 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Anonymoose
Date: 2024-01-27 02:57
Just got a Backun email announcing their collaboration with Anthony McGill. Apparently he now plays Backun clarinets, and will be developing his own signature line of mouthpieces and instruments with Morrie Backun.
What I think, which is pure speculation, is that Backun wants to revamp the MoBa line. The Lumiere, IIRC is somewhat similar to the RC line, and has been widely successful for Backun, outshining the MoBa (R13 esque line). It would make sense to invite a famous player whose whole career has been mainly on R13's, and redevelop the MoBa line for the modern audience.
Thoughts?
(P.S. I have no insider knowledge, everything I mentioned here is pure speculation)
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Author: mozartklar
Date: 2024-01-27 03:03
Moba stands for Morales-Backun. I would assume there would be a new line and a new angle based on Anthony's perspective and Morrie's innovation.
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Author: Anonymoose
Date: 2024-01-27 04:01
Yeah, but as I mentioned in the first post, the MoBa closely resembles the R13, and most players in the US play some sort of R13 clarinet.
And MoBa can stand for Morrie Backun, since Morales left the company a while ago.
Post Edited (2024-01-27 04:02)
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Author: Patrick
Date: 2024-01-27 22:18
I recall MoBa stood for the Morales/Backun collaboration. I could see the Backun repackaging the Moba clarinet as Morrie Backun to separate from Ricardo Morales as he is invested in another clarinet company. I am curious to see what comes out of the new collaboration. I did like playing the Moba and discontinued f series when I was able too.
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Author: LostConn
Date: 2024-01-28 05:09
Anonymoose wrote:
>
> What I think, which is pure speculation, is that Backun wants
> to revamp the MoBa line. The Lumiere, IIRC is somewhat similar
> to the RC line, and has been widely successful for Backun,
> outshining the MoBa (R13 esque line). It would make sense to
> invite a famous player whose whole career has been mainly on
> R13's, and redevelop the MoBa line for the modern audience.
This is what the Backun website says:
1. "As part of the agreement, McGill ... will continue to perform exclusively on his Backun Lumière Clarinets. ... McGill will also work closely with Morrie Backun to develop a new McGill Signature Series line of premium clarinets and clarinet barrels, bells, and mouthpieces."
2. "'I’m thrilled to be named a Backun Artist. ... It is such an honor to be creating my own line of affordably priced, high-quality clarinets.'"
So the key phrase here would appear to be "affordably priced." The MoBa and Lumiere instruments are never described that way. It appears that the McGill Signature will be more of a mass-market professional clarinet than a high-end, custom one. This is consistent with the theme of the announcement, which touts McGill's outreach to "people of all backgrounds."
Post Edited (2024-01-28 05:10)
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Author: mozartklar
Date: 2024-01-29 17:15
Affordably priced would be the way to go in my humble opinion. Even amongst pros, I'm not sure who would be willing to shell out 12k+ for each of their clarinets. There are surely fine clarinets out there at a fraction of the price.
The poly-cylindrical clarinet design is here to stay, not withstanding more technical innovations for which I am all for. The best thing Backun could do is to offer affordable professional clarinets with an eye on QC as they leave the factory so that you don't need to have your clarinet overhauled immediately after purchase due to badly cut tone holes, pads that don't seal, keys that bind, and springs that are too stiff.
It's great to see that some of the big guys in the clarinet world will have to adapt towards innovation, quality and consistency in their products to maintain their market share. Give them hell Backun!!
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2024-01-29 19:26
I'm curious to know if the new line of instruments will be called "M[a]cBac."
I'm further curious, if this route is indeed taken, what the McDonalds Restaurant Corporation would have to say about it. 
I have to take these professional endorsements with a grain of salt as a consumer. To my point, let me see if I have this correct, Morales works with Backun to create an instrument--which don't get me wrong, I'm sure is great--I don't mean to disparage Morrie Backun--just the endorsement process--and then he (Morales) finds that he likes some instrument Uebel makes even more?
These pros would sound great on any decent professional instrument. I say buy the instrument that works for you.
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Author: JTJC
Date: 2024-01-29 20:09
On the affordability issue, I see John Manasse abandoned his career long use of Buffet and now uses Yamaha's take on the R13, the CSVR, though in the Atelier version, the ASP. He didn't need to spend $12k per instrument to get what he wants as a player.
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2024-01-29 20:57
I didn't know that about Jon switching to Yamaha gear.
I did know that he plays Vandoren Mouthpieces--perhaps another testament to the lack of need to play the very upper echelon of gear (nothing wrong with Vandoren) touting the phrase "mouthpeace of mind," the double endendre of mouthpiece and mouthpeace that comes from playing something this is replaceable if the original stops working.
https://youtu.be/AXdBScK_69Y?si=VSGwWDkahV0a8if-&t=839
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