 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2022-06-18 12:52
Hi All,
My wife has for some time ,been playing a Selmer ( Bundy) Bass clarinet and has lately started hankering for a low C instrument . Given that playing clarinet is sort of ...her thing, in what limited free time she has between work and the children , I would love to get hold of one for her but of corse the prices are very daunting . When it comes to student models of the standard Eb bass clarinet , there are ones like the Selmer/Bundy and Leblanc Vito which are well known and have a recognized level of basic quality for economically priced instruments . In the matter of reviews for lower priced low C basses I really can't find much guideline information at all.
Michael Lowinstern reviews the 2000$ ish Kessler .....but that's not available in Europe ! I presume it's made in the East and assembled and regulated by Kessler in the USA. and I imagine some European brands are doing something similar. ( i.e. controlling basic product quality )
I figure that I can't be the only person looking for a low C bass who doesn't have 12,000 € to burn and so it would be great to get some opinions comparing
The European available instruments under 3,000€ with known instruments like the afor mentioned Bundy and Vito as basis for a universal reference .
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: el gitano
Date: 2022-06-18 16:38
hi Julian,
you are from Spain,
look here:
https://www.thomann.de/es/otros_clarinetes_sistema_bohem.html
saludos
Claus
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2022-06-18 23:40
Thank you both for your helpful replies with links .
I have indeed been considering Thomann's own brand synthetic horn .
I see it has rollers on the thumb keys which instruments in this price range seem to generally lack . Buying from Thomann has the advantage of being able to return the item for a full refund and them also paying the return shipping costs .
I have sent an email to Leslie of the Ridenour brand in England . He seems to be handling the sales of these horns , so I'll see what he says . Brexit has made buying from England a mess .
I'm also interested in the Odyssy Premier low C horn , so I would be interested to hear from anyone who has played either this horn or the Thomann own brand Synthetic one .
As for the Riderour , I trust Michael Lewinsterns review which is fairly positive .
Many thanks for all the help....present and future !
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2022-06-19 00:55
Another to consider is the Brasspire Unicorn. Silly name I know, but unlike all instruments mentioned above it has a 6th right hand pinky key (standard on the Buffet and Selmer), a corked neck tuning slide like the Buffet (less prone to leaks) and a vent on the bell for the low C. I've heard great things about it.
http://shop.brasspire.com/bpclb40rs.html
-JDbassplayer
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Author: tucker ★2017
Date: 2022-06-19 06:14
I second everything JDbassplayer said. I can't imagine having a low C w/out the 6th right hand pinky key.
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Author: m1964
Date: 2022-06-19 07:05
Have you considered buying a used clarinet high quality bass (Selmer, Buffet) and have it restored?
Or, possibly contact well-known clarinet repair shops throughout Europe and ask if they have any used instruments for sale. The shop usually would sell a used instrument already refurbished/repaired, and may give some warranty too.
You may want to read this post: https://www.earspasm.com/blog/should-i-buy-an-amati-bass-clarinet
in which Michael Lowenstern says "...there are no good student instruments under $8000..."
and that is why I would consider buying a used instrument
Post Edited (2022-06-19 07:16)
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2022-06-19 11:31
Wow !... You guys are being very helpful .
The Unicorn sounds great and yes !... The sixth right hand pinky key is definitly a deal maker ( or breaker ) I think . I have not hit upon this horn anywhere on the Internet , but I shall see if I can find it .
My first option would be a low C horn second hand ,but better quality than I can afford new, and put it right ,particularly as I like that sort of work from my years of clock repairing ( anything you want done right...its best to do yourself if you can ) . But if eBay is anything to go by ( and generally it is ) there seem to be only endless Chinese horns and a few quality horns in the U.S.A. with asking prices little below new . The step up from the more standard bass Eb to the C seems to be a hard one without tons of cash. Personally I would be happy to go a bit crazy to get my wife a decent horn , but she will berate me if I spend too much. ( She's a sensible person unlike me ! ).
This is just going to be like the quest for the Holy Grail I think, relying on patience and providence . There's no point in spending good money on something which is chronically rubbish , or more than you can reasonably afford for something which isn't .
All help greatly appreciated !...I feel you've all offered me some good leads and advice .
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2022-06-19 12:26
JD bass player ,
Just to follow up on your suggestion of the Brasspire Unicorn , I found it right away . It's a Japanese company so although they most probably are having their products manufactured elsewhere in Asia , I'm sure their quality and design are to a high standard . It certainly looks great in their photos, although I can't see the right hand pinkey key configuration but I'm sure there are indeed six . Also it seems to have a keyless ,open vent in the bell just above the bend which I don't understand .
They are selling it to the States for 3,500$ and I'm guessing this is a great horn if you can go that high and probably need to to be sure of decent quality .
When my wife started with the Transverse Flute back in Highschool , I should have known where all that was going !........ No doubt Froid would say that all this size upgrading with my wife's wind instruments points towards deficiencies in my neather regions 😅 . ( I guess that means that the Contra-Bass is somewhere on the horizon! 😬).
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2022-06-21 18:15
I would just like to conclude that I believe I have arrived at a happy ending to my low C bass clarinet quest with the help of the very accessible and amiable Leslie Craven . Thank you forum member ' Hustfarm' for suggesting that Leslie might be able to help me out . That's just what he did , offering me one of his BC02 horns at a generously reduced price when I confessed my budget limitations . It's actually his own horn which he says he's played a few times but it basically new . I was delighted with offer because it means getting a horn in good adjustment . Actually Leslie claims to set up personally every single one of the horns he's selling, which is quite a personal touch.
All in all buying an instrument from Leaslie seems to be a predominantly friendly affair which I would like to take this opportunity to recomend . In part of one of his emails in prompt reply to me ,he declared " I don't have to make a success of this business of selling clarinets !". And I'm inclined to believe that he indeed is operating under another philosophy ,which is very refreshing and helpful in the matter of choosing the right instrument . Leslie clearly knows his horns and doesn't pull any punches when answering any questions you may have on the subject .
It seems that his hard rubber bass clarinets are being favored by a number of professionals who require a durable instrument for touring . Hence they are instruments with a decent professional level of quality but at a student instrument price tag ( Leslie didn't tell me that....its in some other review on the Internet ).
Leslie Craven's own brand BC 02 bass is basically the Ridenour bass which he's phasing out in favor of his BC01 iwhich he claims to be a superior horn .
I hope that this topic thread will be of some help to others facing the somewhat daunting quest for a low C bass clarinet here in Europe .
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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