 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: George Taylor
Date: 2009-05-15 08:41
So I finally, yesterday I bought my first Low C Bass Clarinet!!!!! I decided on the Buffet as the price difference was just too much for me to look at Selmer in the end. So yesterday I went back to Howarths (they are just a couple of blocks away from my flat) and tried them all again and settled on the Greenline Prestige Bass. Considering I will be playing it in my local wind band which generally does lots of outdoor gigs in the summer I also thought the greenline would be the best option. The tech guys at the store also spent a a little time with me adjusting the tension and doing some regulation work on the low end of the horn. I just didn't realise how 'out' they were when they are delivered from the factory! Anyway, after 45 mins or so with the tech guy I walked away with my new bass, the new bam triple bass clarinet case and 2 Charles Bay bass moutpieces (they are on sale).
I also took a couple of ligatures on approval, a charles bay silver and a BG Gold. I'm stuggling to seperate them, any thoughts? I must say on first inspection I thought the Bay looked very fragile, is this something I should worry about?
Off to play with my new baby.......
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-05-15 12:50
I'm not a big fan of either but I've always said that everyone is built differently so we all can't play on the same equipment and get the same result. I would go with clainibass's advise and choose what feels and sounds the best. As I always say, try before you buy. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2009-05-15 13:04
Bay ligatures are light for a reason. The lighter the weight, the less interference with the vibration of the reed. Therefore, they don't withstand abuse. What works best for me on any ligature is to tighten up the screws snug and then back off 1/4 turn.
You don't need to pay the premium price for a Bay. A standard cheap Martin ligature works just as well, so long as you take needle-nose pliers and shape it so it doesn't bind the reed edges.
In my experience the type of plating makes only an imaginary difference.
Ken Shaw
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Author: William
Date: 2009-05-15 14:41
Before I acquired my Winslow lig, I was quite pleased with how the Vandoran Optimum lig with the parallel rail insert performed and used it on both my Pomarico crystal "Jazz" #1 and Grabner CX_BS mouthpieces, the latter being my preferred. It held the reed securely and yet allowed it to resonate sufficiantly to produce a well focused sound in all registers. My Bay lig worked well also, but I just felt that the Vandy was more "user friendly"--easier to put on and care for. However, I must say that (IMHO) there is no ligature made for bass clarinet (or saxophone) better, or even as good as, the Winslow. Problem is, they are no longer being made and they are hard to find. I have not played a BG bass clarinet lig, but if it is anything like the soprano clar version, I would suspect the Vandoran Optimum or Bonade inverted lig to perform about the same. In any case, I would ignore the words "silver" and "gold" as the have abolutely nothing to do with how the lig allowes the reed to sound. Choose either the Bay or the BG, but I would recommend trying the Vandoran Optimum before you make a final decision.
FWIW--I play a Buffet Prestige low C bass clarinet and use Legere #3 reeds. However, having had success with some new Forestone reeds during two recent performances as the cat/clarinet in "Peter & the Wolf", I am anxiously awaiting the new bass clarinet reed they are developing.
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Author: DougR
Date: 2009-05-15 19:56
Just echoing Ken's post on ligature tightening and adding that I've never had a Bay ligature that didn't develop stress cracks eventually where the screws tighten. I think I may have been over-tightening the ligatures, though--easy to do--and they're really thin metal to start with, so I'd say if you like the Bay, keep it...just learn to baby it a bunch.
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Author: Chetclarinet
Date: 2009-05-15 20:52
I have had much success with the Charles Bay bass clarinet ligature. I have used it with my Kaspar bass mouthpiece for 35 years. The metal is thin, but the sound is worth it.
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Author: Lynn
Date: 2009-05-16 02:14
Ditto to Chetclarinet......
Charlie's ligatures are quite nice, and my only objection is that they might be a bit fragile. Don't twist the mouthpiece too vigorously! It's easy to bend the thin metal that he uses to manufacture them.
Another possibility....although also a wee bit fragile, is the Spriggs ligature. I'm currently playing (and really enjoying) one, and although they are a bit pricey I do think our friend from Canada is on to something with a minimal amount of reed contact with the ligature. It simply allows the reed to vibrate without any abnormal pressures from the ligature. Caveat: be certain your reed is well matched to your mouthpiece and also well balanced! Otherwise it's a squeak looking for a place to happen.
Happy tooting!
Lynn
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Author: William
Date: 2009-05-16 14:54
Charlie once told me that "the secret" of his ligatures was the lightness of the metal and sent me a freebie for one that I had over-tightened and cracked at one of the etchings. I agree that they are great ligs, but you have to be careful when turning the screws not to overdo. I do use a gold plated Bay lig on my gold plated R13 for cosmetic reasons, but prefer to use the less fragile and but equally responsive Vandy Optimum on my Chicago Kaspar Bb/A mouthpiece--which I prefer, btw, to the many Winslow ligs I have for soprano clarinet. Winslow for my bass clarinet & saxophones, but not my soprano clarinets.
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Author: oliver sudden
Date: 2009-05-16 17:10
I was quite pleased with how the Vandoran Optimum lig with the parallel rail insert performed
Is there anyone out there who uses the other inserts?
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Author: Wes
Date: 2009-05-16 20:49
Mr. Taylor,
Congratulations on your fine new bass! I was also fortunate to have recently purchased a new Buffet 1193 bass. It was very well adjusted by the Howarth staff and is wonderful. I did not have to pay VAT but I paid $273 in USA customs duty.
The supplied Buffet mouthpiece was revised to narrow the too wide side rails and touch up the facing. It is now is quite respectable with a Rovner dark ligature. Have fun!
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Author: George Taylor
Date: 2009-05-18 11:14
Thanks for all the help. After the weekend with the two I had on approval, I was fairly sure neither of them were for me, so back to Howarth this morniing and I have ended up with an optimum. It was by far the one with the best response and helped me to create the richest sound. I tried a few others there too, a couple of other vandorens and the Rovner range. The leather vandoren one was quite nice but a little restricted for me, so I bought the optimum. Thanks for the advice, it was very helpful guys!
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