 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: JosephL
Date: 2005-03-05 23:01
Would like a bass clarinet recommendation for my daughter. She plays a Series 10 clarinet, and would like to double on bass clarinet. Looking for a recommendation for street price under $1500; Selmer, Yamaha, Vito, etc. She plays in tune, so we do not want a student clarinet tuned sharp. Thanks
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Author: Merlin
Date: 2005-03-06 15:14
I don't know what the price is like on this in the US, but the student bass I recommend most frequently is the Yamaha YCL-221. Make sure it's the 221, NOT the 220.
The 221 has a two part body, great case, and plays quite well.
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Author: William
Date: 2005-03-06 15:51
For student clarinets, I have always liked the Bundy Resonites. Great sound and intonation in the lower register, quite sharp on B4 and C5 and rather stuffy from D5 and up--especially those "problem" G#5 and A5 notes. To have a good playing second register B4 and higher, you really need to have a second octave key mechanizm as in the more expensive Selmer, Buffet and LeBlanc wooden clarinets. My bass clarinet of choice is the Buffet 1190-2 model Prestige low C--currently about $5000 asking price on eBay and others. While I love my Buffet bass, many pro players recommend the Selmer low C models 33 or 37 as being "the best". But again, you are looking at prices in the 4 to 6 thousand dollar range. But what you are getting is the extended range down to low C, a second range that is relatively even, responds well--even the G# & A5s--and great intonation, even on the B4 and C5s. With a good, pro level bass clarinet, you should be able to play anything that can be played on a Bb soprano with relative ease--I can on my Buffet. And that is the big advantage of the expensive double octave basses--they play so smooth throughout their entire range. You definately "get what you pay for".
However, if you can't afford to spend a few thousand dollars, you might just as well get the cheapest plastic body clarinet you can because they are all pretty much the same--great lower registers and stuffy, unresponsive and out of tune upper registers. With lots of effort and practice, it is possible to play those plastic basses well. But you will never achieve the sound or eveness of register of a double octave key mechanizm bass clarinet. A wood bass for $1500 with a single octave will play no better than a Bundy Resonite plastic for $400.00 (used).
FYI--"two part body, great case" has nothing to do with how well a bass clarinet plays.
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