 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: GL
Date: 2003-01-20 01:19
Hi, I have a chance to get a Leblanc EEb metal paperclip style contra clarinet at a very good price. My application would be jazz. How does this horn speak? Is there a "brightness" to the sound compared to a wood bass clarinet. Also, your thoughts on ease or smoothness of fingering? Thanks
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2003-01-20 01:52
Hi GL:
I have a Rosewood Selmer conta-alto, and it sounds great in commercial applications.
The Leblanc "paper clip" is very inferior to the wooden instruments. The Leblanc is fairly loud, but rather course and has intonation problems. I think a wooden contra would be best, but if the Leblanc is the right price, go for it. If you find a good, stabile mouthpiece, it might work for certain Jazz application.
The great Jazzers here in NYC play wooden Selmers. JD Perrin comes to mind with a real fine contra sound in his Jazz group.
Good luck,
JJM
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Author: Wes
Date: 2003-01-20 05:32
How do you like the sound of the plastic Bundys? They can sometimes be purchased for about $800 on Ebay. Thanks.
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Author: GL
Date: 2003-01-20 06:45
A contrabass NEVER EVER pays for itself in any application. Only school systems and universitys can afford them and that's exactly why the manufacturers set prices that high. Where is the $12,000 in a BBb Lelanc contrabass?
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Author: graham
Date: 2003-01-20 08:19
When I played a B flat paperclip recently it produced a louder volume than I or others were expecting and had a pronounced "rattle" in the lowest notes that aided it coming over in the orchestra. I don't know whether a wood one would have been smoother, but I imagine the Leblanc would be as cutting and "bright" as any other. I find it hard to believe it would be a particulalry effective jazz instrument though.
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2003-01-20 13:22
The EEb contra-alto plastic Bundy/Buescher/Selmer USA is a decent instrument and a terrific bargain --- many to be found on eBay in pretty good condition for $800-$1000 US. With a few modifications (e.g. opening up the top sides of the 'throat' toneholes to correct flat/stuffy throat G through Bb) and a good mouthpiece (I play a heavily-refaced/opened-up hard-rubber Bundy 3), this can be a fine-sounding and very versatile instrument for relatively little money. Actually has a good 'bass clarinet' sound, and the advantage of an EEb contra-alto (vs. the BBb contra-bass) is the ability to read concert-pitch bass clef parts directly by adding three sharps and pretending the music is in treble clef. Great for reading tuba, string bass, or contrabassoon parts. I've never played any of the metal Leblanc contras (contra-alto nor contra-bass) but I will say that the ones I've heard generally have sounded rather coarse and 'uncharacteristic'.
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2003-01-20 15:33
Hi GL;
"A contrabass NEVER EVER pays for itself in any application."
With all due respect, my contra-alto has more than paid for itself.
I have been featured in quite a few feature films and in contemporary orchestras over the years.
Dennis Smylie and Virgil Blackwell, here in NYC, both have wooden Selmer contra-bass clarinets, and they have made lots of money both commercially and in symphonic settings with their contras.
You are correct, we didn't buy our contras with the expectations of making our money back, but luckily we have done just that, and with great joy! Own a contra because you enjoy it musically, and you may also be surprised how much work comes your way as a result of your enthusiasm.
JJM
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2003-01-20 16:22
John,
I've just been listening to some older LPs (on the "Nonesuch" label) of "contemporary" (ca. 1970s) music featuring bass and contrabass clarinets --- two of the bass clarinetists on these particular albums were Dennis Smylie and Virgil Blackwell --- and MAN can those guys play! What are these gentlemen doing nowadays?
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2003-01-20 20:09
My Selmer Eb contra plays like a large bass clarinet. My Leblanc BBb is much different. The comparison is a cello to a double bass. Neither is "better" or "worse" -- just used for different purposes.
Each instrument can roar -- the BBb a bit louder.
One problem is that there's no equivalent of an R-13 among contras. They're all Bundy or Vito quality. Kalmen Opperman spent hundreds of hours undercutting the toneholes and doing other voicing and tuning work on a plastic Linton/Bundy Eb and a Vito BBb. These are true professional instruments, as you can hear on the Stoltzman CDs, where Dennis Smylie plays them in the Opperman Clarinet Choir. I've played them both, and they're in a different league from anything else.
For some superb contra playing, listen to the 5 CD set of Ella Fitzgerald singing the Gershwin Songbook.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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