 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: lorenmcc
Date: 2009-09-06 15:28
My wife and I play in pit orchestras in local community theater and High school Musical productions and in local community bands, playing multiple instruments when necessary. I recently purchased (used via e-Bay) an Evette & Schaeffer Bass Clarinet Serial # 5223 for my wife to use (she is a flute player new to clarinet, I have been playing clarinet abt 40 years). She was complaining about the neck angle on her bass and I never really compared it to my bass (an Olds wooden bass, possibly a Malerne stencil), the neck angle is totally wrong, the neck on the E&S comes out straight, probably like the infamous Bundy neck. I suspect this is not the original neck on the E&S bass. I have tried the Olds neck and it does fit and work better (the Olds neck has the octave key on the neck, the E&S doesn't), so I was wondering what options do I have for a replacement.
I see there is a Vito neck currently available and was wondering if that would be a suitable replacement.
Any help appreciated.
Also was wondering on the age, the Buffet web site lists an Evette with this serial number being built in 1953, but I can't tell for sure if it is for a Bass Clarinet.
Loren McCullough
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2009-09-06 17:24
Hi Loren, I was a frequent pit player, sim.to you, on saxes and bass/sop cls, back in the "good ole days . You pose a difficult problem, B C necks on makes I;ve encountered vary quite widely, some "corked tenon" and others are metal with screw clamps. Leblanc used the latter in earlier days, I believe, my Selmer is corked. I'd ask for a careful measurement by the Vito sesller to find a fit. The Vito prob has only single register keying like your E S, but diff. from your Olds/ Malerne [likely]. Do you use a peg for support? I do and have found that some neck angle adjusment is possible that way. Custom necks are expensive !
All I can think of now, HOPE others can add to my thots, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: RonLivonia
Date: 2009-09-06 22:38
I own a Evette Scaeffer Hard rubber Bass Clar. (Malern stencil) that has been modified by Charles Bay & fitted with his custom neck.. I have the orig. neck. (somewhere) It is a corked neck, no register key.. I also have a wood E. & S. that has Register Key on the neck..
I also own a selmer series 9 that has a two piece (tunable neck) & I like the angle of that neck.. (also a corked neck) I tried it on the E & S's.. (Too long, intonation suffered.) If I can locate the orig. E & S neck, & you want it. I'm sure we can work out a deal.. If interested contact me at firstron at sbcglobal.net... Ron
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Author: lorenmcc
Date: 2009-09-07 04:10
You make some good suggestions Don. While I have been playing Bb soprano clar. for 40 years, I am relatively new to Bass, only having picked my Olds up as a fixer-upper from e-Bay about 4 years ago. I am still learning the quirks of the Bass. Just to make sure I know what you mean by "single register" keying, both have a single octave key, but have two tone holes selected based on what other keys are open/closed, just like I am used to on a Sax octave mechanism, but the E&S has the second tone hole on the body, not on the neck.
The Olds and E&S are both corked tenon necks, so that is something else I will have to look at on a replacement. Haven't been able to find any real info on the Vito neck, only which Vito models they are designed as a replacement for.
My Olds does not have a floor peg, but the E&S does, although I find I have an easier time playing with a neck strap instead of the peg. I play Bari Sax the same way, I tried playing the Bari from a floor stand and couldn't stand it, so I just play it with a neck strap like all my other saxes.
Loren
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2009-09-08 18:50
Hi again, Loren, I'm trying to get some of your questions answered before this thread disappears. On bass and other large cls the term Octave is often incorrectly used since,due to cylindrical bore, they respond with a "12 th" by using the "speaker" key system. The mechs are similar to those on saxes [conical ] with high and low speaker vents. On bass cls the "switch" takes place from clarion D to E. To provide a good mid-staff [pinch] Bb a large tone hole, often under the speaker key mechs, may be confusing when "single/double Register keying " terminology is used. This is not quite "clear as mud" to me either !! Before any more, let me suggest that you contact David Spiegelthal [here on our BB] who is a specialist re: bass cls and I believe has done some work on B C necks as well. He prob. has knowledge re: Vito and other Leblanc makes insts. Luck, Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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