 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Kontra
Date: 2010-08-01 02:15
Well, I went to my local Sam Ash today to try some mouthpieces on my school's vintage Buffet Bass clarinet, and I noticed a Selmer Bundy on the wall. So , I tried it out. I was amazed, this bass played better than my school's old Buffet AND Selmer 1430. Apparently the previous owner used it in a recording studio and took very good care of it. Well, Ive been looking at the Kessler low C for awhile, but my family is experiencing financial issues due to job loss, so I thought maybe buying this Bundy would be a good idea, considering I'd have an enormous amount left over for a good mouthpiece. (And my first car) I'm a sophomore in high school, I guess I dont really need a low C anyway. I guess I'm looking for opinions on my decision?
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-08-01 04:25
If you ever take the bass serious that you want to play orchestra music you will need a good low C bass but you can always move up to that if and when you need to. In the meantime, tru the Bundy with a tuner and see how it tunes and if you can play the upper register with relative ease. You should be able to go up the a high E easily and be able to play to a G. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Merlin_Williams
Date: 2010-08-01 13:11
The Selmer 1430 is exactly the same instrument as the Bundy. If one plays better than the other it's most likely due to the condition of the individual instrument.
I used to like the Bundy basses until I needed to play higher up on the horn. The register key venting on the Bundy works fine up to clarion F. At the G, response becomes much more difficult.
Jupiter Canada Artist/Clinician
Stratford Shakespeare Festival musician
Woodwind Doubling Channel Creator on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/WoodwindDoubling
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Author: LarryBocaner ★2017
Date: 2010-08-01 13:46
Years ago I purchased a Bundy bass clarinet to use for outdoor concerts. Turns out it was so sensitive to high ambient temperatures (went off-the-scale sharp) that it was unusable above the 80's Fahrenheit. However, I did use it for an extended tour with Arthur Fiedler, culminating in "On the Trail" encore in Avery Fisher Hall. Worked fine for that.
I'm told that when Chicago Symphony bass clarinetist, the late George Weber's Wurlitzer was not loud enough for guest conductor Ozawa, he armed himself with a Bundy for "Sacre" recording!
Don't know why you had problems above the staff, Merlin. I've had students sail up to altissima G with no problems on like instruments. Maybe an adjustment problem.
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Author: Kontra
Date: 2010-08-01 13:59
I'm not exactly sure where I want to go with my bass clarinet, but I do know Ill be playing in college. I didn't get a chance to use a tuner, however, I didn't have my mouthpiece or reeds on me and I ended up playing it with the stores used Selmer C* and some other used Bundy mouthpiece, along with a tenor sax reed. I was easily able to play up to B above the staff, the high C is kind of hard to hit but I managed to get to D as well.
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Author: Kontra
Date: 2010-08-01 14:02
My problem with the school's Selmer 1430 was that it was hard to hit high notes altogether. The Buffet was easy to hit high notes but is always breaking or going extremely out of tune. Ive found myself switching horns before concerts because one was acting up. Ive taken them both to my tech and they get fixed for a month or two then do the same thing again.
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Author: Kontra
Date: 2010-08-01 14:08
I mainly play my bass indoors, as my director wants me to march Clarinet. Had 3 solos last year during concert season, and I always switched out my horns when one was acting up. I guess I'm just looking for a horn that wont do that. I played a Yamaha YCL 221-II for a weekend at all county and it was amazing, too bad I cant afford one. The Bundy I played almost played like the Yamaha, which is kind of strange.
Speaking of the CSO, I recently visited Chicago and got to hear Lawrie Bloom play. My first visit to a symphony. Great experience.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2010-08-01 17:27
This sounds like a special used Bundy. If you can truly afford it, it plays well for you and reasonably in-tune and can be had for no more than $300 - $400, I'd say buy it. At that price, it may an opportunity that doesn't come around very often. (I wouldn't pay much more, though. If the price is much higher, there will be other opportunities that are at least as good.) Aside from three extra semi-tones that you may never need, IMO it will be at least as good an instrument as the Kessler. (The Bundy's were generally built like tanks. Back in the Dark Ages, I played one for six years through junior high and high school and the only issue I can remember is the long levers for the left-hand cluster keys were vulnerable to bending if the instrument was treated carelessly. The one I had had no intonation problems and played easily throughout its range. I hated to give it back when I graduated.)
It is obviously enough instrument for your current use. If you go to a college where the band/wind ensemble is a relatively low-key outlet for student enjoyment (as opposed to a serious ensemble opportunity for music majors), it will be fine there, as well. It should also be adequate for most adult community bands (and, quite possibly, a community orchestra) down the line. Eventually, if you maintain your interest in the bass clarinet and progress far enough on the instrument, you will probably want to purchase a professional low-C model but, if you do: (1) the Bundy will give you a faithful backup/bad weather horn, and (2) if you feel a need to step up from the Bundy, you would also feel a need to replace the Kessler. For me, given a favorable price difference between a good quality student low Eb bass and an inexpensive Chinese low-C bass, the decision would be a no-brainer.
On the other hand, given that your school will provide (however problematic) a bass clarinet for your use, remember that purchasing your own is a discretionary cost, not a necessity. If money is really tight, the lowest cost option is to continue to use school-provided instruments (which you may find available in college, as well) until you really need to purchase your own.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: Kontra
Date: 2010-08-03 03:22
Sorry for the late response,
Thanks guys. Ill probably purchase it. It'll be nice to have my own bass.
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Author: vjoet
Date: 2010-08-04 14:31
I use a Selmer Bundy for musicals (currently Chicago).
Another poster has written that they are exquisitely sensitive to room temperature, and I've found that to be absolutely true. As the show progresses, I am constantly pulling the neck further and further out as the temperature in the room increases.
It is not just the instrument is warming through playing, for it often sits unused for 10 or 15 minutes during the sax and clarinet numbers. It is the room temperature that is the salient factor.
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