 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2008-05-22 14:22
A short report on Clark's visit to NYC:
I got tix for Clark to see WICKED on Broadway for last Wednesday's matinee.
I asked if he wanted to sit in the pit and hear the band...he declined, smart man!
Before the matinee he had a large bag of clarinet accessory goodies filled with barrels, mpcs, Eb extensions, etc. He had just come down from the Met when he had Jim Ognibene, Bass clarinetist with the Met Orchestra, try his new Bass clarinet mpcs.
Jim took one and loved it.
He handed me a new L2 FOBES clarinet mouthpiece, and it instantly worked on my horn, I was amazed! So, I told him to give a good listen out front, and tell me how his new mpc sounded from the audience of our 2,000 seat Theater at the Gershwin.
He handed me 2 Eb barrels, one Grenadilla and a CocoBolo , the Grenadilla was a 43mm, and worked great right away, so I put in on and also played it for the matinee. Then he wanted me to try his new new bore clarinet barrel, also CocoBolo 67mm. Sounded OK, so I used it.
Also, he asked me to try one of the Bass mpcs he had brought in for Jim, and it exploded with sound on my horn...twice the sound of my BILL STREET with half the effort, and the pitch was great!
So, there I was, 5 minutes before show time at WICKED, with 2.000 people ready to see and hear a great show, and I'm playing on all brand new equipment! He said. "you are a brave man!"
I immediately noticed a big difference in the Bass sound, response and pitch, all better than my 20+ year old STREET, so that's a winner.
The Eb barrel focused my sound easier, had better pitch, and was easier to handle, than my custom-made BACKUN Eb barrel, so it's also a winner.
The clarinet mpc was a closer facing than my custom-made HITE JJM, so I slapped on a slightly harder reed, and it came to life. So, along with the new FOBES Bb barrel. the new FOBES clarinet mpc, the new FOBES Eb barrel, and the new FOBES Bass clarinet mpc, I bravely went into the pit to meet my maker!
I must have made a difference because many of my fellow pit players came up to me at intermission, and complimented me on my "new sound" and "special colors" that they really enjoyed. It made me feel good that they all noticed Clark's new equipment so quickly.
I felt relatively comfortable, with very little adjustment necessary to make all the new pieces work. All in all, a very exciting experience.
BTW: Don't try these antics at work, only at home, just to make sure they are really OK for you!
One more thing; the FOBES Eb extension works great! I've been using it for months at the show and even at the NY Phil., and it makes a huge difference on the Eb clarinet. The general pitch is vastly improved, the response is quicker, the tone is darker & richer, all good things, give it a try.
I took Clark to lunch at a fine Thai Restaurant in the Theater District, The BlueChili, which I highly recommend. Clark is charming, very bright and cheerful, he loved the show, and was amazed that all his "stuff" sounded so good. I'm thrilled he was there and had brought all his wonderful products for me to try.
So, I'm sold on FOBES...go for it, my friends. We had KASPAR, I had HITE, now we all have FOBES...!
(Disclaimer, I am not paid by Clark Fobes to promote his products, or given any special discounts. I just like his equipment! JJM)
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
Post Edited (2008-05-22 14:45)
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2008-05-22 15:27
That is pretty brave to go in on new equipment to a performance, but then again, you are a professional musician and must adapt under different circumstances. I saw wicked at the Pantages here in Los Angeles and talked to some of the pit musicians from the front row and they agreed that the theatre was pretty dead sound-wise. My friend just bought a fobes bass clarinet mouthpiece which i'll ask her about it at the next rehearsal: tuesday.
kudos to your story though
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: Merlin_Williams
Date: 2008-05-22 16:16
Gee, I wish Clark had time to make a visit to Stratford and bring a bag of goodies with him!
I'm looking around for one of his Eb extensions here in Canada, but no one seems to carry them.
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Author: woody
Date: 2008-05-22 18:36
Hey John
Thats great that you have found a new sound that you like! its always a good feeling when you manage to make a change for the better isnt it!?
I play WICKED in the West End in London and I also use a Fobes Bass mouthpeice! I love the response and sound at every dynamic level. I have tried many other since (just to see whats out there) & nothing comes close.
I have heard many things about the Eb extention and now you have got me wanting to try one! How much of a difference does it make in your general pitch that you have noticed?
I have just switched mouthpiece on the Eb to a Mike Lomax after chatting to him when he came to London and I'm extremely pleased with the sound, much freer with a much wider tone.
However, the thought of a little more stability in overall pitch is tempting!
Where might I be able to try one here in London????
Post Edited (2008-05-22 18:39)
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Author: Bill
Date: 2008-05-22 22:50
Yes, I agree. The funny thing is, it took me years to realize how great his mouthpieces are, and the first time around I got rid of my 2L. I didn't "get it."
I think that's a sort of a neat story, because as I see it, as I grew as a clarinetist so I came to appreciate this man's stuff. I have a 2L and a 4L now (from Glenn K.), and, yes, I think they are a couple of the best things in my drawer. But ... in a subtle way.
And, yeah, David Hite was waaay under-appreciated as a mouthpiece artist (of course, he was many other things). I have two of those old "DAVID HITE" at the bottom blanks. Superlative!
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2008-05-23 04:24
Hi Woody:
Nice to hear from a fellow WICKED player. I've been at it for almost 5 years now in NYC on Broadway, and I'm still having a ball (thank you Stephen Schwartz)!
You must try, and no doubt buy a FOBES Eb extension. They are available from many of the online sites on this BBoard, in addition to getting a few to try from the man himself, Clark W Fobes!
The extension only improves the little effer. In many ways, it is one of the finest improvements to the Clarinet in recent history. It stabilizes the "12ths", and improves the overall pitch, it warms-up the sound and makes it richer, it brings down the top of the horn and brings up the bottom...amazing! You must try one to appreciate the improvements.
Good luck,
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2008-05-23 11:03
Now if Clark would make an extension for Bb and A clarinets. . . .
Ken Shaw
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Author: Merlin_Williams
Date: 2008-05-23 11:45
JJM said:
"The extension only improves the little effer. In many ways, it is one of the finest improvements to the Clarinet in recent history. It stabilizes the "12ths", and improves the overall pitch, it warms-up the sound and makes it richer, it brings down the top of the horn and brings up the bottom...amazing! You must try one to appreciate the improvements."
John,
How does it affect the E6?
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2008-05-23 12:16
I play a Clark Fobes bass clarinet mouthpiece for years and I like it a lot.
I doubt if I'll ever be able to try his barrels and Eb extension, but if I will, they might be a much less expensive idea to improve the intonation of my inexpensive but decent Eb clarinet (it's a Vito) than buying a new one (which I probably won't). Even with the barrel very open it is still too sharp at A=442 (the barrel is 40mm).
John, up to what note (fingering) do you notice a significant improvment of the intonation between the 12ths?
Post Edited (2008-05-23 13:21)
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Author: claritoot26
Date: 2008-05-23 12:55
I purchased a Fobes bass cl. mouthpiece recently because I was asked to play bass in a local high school production of "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying". They let me borrow the Selmer school bass clarinet, which seemed just awful....then I bought this Fobes mouthpiece and it made the instrument sing. Still not that great a horn, but way way better than it was on that school mouthpiece, and I had no experience on bass before. It quickly became my favorite instrument to play in that show. So, now I just "need" a lovely instrument to go with the mouthpiece!
I will have to check out the Eb extension...I'm relatively new on that instrument as well, and it plays quite sharp on most notes. Now to get a decent job so I can afford all these gadgets!
BTW John, a couple of my students have seen "Wicked" on Broadway and loved it. I hope to get up there myself sometime.
Lori
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2008-05-23 14:17
To answer just a few questions about the FOBES Eb extension that I've raved about:
It helps a very little with notoriously flat E6, I am forced to use the usual Eb right pinky "tuner-key" plus the B/F# "sliver key when playing that note any louder than a mezzoforte. The extension helps so many other parts of the horn, that the very top notes still need a little help.
All the "12ths" are helped in some way. Some more than others. The most obvious improvements are the low E/middle B and the lower chromatics with their 12th equivalents. Overall, the intonation is vastly improved, in addition to the more solid feel of the horn while using the Eb extension.
And finally Lori, if you do get to see our NYC WICKED, do drop by the pit to say hi, and time permitting, get a backstage tour!
I really feel those of you with fine technical question about the FOBES Eb extension, should contact Clark directly. He's very accessible, knowledgeable, and can answer your question better than I. Contact him on his site on the BBoard, or try emailing him at:
<clark@clarkwfobes.com>
Thanks for your interest.
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: donald
Date: 2008-05-23 14:31
hmmmm interesting news
i am ending this year with about 70 performances of Phantom and would take this opportunity to update the bass clarinet mouthpiece i've played for the last 10 years. Partially out of dissatisfaction and partially out of needing to give myself a present (i'll also have 5 days surfing in Noosa!).
The E flat extension? i'm sure it works fine, if you search old posts from the early 2000s you'll find my conjecture on the same concept but re B flat and A clarinets- mainly to improve the middle line B (as noted in the E11 thread, an Italian firm has utilised this idea in their sop clarinets).
dn
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Author: Ed
Date: 2008-05-23 16:24
I have LONG been a fan of Clark's products and sing his praises every opportunity I can. He makes a great line of mouthpieces for all clarinets in a wide variety of facings. They are great players. One of the the remarkable things is that the mouthpieces are very reed friendly. You can spend your time playing his mouthpiece rather than playing with the mouthpiece. The equipment simply works and allows you to make music.
There are many mouthpieces and barrels out there, some more expensive, but none better.
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Author: William
Date: 2008-05-23 16:39
JJM wrote: "I really feel those of you with fine technical question about the FOBES Eb extension, should contact Clark directly. He's very accessible,"
I did just that and received an email back from him within in minutes. As a result of his cyberspace advice, I am going to order some A barrels to audition and--if my wife doesn't take away my credit card--an effer extension for my Yamaha 681 (he said it would fit). Thank's JJM for the review.
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Author: Ryan25
Date: 2008-05-23 17:31
I've been using the Eflat extension for about 3 years now. Never leave home without it. It made my life much easier this season on Shostakovich 10.
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Author: Ebclarinet1
Date: 2008-05-23 18:53
Couldn't agree more about his products and am glad the person is just as great too! It seems as though we are lucky in the Clarinet Field to have such wonderful dealers and product development people.
Like others, I use the Fobes barrel, extension and mouthpiece on the Eefer and mouthpiece on the Bb. The extension on the Eeefer makes everything in tune so nicely and I've received many nice comments (many saying "I've never heard one of them play in tune."). Keep up the great work Clark!!
Eefer guy
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Author: woody
Date: 2008-05-24 09:53
Thanks John
I have the Eb extention on order from Howarths in London and am really looking forward to trying it out.
The reason I asked where i might acquire one in London was that I was hoping to get hold of one before a recording session on monday (wishful thinking I know but after hearing you rave about it I just wanted it there and then!) now I have to be patient for a month or so for it to arrive from the US.
For those that aren't that familiar with Howarths, it is THE Clarinet specialist shop in the UK if not Europe. What really makes it special is the knowledge of the staff of not only of the Clarinet family and all its intricacies, but also about the huge amount of products on the market today.
When you are faced with 50 makes of mouthpieces Donny, (the very knowledgable and experienced manager of the Clarinet dept) after a brief chat is able point you in the right direction and whittle your choice down to just a handfull so you dont end up with a complete brain meltdown after merely thinking about where to start! & that applies to all accessories, so is a massive help.
So if any of you are ever in London I would thoroughly recommend a vist.
Ben
Disclaimer: I am not in any way endorsed or paid by Howarths to promote their products or services.
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Author: RLSchwebel
Date: 2008-05-24 13:57
Clark is definitetly an amazing individual! His products are fantastic, across the board. He has been extremely helpful to me and I said thank you that only a fellow clarinet player could appreciate...a bottle of tequila!
~robt
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Author: alanporter
Date: 2008-05-24 14:52
I'm afraid that I haven't had the same experience with the Debut bass clarinet mouthpiece that I recently bought brand new. The tenon of the mpc is loose in the clarinet neck, so that it wobbles. Fitting thicker cork is not a solution as it is the diameter of the plastic parts that prevent the wobble. Also the inside of the mpc beak has what seems to be a gouge on one side close to the base of a rail. I believe that this could affect to tone . There is also a longitudinal scratch inside the body. I am not impressed. Compared to my Yamaha mpc at half the price, the Debut is rubbish.
Alan
tiaroa@shaw.ca
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2008-05-24 15:26
I have a few Debut mouthpieces I use to test instruments with (mostly saxophones). They all look "ugly" i.e. very rough hand(?) finishing, uneven rails, sharp machine marks, etc. I was worried at first but all worries stopped the moment I tried to play them. I think they are very good. But I also think Yamaha mouthpieces are very good.
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Author: William
Date: 2008-06-03 17:35
After three days of auditioning two of Clarks 65mm A barrels, I must report that they did not significantly improve the performance of my Buffet R13. Both played the same and the basic tuning to A-440 was "right on", but 12ths remained pretty much the same as with my stock barrels with only a one or two cent reduction at best (by my Seiko meter). They had no effect on my "problem" notes, A4, B4 & C5 which are quite sharp compared to those on my R13 Bb. The barrels did "darken" the tambre of my instrument, but also seemed to restrict it's flexability by adding more resistance than I like. FYI, I used my Bay "Ithica" custom and Gregory Smith "Cicero" mouthpieces with V12 & Rico Select reeds for this trial period. And just because they didn't work for me should not infer that they would not be good for you. Just reporting my own experiance.......
I am in the process of aquiring one of Clarks Eb extensions and am looking forward to trying it out on my Yamaha 681.
Post Edited (2008-06-03 18:57)
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Author: hinotehud ★2017
Date: 2008-06-03 21:32
John,
Which bass clarinet mouthpiece did you get? I assume you got the San Francisco model, but he lists four different facings: CF, RR, AP. and HB.
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Author: Ryan25
Date: 2008-06-03 21:49
"I used my Bay "Ithica" custom and Gregory Smith "Cicero" mouthpieces with V12 & Rico Select reeds for this trial period."
I really think Clark's barrels work best with his mouthpieces....that was my experience when I tried them. Clarks mouthpieces also are on the free blowing side so building some resistance into the barrel seems like a good idea.
I would use Chadash Barrels with the Greg Smith as that combination seems to be ideal.
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Author: jcfasanar
Date: 2008-06-03 23:40
A question about Fobes Eb Extension: fits the Selmer Recital lower joint and Bell? (The recital is the fattest eb)
I asked to Mr. Fobes by email but i had no reply.
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Author: John J. Moses
Date: 2008-06-05 04:48
To answer a few questions:
BTW: Clark Fobes is not only a master craftsman, he is also a busy San Francisco free-lance clarinetist. So if you don't get quick answers to your email questions, be patient, he will get back to you with equipment or answers.
In the meantime, here goes...
Yes, Clark Fobes equipment works best when used together; such as, his Bb barrel with his Bb mouthpiece, or his Eb extension with his Eb barrel and/or Eb mouthpiece. I now use a FOBES Eb 43 mm barrel with his Eb extension, both in Grenadilla. I also use a FOBES Bb 67mm Cocobolo barrel with his L2 Bb clarinet mouthpiece. These combinations, for me, work better than any other of the dozens of mouthpieces and barrels I've collected over the years. I personally think Clark has a good thing going.
My Bass clarinet mouthpiece was made for Jim Ognibene, who plays at the Met Opera here in NYC. Jim chose one of the "CF" FOBES bass mouthpieces, and I got the other one, they are virtually the same, as Clark is very consistent. I don't know much about his other bass facings, check with Clark when he has some free time. He'll send you what you need.
Your Selmer Recital Eb extension is a tough one. I do not know if Clark makes, or will make an extension that will fit that larger horn? Ask him again, perhaps he has just what you need?
(Disclaimer, I am not paid by Clark Fobes to promote his products, or given any special discounts. I just like his equipment! JJM)
JJM
Légère Artist
Clark W. Fobes Artist
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Author: Ed
Date: 2008-06-05 12:25
Clark is usually excellent about correspondence. If you don't hear. either send again or give him a call. In my experiences, he will be happy to help.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2008-06-09 18:38
Since I play a Selmer Series 9 Eb clarinet (1966) Clark and I discussed on the phone about finding an Eb extension which would fit, since the bell tenon is slightly bigger than the standard R13, which his extensions fit.
After some careful measuring (but in the end, not careful enough) Clark sent me an Eb extension to try. Unfortunately it was a bit too snug to fit on the bell tenon. Clark told me to immediately send it back and he would find (or make) a different one with a slightly more open bell receiver.
After a week, the new Eb extension arrived and it fit perfectly - like it was made for the clarinet.
As noted by others, it definitely has an effect on the resulting sound -especially the long B, C, C# (and the lower 12ths). I also found that the extension seems to round out the sound of the entire clarinet and (for lack of a better term) 'darken' to tone quality - removing some of the stridency.
After playing Eb clarinet with it on, I cannot now imagine going without using it... GBK
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Author: William
Date: 2008-06-10 14:46
As I already posted in another thread, I also like the Eb extension recently aquired for my Yamaha 681. A perfect fit, seems to give the long tones an extra "boost" but also gives the entire range that little extra "ping" that I kind of like. Makes my Yamaha sound more like a Buffet. All effer players should get Clarks extension--well worth the investment (IMHO).
Post Edited (2008-06-10 18:21)
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2022-07-30 20:08
just got a fobes alto clarinet san fan model and i am blown away!. now its got me thinking of one for bass clarinet!
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Author: Ed
Date: 2022-07-30 23:54
His bass mouthpieces are great. To be honest, I have not played anything of Clark's that was not top notch.
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2022-07-31 03:13
i doubt i will get the bass one for as little as i paid for the alto. no one bid on it but me. 90$ was a steal
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Author: Ed
Date: 2022-08-01 01:49
Yes, alto equipment is not really in demand
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2022-08-02 02:44
how true! its a great time to pick up alto,s and gear for them. i just started playing it full time in comunity band last year and got amazing deals on everything! if only other horns and gear were this cheap!
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