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Eb extensions, etc.

Author: Clark W Fobes
Date: 2008-06-05 06:49

It has been really wonderful to read the kind comments posted here and also interesting to read some of the criticisms and comments.

The idea for my Eb extension came from my work with bass clarinets extended to low C and the very occasional full Boehm system clarinet. In both cases it was evident that the sound of the long B natural was much improved when it was produced from a tone hole rather than the bell. I had never seen or heard of this in conjunction with a clarinet, but I was aware that it had been used for English horn. I have some prototypes for Bb clarinet that I made some time in the 1990s, but they did not work well. My first successful extension was made for David Niethammer who was the Principal Clarinet with the Richmond Symphony. I don't recall the exact date, but I believe he contacted me in the year 2000. He needed a longer bell for his early 1900s Buffet C clarinet, but I suggested that I try making an extension instead. It worked beautifully, but I did not make another extension until Jan of 2002. This was made for my R-13 Eb clarinet and I was amazed at how well it worked. In addition to the improved B natural my clarinet had a much more even and warmer sound throughout the registers. I used it for two years before making about a half dozen for the Klarfest in Utah in the summer of 2004. They were a bit of a hit and I recall that I sold all but one. It was at that time that I showed my idea to the fellows from Buffet and they said that Buffet had at one time made something like it for the Elite clarinets. It took a while to catch on, but last year I sold 60 and it looks like I will sell at least that many this year. I am working on a similar concept for Bb and A clarinets.

Most modern Eb clarinets have about the same bell tenon dimensions as Buffet clarinets, but the Selmers are a bit problematic. I do make some extensions with larger tenons, but they are usually a special order.

Barrels are not a fix all for intonation problems of clarinets, but a compression of the barrel bore with a taper rather than the virtually non tapered large diameter barrels supplied with Buffet clarinets is definitely an improvement. The upper left hand of Buffet R-13 A clarinets can be drastically sharp. Even a good barrel cannot help some instruments. It is best to avoid instruments that are more than 10 cents sharp in the upper left hand.

Finally, I do try to answer every e-mail inquiry that is sent to me. Some times thing get sent to the Spam filter and MANY times people try to send me e-mails, but misspell "FOBES" no R!!!! They misspell "CLARK" no E!!! or they leave out the "W" in the domain name. clark@clarkwfobes.com

I am very sorry that I will not be able to attend either the Oklahoma conference or the Klarfest in Kansas City. I have the wonderful pleasure of playing 2nd clarinet in performances of "Rheingold" with the SF Opera until Jul 1. Several of my dealers will be there with my mouthpieces, barrels and extensions.

Clark

Clark W Fobes - Clarinet & Saxophone Products

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