 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-09-29 09:44
Are they all metal or wood?
Here's where the confusion lies:
On their site (selmer.fr) it's pictured with a metal bell, but the current Myatt's catalogue has Henri Bok and Sarah Watts both pictured (on page 17) with wooden bell instruments, and on Henri Bok's one the low Db tonehole (the one covered by the low C key) is a small wooden section before the bell (a bit like a cor anglais low Bb barrel, and making it a taller instrument), and the bell doesn't have the key, but does have the low C tonehole where there'd normally be the bell key (similar to the Prestiges), whereas Sarah Watts one has the standard key-on-bell configuration, just the bell flare is in wood.
Who do you reckon made these bells? Henri Bok's one still has the pillars on the bell U-tube section. And it could be a trick of the light, but it looks like he's got a gold plated crook as well.
And there was I wrongly thinking the Privilege low C bass was to be a more affordable low C bass to fill a gap in the market.
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2005-09-29 10:29
Bok plays with a Backun bell. They use the original metal socket provided by the manufacturer and then add the wooden bell so that is screws on ( the screw on part I might not have right!).
I don't believe any of the major manufacturers offer wooden bells.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, please!
Tobin
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-09-29 10:41
I wondered if it was maybe a Rossi bell, or if Selmer were offering these as an option themselves (not Henri Bok's version as that's a bit more elaborate, but the other one Sarah Watts is using where only the bell flare is in wood and the rest is as Selmer make it with the bell key still in place).
I can't find the picture of them on Myatt's site though.
And further on in the same catalogue it says "... The bell is fitted with a resonator hole..."
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Author: mnorswor
Date: 2005-09-29 15:10
Henri plays with a Rossi bell, NOT a Backun bell. Not that this matters. Check out his website, it tells you what he plays in his bio.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2005-09-29 15:45
Selmer doesn't make wood bells. All their basses come with metal bells. As mentioned already in this thread it's possible to buy Backun or Rossi wood bells.
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Author: BelgianClarinet
Date: 2005-09-29 17:27
Don't know if it sounds better, but I doesn't look better to me !!, maybe because I'm out of cash :-)
Post Edited (2005-09-29 17:27)
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Author: BassetHorn
Date: 2005-09-29 18:18
Doesn't look all that great to me either. You got the metal silvery colour for the neck and keys, black wood colour for the body, and brownish colour for the wooden bell, I just don't find the colour scheme particularly attractive. And I am also out of cash!
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-09-29 19:06
Plus the fact it probably won't fit in the case.
Nah, not for me, even if I was loaded I still wouldn't alter (anymore) or part with my Prestige bass, unless a mid '50s Selmer low C bass came my way.
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Author: Grabnerwg
Date: 2005-09-29 21:25
I saw one of the Rossi wooden bass clarinet bells, when I was at the Oklahoma Symposium.
Visually, it was stunning, absolutely stunning.
Unfortunately, I did not have my bass clarinet with me, so I was not able to try it out.
One thing I did notice, was that the bell was very heavy, compared to a normal metal bell.
Mike Lowenstern (noted bass clarinetist) has said that he has a wood bell and uses it often. In large orchestra situations, however, he returns to the metal bell, as it provides more projection.
It seems like every change we make to our setups require some compromises! Anyone ever notice that?
Walter Grabner
www.clarinetxpress.com/bass.html
World Class bass clarinet mouthpieces
Now also making Contra bass and Contra Alto clarinet mouthpieces
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Author: Gardini
Date: 2005-09-29 22:49
I talked to Henri when he played in Juneau. He swears by his wooden bell. Rossi wants $1000. for the things. Since Henri notes all his gear on his CD's, I guess he gets his stuff for free or at a great price, but while he was here the other musicians gave him a hard time about how much he spent on his instruments.
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Author: contragirl
Date: 2005-09-30 01:52
Heeeyy... Tom Pawulski has a wooden Bass bell. :P Ask him how he feels about it.
--CG
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Author: donald
Date: 2005-09-30 03:41
yeah, bells bells bells
but what about the golden bass clarinet neck piece? ha, they really are working at new ways to make us spend money!
donald
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