 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: LeOpus1190s
Date: 2004-06-11 06:41
I'm in a bad spot. I am going to the woodwind and brasswind tomorrow to buy a new and a new prestige bass, but being stupid, i broke my bass mouthpiece. So obviously this puts me in a dellima, there is no way i am leaving with out the bass because I believe on monday the prices jump up. How should i go about purchasing a mouthpiece? It's like a mixed bag because I don't have any constant factors to use to judge clarinets.
Blah, Anyone been in this situation before?
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2004-06-11 06:45
If you had a standard store-buyable mouthpiece, perhaps you could ask to borrow one at the store (say you're trying out mouthpieces too if they won't flat out let you without intent) to try the bass clarinets...?
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: OpusII
Date: 2004-06-11 07:19
LeOpus1190s,
Do you still have you're old bass? If you still have it, take it with you to the store and search first for a good mouthpiece. If you have found one that you like, try some instruments
Maybe they will exchange the standard mouthpiece that comes with the instrument, with the one that you selected?
Eddy
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Author: hans
Date: 2004-06-11 13:18
It seems that the more immediate problem is an impending price increase, so perhaps you could give the store a deposit to hold the price for you and come back for final instrument selection after you are satisfied that you have found a suitable mouthpiece.
Hans
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Author: Ralph G
Date: 2004-06-11 13:38
Dropping it usually does the trick.r
________________
Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.
- Pope John Paul II
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2004-06-11 14:09
LeOpus -
The most important three things to look for in picking out any new intrument are (1) intonation, (2) intonation and (3) intonation. The most important 10 things are the same.
While intonation with different mouthpieces can vary, you can still listen for particular notes that are out.
WW&BW carries many bass mouthpieces, including handmade ones http://www.wwbw.com/Bass-Clarinet-Mouthpieces-d2418.music?src=mouthpiece, so you should be able to pick out a good one, which you will need anyway, to replace the one you broke.
Bass clarinets, even new Buffets, are almost always out of adjustment:
(1) Pads often aren't seated well. To check, play a slow descending scale from open G, pressing each key down gradually, and as lightly as possible. If there's any hesitation in speaking, or if the tone firms up only with extra finger pressure, the corresponding pad isn't tight.
(2) Even the moving around of the joints in the case during shipping can throw the register mechanism out. Play clarion D and raise your right ring finger very slowly. The lower register vent will often hang slightly open, which needs to be fixed. Then, play clarion E and lower your right ring finger very slowly, to check whether the upper register vent hangs open. Play throat A and press the register key slowly, to make sure neither of the register vents opens.
(3) Key height is usually off. For example, the C#/G# pad often is set too low, and the side trill keys open too wide.
If you let WW&BW know you really intend to buy such an expensive instrument, they should let you sit with a repair tech to adjust the mechanism so the instrument gets a fair trial.
For more on what to look for in a new instrument, see http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=41632&t=41584.
Have fun, and good luck.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: William
Date: 2004-06-11 14:29
During your visit to WW&BW, just make certain that you play test all of the available bass clarinets with the same mpc--the "best" bass clarinet will still play best for you regarless of which particular mouthpiece you use. Then, take it out of the store for a two week approval period--most music stores will allow this (and also lock in at the lower purchase price)--and then go back to Evanston for a visit with Walter Grabner. He will help you select one of his great custom bass mpcs and will give you an honest opinion regarding your newly choosen bass (as he did for me).
After finding a good mouthpiece, play your new bass in a live rehearsal--that's the best play to audition any new instrument. If it isn't "right", take it back to the WW&BW and select another one--and,BTW, at the "old" price that the store already agreed to:>) And if that one doesn't play right, ditto the above until you finally find "the one". Have a good day............
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Author: LeOpus1190s
Date: 2004-06-11 15:13
When one is an idiot such as myself, puts the mouthpiece on a kitchen table only to knock it to the floor to crack the tip. :(
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Author: Brad
Date: 2004-06-11 17:17
WW&BW has a 45 day return policy, so no matter what you do here you are not locked into that Bass or a new mouthpiece if you decide to get one. If you don't like it within 45 days you can go back and exchange it for another or even get your money back. I doubt on a straight exchange they would charge you any price increase, but I would ask to make sure.
So do the best you can in choosing one, and if you regret it exchange it.
Brad Cohen
Clarinetist
la_brad@yahoo.com
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2004-06-11 17:56
I don't think mouthpieces have the same 45 day policy. But I agree with the above. Use your old bass as a mouthpiece tester. Get the best sound you can out of your old bass. Then take THAT mouthpiece and check out the new bass clarinets.
US Army Japan Band
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