 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: donald
Date: 2005-09-27 11:29
this afternoon i played a pair of Wurlitzer Reform Boehm clarinets (formerly played by the NZSO Principal clarinet in the 1970s/80s)..... i completely fell in love with the sound! Amazing, plus the intonation seemed ok (even using my Lomax mouthpiece.... i'll check it out more carefully next week, plus try out the Wurlitzer mouthpieces).
but the SOUND
amazing
on the A clarinet the Mozart clarinet concerto was easy to play in tune- low F and E in tune, the 12ths above in tune, high B and C in tune!
but the sound
amazing
did i mention that altissimo D sounded like.... like.... chocolate....
um yeah
i might have to buy these clarinets
donald
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-09-27 14:23
I made the mistake of trying a Wurlitzer reform Boehm Bb - I can't find the words, but it put my old Centered Tones to shame and I thought nothing came near them! Then this happened!
Yeah, I want a pair of them too!
I've gone onto Series 9s now which aren't the same (but still nice), and the low E and F are flat as anything.
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Author: OpusII
Date: 2005-09-27 14:39
Maybe I'm a little bit strange.... I really don't like the German sound! Tried some Wurlitzer’s in the past and they played really great! But I’m in love with the French sound....
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-09-27 14:57
And there's me trying to get as near the German sound as I can from French equipment!
But I do like the Berlin and East European sounds though, especially the Russian State Orchestra and the Budapest Festival Orchestra.
The Dutch players (esp. the Nederlands Ensemble) are rather excellent soundwise too, no doubt there as they probably use Wurlitzers.
I won't give up Boehm systems though - I rely on the forked Bb too much, and the linked (and alternative) pinky keys - but an articulated B-C# as on full Mazzeos would be nice.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2005-09-27 15:00
A pair of new Wurlitzer Reform Boehms has appeared from time to time on various auction sites, with an asking price of about $12,000. This is apparently about what they sell for from the maker.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-09-27 15:20
I saw a pair of FA Uebel full Boehms that went for peanuts (ONLY around the $700 mark I think which is around the £400 mark - which isn't much more than a brand new B12!) - only reason I didn't bid was that I forgot what time the auction closed as it was in the wee small hours, and I'm still kicking myself right now!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2005-09-27 15:22)
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2005-09-27 18:19
Chris P, I just swiched to a Viotto German MP made for the French system. I've never come as close to the German sound before as with this. I play it on my Chadash using Vandoren White Master reeds.
Alphie
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-09-27 21:29
Aah - I used to use an old Selmer table A with black or white masters with my CTs (that's what came with them) - that had a very close tip opening and narrow, only German cut reeds fitted it well as French reeds were too wide. I'm willing to try anything - but I don't know if Viotto mpcs are sold in the UK, not that it causes much of a problem getting one sent to me, although I would like to try several.
Is your Viotto a close tip opening/long facing? Tell me more...
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Author: Alphie
Date: 2005-09-27 23:10
You can find them in Holland. Do a search on Viotto and you'll find a site.
Alphie
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Author: OpusII
Date: 2005-09-28 10:04
Good luck with the link, the measurements of the mouthpiece are on the website.
I've sold my Viotto N1 just a couple of weeks ago... sorry Chris ![[frown]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie2.gif)
Otherwise I would have shipped it to you, so you could try it...
I decided to sell it, because I'm more a French style clarinettist... currently playing a Viotto B3.
Post Edited (2005-09-28 10:05)
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2005-09-28 11:26
"Maybe I'm a little bit strange.... I really don't like the German sound! Tried some Wurlitzer’s in the past and they played really great! But I’m in love with the French sound...."
Maybe I'm a little bit strange, but I like both the French and German sounds....
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Author: OpusII
Date: 2005-09-28 11:48
We're two very strange people.... ![[hot]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/hot.gif)
P.S. I will send you the link and email adress that you requested in your topic Clarnibass, so watch your email..
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Author: donald
Date: 2005-09-28 20:03
by the way
the "hole in the bell" that are part of the design (not the result of an accident with a power drill!) actually goes through the bell... at the tenon. This means that (as with articulated G sharp) the hole has to be through two bits (cork etc of lower joint, plus the bell) that need to be lined up.
but hang dang it, it works! The E/B 12th is pretty darn better than anything i've played on a Boehm clarinet....
donald
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-09-28 23:17
I need to sort out the E and B on my Series 9s - I might make an automatic venting/correction mechanism with a single thumb key, as on full Oehlers - there'd be a vent for low F, which closes for low E, which closes for low Eb - and the low Eb correction vent stays open with the thumb key and will probably go through the bell tenon like a reform Boehm, or just below with a larger vent hole.
As with all my ideas, they're all in the wrong place - they're in my head rather than sketched down on paper - and I'd rather they were sketched down than put into a computer only to vanish when the lot crashes.
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Author: contragirl
Date: 2005-09-29 08:47
Holy poo, I love the Wurlitzers! I liked the sound with the french mpc set up, and when I first tried it with the German set up, I sounded bad. But with a few pointers from Steve Bates, I almost died when I heard how good I sounded! It was great. Same with the bass, even though I have yet to figure out the fingerings on that one. hehe
--CG
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-09-30 22:59
Peter,
Are the Uebel full Boehms built to 440Hz? And do they have a German or French bore?
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Author: Mike Getzin
Date: 2005-09-30 23:52
I have played Reform Boehm Wurlitzers since 87 having received the set from Herbert himself in Neustadt Germany. I consider them the best Boehm clarinets made anywhere for all those important reasons- impeccable pitch especially in the high registers, dark projecting tone and not having to fight the French clarinet characteristics, thus better projection and performance. The mechanical key performance is perfect without having to adjust. French clarinets bought at a store usually have to be redone to specs- not Wurlitzer. It is now possible to play a French Mouthpiece with a special barrel made up for this purpose. I have since bought an Eb and a Basset A. I consider them all like Strads. I know of no clarinet that plays to this level.
Check the Wurlitzer website for more information.
World Clarinet Alliance - WKA
304 255 0232
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