 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Contrabasssax
Date: 2003-06-18 01:00
Does any one here own one of these? I want to know what they are like. Ive only seen one once and i would like to get one but i need to know what id be getting into first.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-06-18 01:10
After looking at the repertoire for these tiny beasts, along with the price, I'd have to say unless you're endowed with more money than you can possibly use ... why bother?
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Author: Contrabasssax
Date: 2003-06-18 01:13
I have only found two companies that sell them at the time. One at 8000 dollars and the other 4000 euros (how ever much that is) but at those prices Id have to agree with you there and also the fact that there isn't much written for them also is a good factor. Besides it would probably hurt my ears more than my Eb clarinet.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2003-06-18 05:10
Besides being impractical the Ab might prove impossible to play for anyone with average size hands (or larger). I can manage the Eb pretty well but it's a tight fit. I doubt if I could handle anything smaller.
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Author: DougR
Date: 2003-06-18 14:24
Go here:
http://www.k2b2.com/martyinstr.html
it's a short account by an LA studio guy about playing the Ab piccolo clarinet on the soundtrack for '101 Dalmatians.'
fun reading! Not sure I'd want to try duplicating his experience, not with all those people watching & listening (and a VERY expensive clock ticking) but fun to read about, anyhow.
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Author: William
Date: 2003-06-18 14:30
I do not own an Ab "piccolo" clarinet, but when I was in college, I had the opportunity to actually play one in public. Our Concert Band used to tour our state during semester break, playing concerts at 15 or so high schools in five days. One of the concert features was a "show off" segment where various band members would play comedic music or wierd instruments. One alto player would play Oddles of Noodles on a bari sax, and then pull a tiny soparino Eb sax out of it's bell and continue playing. My thing was to play the Clarinet Polka on our schools Ab clarinet, right after a contra bass clarinet solo. It was a suprisingly easy little clarinet to play and a lot of fun. I used a cut down Bb reed (as we didn't have any real Ab cuts) on the stock mouthpiece--no opportunity to find an Ab Kaspar or custom Bay back then. I have average size hands and the instrument really felt like an effer afer getting used to it. My biggest problem was to go back to the principal chair and getting used to my (suddenly) big R13 Bb after playing the solo on that little Ab. I don't recall what brand it was--all I remember is how much fun it was to play. I've often wished I had one just for for an occassional joke or conversation piece--there really isn't any use for one in my playing venue.
The last time I saw that little Ab I used to play, it was on display at my old university in a collection of "wierd" instruments.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2003-06-18 15:03
I have largish hands with medium width fingers. Over the years, I've unsuccessfully tried to play several Ab clarinets -- a Leblanc, a Ponte and a no-name simple system.
The Ponte was made for Charlie Ponte, who had a wonderful music store in NYC on "music row" -- 46th Street between 6th and 7th Avenue. See http://www.woodwind.org/Databases/Logs/1999/01/000696.txt . He finagled the concession to supply all the woodwind instruments for the band for the New York World's Fair and had an Italian company -- probably Orsi -- make stencils in all sizes with his name on them. After the fair closed, he sold them off in his store for $100 each. I desperately wanted to buy the Ab, but I just couldn't get my fingers on it, even after 15 minutes of trying.
So -- be sure to try it before you lay out your money.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Contrabasssax
Date: 2003-06-18 15:43
I think i could handel it. The eb doesnt' even seem tight to me at all even though i have big hands.
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Author: Contrabasssax
Date: 2003-06-18 15:48
Thats cool. I wish i had the opportunity to try one out. Although i get the opportunity to check out some rather small and gargantuan saxes. And play them. ![[rotate]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley25.gif)
Post Edited (2003-06-18 16:04)
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Author: Todd W.
Date: 2003-06-19 00:40
Contrabasssax --
There is an old saying: "It's an ill wind that blows nobody good." I take that to mean that even though a wind may be irritating to you or me, or causing some damage, it's still benefitting someone, somewhere. Unless it's that ill wind, in which case no one benefits.
So . . . someone, somewhere, sometime (may have been Mark Twain or Ambrose Bierce) made a play on words and defined an oboe as "an ill wind that nobody blows good." Mark P. has extended that definition to the Ab clarinet.
Todd W.
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Author: Contrabasssax
Date: 2003-06-19 02:54
But why is it an ill wind. I am yet to come across a poor clarinet unless its a cheap one.
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-06-19 22:00
LOL @ Pinner ... I agree - such a silly instrument really. How would you transpose for it if the piece happened to wander into F sharp major? The mind boggles, really.
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-06-19 22:12
By the way ... Stephane (whomever) ... what is 400,00 euros equivalent to in US dollars?
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Author: Phat Cat
Date: 2003-06-19 22:26
Two internet citations on the saying "It's an ill wind that blows nobody good." Anyone nominate Ambrose Bierce as the author of the pardoy?
First, from http://www.aswltd.com/breathpr.htm
This bit of colloquial English wisdom appears in several sixteenth century sources in a number of variations, although it may well be considerably earlier in origin; its two most famous citations, however, are in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part II (Act IV, Scene 3, line 87) and again in Henry VI, Part III (Act II, Scene 5, line 55).
Second, from http://www.geocities.com/PicketFence/7608/sayI.htm
IT'S AN ILL WIND THAT BLOWS NO GOOD---Someone is likely to capitalize on any given unwelcome or disastrous situation; one person's misfortune may turn out to be another's good luck.---Old naval proverb used to explain one's good luck at the expense of someone's misfortune.---John Heywood (1546.) Proverbs. "An ill wind that bloweth no man to good."
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-06-19 23:01
DougR ... a fascinating article, thanks for that - enjoyed reading it immesely. I guess it's rather like the bass oboe (hecklephone) ... many composer don't write for it because of it's scarcity ... but if more did ... ?
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Author: Mark Pinner
Date: 2003-06-19 23:44
On the naval theme maybe you can substitute a bosun's pipe for the Ab. They would be about the same pitch. My comment was meant to be ironic. I have actually had to do a pre sale service on an Opus Ab. The play testing was a difficult process. Fortunately my J & D Hite eefer mouthpiece worked quite well. Not so the fingers. It was a nicely made horn but did need a bit of pad adjustment to stop a bit of hiss below the break. You could also dispense with the upper chromatic key it is a constant problem.
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Author: William
Date: 2003-06-20 16:35
"pre sale service on an Opus Ab"
Is that a LeBlanc Opus Ab???????? (didn't know they made one)
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Author: Contrabasssax
Date: 2003-06-20 18:01
Yeah leblanc makes an opus Ab. I believe they will make one for about $8000 im not 100% sure.
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Author: Ralph Katz
Date: 2003-06-20 20:24
I know someone who has a very old Boehm a-flat, and it is a very cool instrument. She inherited it with a rather large collection of cool stuff (ophiclides, sarusophones, etc.) I played it and it would have been much more fun with the right reed and a little maintenance. Still, it played pretty well in tune. Just don't try to go buy a mouthpiece for it.
Maybe I missed it - what repertoire is there for this little sqeaker?
|-(8^)
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Author: Brenda
Date: 2003-06-21 00:49
400 Euros equals $464.71 U.S. dollars, or $31.64 Canadian dollars. (Bank of Canada, June 20, 2003)
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-06-21 01:22
My friendly Leblanc supplier advises that Leblanc does not make an Opus Ab. However, they do make an LL Ab, (1176AbS), which has a sticker price of $7,600. Needless to say, the street price should be much lower than that.
Regards,
John
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-06-21 02:16
JMcAulay wrote:
> However, they do make an LL Ab, (1176AbS), which
> has a sticker price of $7,600. Needless to say, the street
> price should be much lower than that.
Actually - it's not lower (or not by much). The demand is almost nil, so they are generally built to order.
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Author: donald
Date: 2003-06-21 13:02
when you guys quote prices in dollars, what kind of dollars do you mean? how much is that in Euro?
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-06-21 21:42
it's easier to use US dollars - nearly all people know what they equal in their home country currency, surely?
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Author: Bart
Date: 2003-06-22 15:46
Diz - EUR 400 is about USD 465, or 696 Aussie dollars, or approx. 632 Canadian ones - Brenda - perhaps the keyboard wasn't responsive this time and failed to catch your '6' ... :-)
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-06-23 00:37
Interesting article on bands and our little Ab features here more than one might expect. (sorry - I'm a failed computer for dumies user so I can figure out how to get it to automatically link)
http://www.worldmilitarybands.com/example1.htm
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-06-27 00:46
I just contacted Leblanc's Sydney agent ... it is now a discontinued model (1176AbS) ... (in Australia at least). Not that anyone in their right mind would purchase one.
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Author: clarinetqween
Date: 2003-06-27 19:19
There is one at the National Music Musuem on display even, right next to the even smaller G clarinet! I have still yet to hear these beasts in all of their squeakiness!
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Author: Contrabasssax
Date: 2003-06-28 05:04
a G clarinet never herd of one. Wonder if they still make one. hehe. im not in my right mind.
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Author: DezzaG
Date: 2003-06-28 05:20
A G clarinet would be bigger, just like a A clarinet is bigger than a Bflat!!!!
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Author: Contrabasssax
Date: 2003-06-28 16:26
yea i just realized that after I posted that. and logged off. cause ab is g# silly me.
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Author: Henry
Date: 2003-06-28 17:21
As I said on the other thread, the G clarinet could indeed be SMALLER than the Ab, if it were tuned a major seventh HIGHER. That would make it a "sopraninino", a "sopraninette", a piccolino" or "picolette" clarinet that might fit in your shirt pocket!
Henry
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-06-30 03:07
The standard, garden variety G Clarinet is pitched a full step below the A Clarinet. So it's larger than a Bb soprano Clarinet.
They are still made, but I believe the only ones now produced (perhaps forever) are German system (similar to Albert). One modern example can be seen at http://www.amati.cz/english/production/instruments/files/acl/german/acl_340.htm. Turkish suppliers also offer G Clarinets in silver-plated brass. I have heard few wonderful things about such instruments. The G Clarinet is used in some eastern-European and some middle-eastern music.
G Clarinets pitched an octave higher, a half-step below the Ab Clarinet, have been made in the past, but they are no longer built. Also no longer built are the smaller still Bb and C Clarinets that are an octave higher than the ordinary Soprano instruments.
Regards,
John
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Author: diz
Date: 2003-06-30 23:37
javier ... your second link doesn't work (for me anyway)
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-06-30 23:52
Javier: Thanks for correcting me. I was unaware of either of these little marvels.
Regards,
John
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2003-07-01 00:26
Interesting information from the Schwenk und Seggelke site re their teeny G and Ab Clarinets: "...contrary to what its appearance might suggest, it doesn't possess (let alone exceed) the harshness of the Eb clarinet, but has a fine, very responsive flute-like sound." In either G or Ab pitch (Ab also available in A=465), 3,000 Euros net (export price). That's about US$3,450. Or for 3,450 Euros, about US$3,970, you can get one with gold plated keys. These are German system Clarinets, evidently built to order.
For the S&S web page on Clarinets, see http://www.schwenk-und-seggelke.de/englisch/epreislistemodern/neuepreisliste_moderne.html
Regards,
John
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Author: EbClarinet
Date: 2019-10-24 23:46
Thanks for this thread. I personally was 1 too. How ever, Vandoren is the only reed company that makes reeds for this clarinet. They only make them in strength 2. Does any 1 have any long playing experience to know if there are professional mouth pieces for this clarinet? How does the clarinet play on a strength 2 reed? I would need 3.5 or higher to control the altissimo notes (tuning) on this instrument 2.
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/mbtldsongministry/
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Author: Enatural
Date: 2019-10-25 00:11
Well I am not an expert, but all my small clarinets below Eb take small reeds. So I cut Eb reeds to length to fit the mouthpiece, then do a bit of creative shaving and trimming, to bring the reed down to thickness for the ligature, and next continue until it plays reasonably. There is a book on about clarinet reeds Keith Stein The Art of Clarinet playing. He talks about getting the reed dressed to play.
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Author: TomS
Date: 2019-10-25 06:00
I think you have to have the A-flat instruments surgically implanted, in order to play well ...
Tom
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Author: JTJC
Date: 2019-10-25 20:50
Here’s a link which mentions some modern band pieces with Ab clarinet.
http://jennyclarinet.com/2016/11/all-about-the-a-flat-clarinet/
I seem to remember reading somewhere, one of Pamela Weston’s books I think, that in some part of Europe in the 18th century the military band director used an Ab clarinet as a baton.
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The Clarinet Pages
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