 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: moeboy
Date: 2005-12-04 15:54
due to the fact that christmas is coming up, i was thinking of asking my parents for a new bass clarinet mouthpiece along with the pomarico crystal one that i am set on getting for my normal clarinet. only problem is that i don't know what to get. i would like a reasonably priced one (under 200 hopefully?) that plays well in the altissimo range, and has good sound. basically a all around good mouthpiece that won't leave my parents broke, and will give me wounderful sound. i am clueless, so any information would be greatfully accepted.
thanks
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Author: bob49t
Date: 2005-12-04 18:30
Plenty info and opinions here if you do a search with appropriate words.
Also click on "mouthpieces and barrels" button immediately right of this box.
I hear Walter Grabner has a new bass 'piece range...may be in your range.
RT
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Author: moeboy
Date: 2005-12-04 18:40
.......wow that seems like what i need, and it is reasonably priced. may just be my next bass mp
thanks
Post Edited (2005-12-04 18:43)
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-12-04 18:45
Yes, Walt's and the Fobes bass mps are certainly among the very best. I like my Pomaricos [they are old GG's refaced by Dave Spiegelthal], and with care should never change. I'd get a #3 lay, give it a good trial, then consider asking Dave to reface it, also be very careful. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-12-04 20:45
I think I'll bite the bullet and get a Pomarico #3 crystal bass mpc for myself as well.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2005-12-04 20:46)
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Author: Shorthand
Date: 2005-12-05 14:30
Honestly, its worth a lot more if you try several (like 6 or so) and return what you don't want.
I just bought a new Grabner CX_BB_PERS, but in the process I gathered my section and a local bass clar/clarinet teacher and we tried everything I had gotten in and everyone's existing mouthpieces & ligs & a good range of Legere reeds. All it took was 4 chairs, a table with some towels on it, and a bowl with vinegar and water in it (and another with plain water rinse).
We had the following to play with:
2 CX_BZ's
2 CX_BB_PERS's
1 Fobes CF
1 Selmer C*
2 Vandoren B45's
1 Bay MO-M
And we had the normal assortment of Bonade and Rovner ligatures, along with a Vadoren Optimum I had gotten to try. We had a lot of fun. I kept the more open-tipped of the BB_PERS's, one section mate bought one of the CX_BZ's, and the teacher bought the CF and the other CX_BZ for his students.
Trust me, its nicest when you can make a well-informed decision. The only thing I'd change is that Vandoren mouthpieces don't really vary from one to the next, so you can get by with one example, and a B44 is probably more appropriate for classical playing than a B45 anyhoo.
Yes, it requires fronting a serious amount of cash to make it happen, but in the end its still very much worth it as opposed to trying mouthpieces one at a time. You can go in to this together with your section mates (or perhaps a whole heard of bass clarinetists) to help minimize the impact.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-12-05 18:10
I've been using a Vandoren B46 for the last 15 years - but to be honest it is a bit on the open side.
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Author: Shorthand
Date: 2005-12-05 19:54
Having made a fairly well informed decision, I can't emphasize enough how much more its worth than trying mouthpieces one at a time.
I would never buy a bass clarinet mouthpiece without at least comparing it to a C* for reference WITH another player listening to you. Doing this in an adequately large space also makes a pretty big difference. I've tried the ones above, and I used to have a Garret (I think a M) that was very closed so I never really used. The people who I saw try the above on a Selmer 37 definitely preferred the CX_BZ amongst those choices. The CX_BB_PERS was a little more contained and complements my Kohlert better, (I think Dave S came to the same conclusion, or a similar one.)
Here are what I'd consder the valid pro-level makers and their bass clarinet lineup. The shorter list nearer the Pomarico price point would include the C*, D, the Grabner CX_BB_PERS, CX_BZ, VD B44
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Make Model / Facing Tip Spec (mm) Facing Spec (mm @ .038 mm) Price New Comments
Charles Bay M-M 1.98 24
Charles Bay MO-M 2.03 24 $250 Assuming that this is the equivalent of the currently available Bay
Charles Bay MO+M 2.16 25
Charles Bay O-L 2.29 26
Walter Grabner CX_BS 1.80 ML? $230 Reworked Selmer C* - Can send in a C* + $80 for reworking into a CX_BS
Walter Grabner CX_BB_PERS 1.76 ~21 $165
Walter Grabner CX_BB_90 1.88 ~22? $185 Zinner Blank
Walter Grabner CX_BZ 1.88 ~22 $185 Zinner Blank
Selmer HS 1.55 27 $130
Selmer C 1.70 27 $130
Selmer C* 1.80 27 $130
Selmer C** 1.85 27 $130
Selmer HS** 1.90 18 $130
Selmer D 1.90 18 $130
Selmer E 2.00 18 $130
Selmer F 2.10 27 $130
Selmer G 2.20 27 $130
Selmer H 2.30 27 $130
Vandoren B30 1.70 MS $113 Outstanding clarinet mouthpiece for musicians who like to use stronger reeds.
Vandoren B44 1.84 M $113 Extremely popular mouthpiece designed for classical playing.
Vandoren B40 1.93 ML $113 Designed to use soft reeds without sacrificing the sound quality of a stronger reed (centered and compact).
Vandoren B45 1.93 ML (~28.5) $113 Particularly suited for players preferring a wider tip opening.
Vandoren B46 2.06 L $113 Recommended for classical and jazz musicians who prefer a wider tip opening.
Clark Fobes Debut CF 1.70 24 $59
Clark Fobes NOVA CF 1.70 24 $129
Clark Fobes San Fransisco CF 1.70 24 $210 Incredible response - great for solo work
Clark Fobes San Fransisco RR 1.80 24 $210
Clark Fobes San Fransisco AB 1.90 24 $210
Clark Fobes San Fransisco HB 2.00 25 $210
Pomarico Crystal Model 1 1.60 26 $147
Pomarico Crystal Model 2 1.80 26 $147
Pomarico Crystal Model 3 1.90 25 $147
Roger Garrett MO 1.68 unk. $75
Roger Garrett M 1.56 unk. $75
Roger Garrett Spec Order Spec Spec $120
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2005-12-06 04:19
"I would never buy a bass clarinet mouthpiece without at least comparing it to a C* for reference WITH another player listening to you."
Unfortunately this is not always an option.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2005-12-06 14:26
As a refacer I can tell you that NOBODY, not even the very best mouthpiece makers (who in my humble opinion include woodwind.org sponsors Clark Fobes, Gregory Smith, and Walter Grabner) can make two mouthpieces play absolutely identically. The best makers can make many mouthpieces which play very similar to each other, but even so you would have to try a fair number of them to find the one that's just right for you.
When you start talking about mass-produced mouthpieces (even the better ones such as Selmer, Vandoren and Pomarico) you can still find a great mouthpiece, but now you have increased by a factor of two, or ten or more, the number of mouthpieces you should audition before you select one.
There are no guarantees --- it's a matter of probabilities, just as with clarinet brands and models. The better the maker, the fewer samples you have to try to get one that's really good for you -- but you ALWAYS should try as many as you can.
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