-07-01 19:44
I have a friend whose father went to East Germany (from West Germany) to buy an Uebel clarinet because he could get a good quality instrument at a much lower price. It is a good instrument made during the comunist regime.
I'd rather live in a capitalist system, but branding everything coming from a comunist country as bad is shortsighted. Cuba still produces the most coveted cigars.
Dismissing something BEFORE you try is PREjudging; if it is found lacking after trial you would have judged and you simply don't buy it.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2004-07-01 20:27
I didn't brand "everything coming from a comunist [sic] country as bad". I said the capitalist system tends to produce higher quality products than do state controlled economies. Does anyone actually believe otherwise? And I know that communist countries can produce some quality products. Weapons and bombs come to mind. As for Cuba making the best cigars, this has less to do with Fidel Castro and his totalitarian regime and more to do with the soil and climate of Cuba.
Post Edited (2004-07-01 21:10)
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-07-03 04:31
I agree. While I'm sure communist regimes turn out some good things (communist Russia dominated chess, and even after the communist era, continues to do so...), the will to work will a lot of time determine the quality of the product. The Amati company people themselves have said the reason they turned out less-than-quality instruments during the cold war was because of what they were given and forced to use by the soviet government. It's not a matter of logic -> conclusion, it's a matter of what the top guys of the company have stated as fact. If I tell you my cat died yesterday by getting run over by a car, and you say that cars kill cats, is that illogical?
Post Edited (2004-07-03 04:31)
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2004-07-03 13:42
Igloo Bob wrote:
> It's not a matter of logic -> conclusion, it's a
> matter of what the top guys of the company have stated as fact.
It sure as heck is. Conclusions reached by insufficient data are suspect by definition. Even if a conclusion reached by incorrect logic is later shown to be true! It gets worse - people try and use faulty conclusions as basis for later conclusions!
> If I tell you my cat died yesterday by getting run over by a
> car, and you say that cars kill cats, is that illogical?
It might be best if you slow down and read a good into book on logic and perhaps scientific method (what we learn in HS barely scratches the surface). There's more than the bit you just wrote involved, but in general people don't understand logic very well. I know that I know just enough to suspect my conclusions are wrong most of the time, and after a little reflection I can prove that I don't know what I thought I knew. I have to do it for a living (some of what I do is to characterize large system & network interactions) and my credo when working on those systems is "everything you know is wrong".
Once in a while I'm surprised that my credo is wrong ... 
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-07-03 22:23
I'll take your word for it. Actually, I was expecting to have to put quite a few limitations on the relationship (Amati's experience means that _sometimes_ communist regimes cause a lower quality...), but it seems even that would be off. They write books on logic?
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Author: Reed
Date: 2004-08-13 02:08
Pardon me for not writing back sooner. I corresponded with Ridenour the last week in July about arrival schedule for his new low C bass clarinets. He told me that BMays has not placed a P.O. !!!! Sooooo, the horns are now expected to be in Dallas sometime in September. I'm still planning to purchase one of the first to arrive. We'll see how they are made and sound. More to follow...
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Author: graham
Date: 2004-08-13 08:20
The logic is as follows:
Just because one communist government in one place at one time imposed undesirable business practices on one company within its jurisdiction does not prove or even suggest that all communist governments in all places at all times impose such practices on all their companies.
It simply does not follow.
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2004-08-14 17:11
re manufacturing in communist China:
http://www.myatt.co.uk/art_012.htm#Korg
Not that there is much old-style communism left in China. The regime is undemocratic, sure, but communist only in name.
The only thing that surprises me about this article is the criticism of the food in China - not my experience at all.
-----------
If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: Reed
Date: 2004-12-17 23:03
Thought you might like to know: Brook Mays has recieved the first stock shipment of Ridenour's low c bass clarinet. I test played two horns from that shipment last Saturday, 12/11/04.
Comments:
Intonation: Excellent from low C to C two leger lines above (clarion high C) as registered on a chromatic center reading tuning meter. I was able to do this with little of no embouchure adjustment. Quite pleasantly surprising.
Warmth/tone/sonority: Dark and full. Sounds like lower overtones (3rd, 4th, and 5th) are significantly stronger than the rest. Adds a deep resonance with little or no upper harmonic sizzle. You might or might not like this sound. Very good in the chalumeau. Probably better for pops and jazz than classical.
Projection: Huge sound volume. You'll move mountains with this horn
Resistance: Average. I use a Garrett mouthpice and #3 Vandoren reeds. No more effort than my Leblanc 325 which is 45 years old.
Key action: Well, these are initial production runs. I suppose one should expect some anomalies. And, there are some: uneven spring tensions, right side trill keys very close to right index finger, some rough finished edges on key action and screw heads (watch our for thumb rest screws), etc.
Special items: Alternate left side key for low D. Very interesting, but needs more engineering so as not to slip out of adjustment.
Split vent register mechanism: Works well. Added weight on right ring finger will take some getting used to. Perhaps, some of you who play BC's with split/double register keys can comment on your experineces here.
I am going to purchase one of the remaining initial shipment in spite of what I have written here. One of the reasons for this is that here in Dallas, we have a teriffic harmony clarinet technician. She knows this horn very well already. I have spoken with her. She is going to set up my horn for me as soon as I make the purchase next week. She knows Ridenour quite well, too.
Well, that's it for a while. Let me know if you have any questions.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2004-12-18 04:35
Nice to finally start getting some more reviews of this instrument. Sounds like it's a pretty good horn. The acid test for me is how the mid-clarion register plays. Especially the notes just above the register vent changeover--from E up to G or G#. If these notes speak easily and blow freely then this horn could be serious competition for the extremely pricey Selmer and Buffett pro models. I look forward to more reviews and opinions of this instrument.
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Author: Reed
Date: 2004-12-18 12:09
On other WW.org BBoards, folks are boo-hooing the Ridenour bass because it is made in China using a mechanism designed after Yamaha's bass clarinet key action. If those comments are based on specific experience with horns falling apart, that is not stated. If other reasons for the comments beyond acoustics and mechanics are implied, that is not stated. NIMBY, globalization, etc., are not good enough reasons for me not to purchase some item. Acoustics and mechanics are the general criteia I use to evaluate my instruments. I can tell you lots of not very good stories about my two Leblanc harmony clarinets. And, since I've got access to a very good harmony clarinet technician who already knows the Ridenour bass, I feel more confident that I can end up with a comfortable match between me and the instrument. I hope I'm right. If I can get 50% to 80% in the Ridenour horn of what I might get in a Selmer or Buffet, I'll be thrilled. The cost/benefits trade off here is worth it, in my opinion.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2004-12-18 14:00
Reed wrote:
> On other WW.org BBoards, folks are boo-hooing the Ridenour bass
What other BBoards on Woodwind.Org?
...
> The cost/benefits trade off here is worth it, in my opinion.
The bass might be great, and your opinion may prove out to be correct. Only time will tell. Early adopters of anything new always take that risk.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-12-20 14:14
I bought one of the new Ridenour low-C bass clarinets, but am selling it because the sound is not to my liking (I have two concert recordings on which I was able to objectively judge the tone quality in performance settings).
That aside, the intonation and response are excellent in all registers, and although the workmanship and materials are not of the highest quality, they are satisfactory for the price. The keywork and mechanisms could use some improvement --- I spent about 8 hours bending, grinding, and filing keys and replacing corks with Teflon shims, etc. to make mine acceptable. I have informed Mr. Ridenour of my modifications and the reasons for them. Two significant modifications I made, which I believe should have been done at the factory, were to undercut the toneholes (these come 'straight') and to widen and flare the shoulders of the tonehole recesses to better vent the lower joint notes.
The sound, in my opinion, is typical of the Yamaha bass on which the Ridenour is based --- too thin and not enough volume for concert band or orchestral use. But the instrument blends well with the upper clarinets and should be excellent for smaller settings such as chamber groups or clarinet choirs. It should work well in its intended role as a high school instrument, but I cannot in good faith recommend it for professional use.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2004-12-22 16:59
Minor quality control update: I opened the case of my Ridenour low-C bass clarinet (less than two months old) last night, to find the floor peg screw assembly had fallen off the bell --- apparently a tiny pin that captures the screw assembly inside the peg bracket had come unsoldered and fallen out.
I hope this is not a harbinger of things to come. Metallurgy and soldering techniques are not, historically, a strong point of the Chinese mass manufacturing industries.
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Author: Reed
Date: 2005-01-11 03:02
I've received my Ridenour low C bass clarinet. Brook Mays style No. BC147C. All the things that have been said about this instrument are true. It's taking me some time to get used to the right hand position. Part of this is due to my not being familiar with a low C bass on a regular basis. Part of this is the instrument's ergonomics.
Since I am not a very good repair / adjustment / set up technician, I took the instrument to such a person here in Dallas who knows this instrument very well. Lots of things were done. Teflon in place or cork on lots of keys; spring tension adjustments; key pad closure timing adjustments; modification to the left side alternate low D lever; build-up added to the thumb rest (this should be changed with the next production run); register key system alignment/adjustment; grinding off casting burrs; etc.
The instrument plays very close to in tune from top to bottom. I'm going to keep this instrument. I cannot afford a Buffet or Selmer. This is probably the only low C bass I'll ever own. Along with my Leblanc 325, Noblet 55 alto, and Buffet 60000 series R-13, I think I've got all the clarinets I'll need.
I'm playing with a community band and a clarinet choir which plays a lot of jazz and swing. I'm playing about 20 gigs a year. Not a lot, but enough for me.
I wish you all lots of wonderful music no matter where you are or what you play. If you want to trade info about the Ridenour, let me know.
Best regards,
Reed
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Author: Michelle
Date: 2005-01-11 21:46
I'm interested in more information on the Ridenour Bass Clarinet. I have been eyeing some used Selmer 35's but as a stay-at-home Mom who only plays in one band, I'm having a hard time convincing my husband to spend that much money, even on a used one.
I want a bass that will respond well, play relatively in tune and be adequate for this stage in my life. (of course, doesn't everyone???)
So with all that in mind I would like to ask a few questions.....
How far would this Ridenour Bass take a player? What skill level would it be appropriate for?
How does the sound compare to other horns?
Does it seem like a good value?
It appears that I will be ordering blindly - not trying out first. I haven't found any music shops around here that carry them and I do not have the luxury of flying around the country trying bass clarinets. If I had that kind of money to burn I'd just order a brand new Selmer
If I do choose to go this route, where would I find a reputable dealer?
Thanks for all your answers. I've been enjoying all your posts and information.
(For the sake of anyone remotely interested, I have been playing a plastic Buffet-Evette with either a GG Crystal mp or my Vandoren B46.)
Sincerely,
Michelle in WA
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Author: Wayne Thompson
Date: 2005-01-12 16:45
Tom Ridenour has emailed me at the store that I work at that he and his products (including presumedly the new bass clarinet) will be at NAMM in Anaheim next week. I hope to play the bass at that time. I'm very interested for my own purchase, as I am also interested in the Amati low C bass. I have followed this thread closely, and if I can contribute anything after I play them, I will.
WT
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Author: Reed
Date: 2005-02-18 23:52
I've been playing my Ridenour BC147C for about 7 weeks now. I still like the intonation. But, I must say that some of the key positions take a lot of getting used to. For instance, the first two trill levers on the upper joint are so long they get under my right index finger. This is forcing me into a different right hand position that I am not used to. The left pinkie reach to the Ab/G# alternate lever is quite long, also.
The key covers and rods are thin guage metal. Therefore, when assembling and disassembling the instrument, one must be very careful not to bend anything. I recommend putting your right hand in playing position on the lower joing and same for your left hand on the upper joint to assemble and disassemble the horn. Be ever so careful not to bend the two cross joint tabs.
I could go one about oversize upper joint tenon and sticky register key system, but you get the idea. This model instrument at this price is not manufactured with a heavy duty pro level mechanical system. If you can do the technical work yourself or have access to someone who can and will, then I still would vote to make the purchase.
For me, the Ridenour BC147C is a keeper.
Regards,
Reed
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2005-02-19 00:17
Thanks for all the info Reed, your continued discussion of the instrument has been very helpful and fun to read. I look forward to trying one out next time I'm in the lower 48.
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2009-03-16 11:45
Hi Everyone,
Are there some new observations on the Ridenour Bass Clarinets now that a few years have gone by. Is the non-low C edition Lyrique that much better than the Yamaha 221 which is about $600 less?
Your recent experiences and observations would be appreciated.
Thanks,
HRL
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Author: rsholmes
Date: 2009-03-16 19:00
Amusing error at http://www.gear4music.com/Woodwind-Brass-Strings/Alto-Eb-Clarinet-by-Gear4music/A5X:
Quote:
Beautiful free-blowing instrument with the clarity and response you expect from a Gear4music instrument; the Alto Clarinet boasts features only found on professional wooden models such as the range reaching to a low C!!
Cut-and-paste error, I assume -- nearly the same text appears on the low C bass clarinet listing. Unfortunately for those who've always wanted an Eb basset horn, the pictures don't agree with the text...
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-03-16 19:06
I had a laugh at that too! Sack the proof-reader (unless they already did hence the mistake). Maybe they could have said 'range reaching to nearly a basset horn's low C but just short of a semitone, but stick the mouthpiece cap down the bell and you'll get it' which would have been nearer the mark, but would probably cause no end of confusion.
But it does make you wonder how long it'll be before Chinese basset horns hit the market - and will they be Buffet, Leblanc or Selmer copies, or a mixture of all.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2009-03-16 19:09)
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2009-03-16 19:28
Chris P, you wrote: "....and will they be Buffet, Leblanc or Selmer copies, or a mixture of all."
Don't forget Yamaha, the "most copied" instrument by the Chinese bass clarinet manufacturers.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-03-16 19:31
But which basset horn do you reckon Yamaha would copy if they ever made them? And that'll be copied in turn by the Chinese makers.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2009-03-16 19:32)
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2009-03-16 19:48
If I were a betting man (which I'm not), I'd expect Yamaha to concoct a semi-original design for a basset horn, which the Chinese would then copy verbatim (is that a correct use of "verbatim"?), but made out of hard rubber with a stamped, gold logo.
Post Edited (2009-03-16 20:02)
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Author: pewd
Date: 2009-03-16 20:51
i'll see Reed tonight and ask him to respond ; he no longer plays the Ridenour Bass.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: jsc
Date: 2009-03-18 00:20
Oh, please ask Reed. I and a friend of mine are looking at getting bass clarinets.
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Author: lowcreed
Date: 2009-03-18 04:14
Hello everyone,
I used to be "reed." It's been four years since I've been here... My ISP has changed; so, I've re-registered here as "lowcreed."
What can I say about the Ridenour bass clarinet? Well, I don't own it any more. Sold it to a retail dealer in NY in 2006 for a little more than I paid for it. The keyworks were so soft that they bent and twisted constantly. The long screws on the lower joint were constantly loosening - almost lost one just before a big gig with a concert band. I could go on and on, but, I think you all know the story.
I spent a huge amount of money and bought a new Buffet 1193-2 and a custom mouthpiece from Walt Grabner in Chicago. The horn is absolutely amazing. The ergonomics is so balanced and sturdy that in the almost three years I've had it nary an adjustment has been necessary. Only one of the thin neck corks has needed replacing. PEWD did it for me. I'm able to play so quietly with a clean no-air tone through five full C's - that's right, four octaves. And, its big sound is lovely and bold. I'm smiling inside all the time when I play this horn.
Too bad Tom Ridenour didn't have a better manufacturer to produce his design. Oh well, bass clarinet life goes on. The concert band and the clarinet choir I play in will always be great fun.
There is no comparison for me. I've landed where I probably should have been all along.
Bass clarinet, jazz piano
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Author: rsholmes
Date: 2009-03-18 14:51
Just to verify, is this the newer "Lyrique" or the older model from several years back?
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2009-03-18 15:19
RS,
Exactly why I elevated this thread since thee original post was from almost 5 years ago. The Lyrique may have been the update that over-came the things that reed experienced.
Thanks for asking that question.
HRL
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