 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: oldschoolCANON
Date: 2011-04-06 06:59
First let me say that I am in no financial situation at the moment to buy one, although I have been considering taking out a little extra on school loans to get one. I will say that I'm planning on buying one *eventually*. Anyway, I've been wanting a rosewood bass clarinet for years. I've searched all over the internet for one and have never seen one. Where would I go to get one? Do they even exist? Or is there a clarinet maker out there who would take special requests? Low-C isn't necessary, but I won't lie - it would be nice! To me, rosewood has such a beautiful tone, and I would love to have that quality in a bass clarinet. Thank you! :D
- Ashley
Post Edited (2011-04-06 07:00)
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Author: DNBoone
Date: 2011-04-06 10:42
They exist, but only the older Selmers that I know of. Last time I saw one go for sale on a certain auction site it was went above $10,000 (around $14,000 I think). This was for a series 9 or something down to Eb. Selmer and Leblanc also have no plans to continue making them in the future although at clarinetfest they did mention the possibility of a cocobolo bass clarinet.
Good luck finding one. I wanted one too and eventually gave up. Someone like Stephen Fox could probably custom make one though.
http://www.sfoxclarinets.com/
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Author: CocoboloKid
Date: 2011-04-06 12:11
Attachment: Selmer_rosewood_bassclarinet.jpg (124k)
I believe Selmer will make the Privilege in rosewood if requested, and Ripamonti also offers their bass clarinet in rosewood.
I've attached a photo of a low-C rosewood Selmer so you can at least say you've seen one :-)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-04-06 12:24
Always makes me laugh to see a lyre attachment on a low C bass. Likewise with their A basses and basset horns!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: kilo
Date: 2011-04-06 13:01
Yes, the lyre attachment is a nice touch ... nothing like a low clarinet chorale marching across a frosty football field performing Huffine's "Them Basses".
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2011-04-06 13:06
There may be a reason for the rarity.
I know that I need to adjust cutting dimensions when working with rosewood. If a pilot drill of 0.5 inches makes a 0.5 inch hole in blackwood, it will make a hole of 0.52 inches in most Rosewood types (there are many varieties). Likewise, turning speeds need to be adjust, lest you experience tear-out.
Making a one-off item might be ok, but for a manufacturer, it would mean a whole new tooling set-up, or a lot of readjusting.
disclaimer...I have made rosewood barrels for sale.
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-04-06 13:22
Selmer's contras (EEb and BBb) are made from rosewood as standard, probably due to getting a long enough piece of grenadilla and one without defects being the reason.
How stable is bubinga? I know some recorders are made from it (Kung basses being an example) and wonder if it machines cleanly enough to be used for low clarinets.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: CocoboloKid
Date: 2011-04-06 13:47
I'd imagine a contra in grenadilla would also be insanely, ridiculously heavy!
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2011-04-06 14:43
I think I recall one of the regular sources referred to here on tbe BB sent me an e-mail last year that they had received a Selmer 67 Low C bass in rosewood. Can't remember if it was Muncy, esler or oneof the other vendors.
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: LCL
Date: 2011-04-06 14:47
I own and play a Selmer Rosewood Eb Contra-alto of 1968 vintage. I also had resonators added a few years ago, which for me added a lot of clarity and pop to the low register. It is a hugely powerful horn that can hange with 6 tubas but play wisper quiet when so indicated. It is measureably heavier than my Leblanc Low C BC, but not objectionably so.
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Author: oldschoolCANON
Date: 2011-04-06 15:44
I kind of thought from the beginning that this would be a really difficult search! Every time I do a search for a rosewood bass, I either get guitar parts or rosewood contras! I guess that does make sense though, a grenadilla contrabass would be super heavy. I played on a metal Leblanc paperclip model and that thing was heavy enough!
And Cocobolo Kid, thanks for the picture! That is one beautiful bass! *drools!* Also, I checked Selmer's website, and it says that their basses have an ebony body, while the contra alto and contrabass have rosewood bodies. I've never heard of Ripamonti, though. How are their clarinets?
Seems like auctions are they way to go, or sfoxclarinets.com like DNBoone suggested. I'll definitely check that out, too. Thanks, everyone! This is great! :D
- Ashley
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Author: oldschoolCANON
Date: 2011-04-06 15:47
Oh, and Kilo, I couldn't agree more. There's no such thing as too many basses. :P
- Ashley
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Author: CocoboloKid
Date: 2011-04-06 16:39
Re: The Selmer website, much like going to a five-star restaurant, just because it isn't on the menu doesn't mean they won't make it for you. You'd have to contact them and special-order it, and of course you'd also have to able to AFFORD to have them make it for you...given that the average street price of a new Privilege in grenadilla (which is NOT ebony, such a pet peeve that is...) is slightly under ten thousand dollars, I'd imagine a rosewood special order would be considerably more. (or perhaps not, who knows...ten grand is still a pretty chunk of change).
I've only played a Ripamonti Bb and an Eb, both of which were perfectly lovely instruments. I believe one of our other board members, Clarnibass, has played their rosewood contrabass at the NAMM show, so perhaps he could give some input on their low clarinets. Their website is http://www.laripamonti.com/ (check out the pics of the clarinets in rosewood and bosso blanco!) and I've found them to be quite responsive to email. A few years ago I emailed Flavio Ripamonti with your exact question..."Can you make me a rosewood bass (with gold keys)?", and he emailed me back right away saying yes, and with a VERY pleasingly low price quote. At the time, it was a 90 day wait after ordering.
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2011-04-06 17:13
To answer one of the above questions.......Bubinga is a nice wood.
I have worked with it, but it has the same cutting characteristics as rosewood (see my above post), so you need to adjust the dimensions when boring and turning.....you can not use the same depths as grenadilla.
Bubinga barrels tend to be mellow in sound.
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: oldschoolCANON
Date: 2011-04-06 19:53
@Cocobolo Kid,
Yeah, I'm just trying to find out what my options are, that way I know exactly what to do and where to go once I do have the money for it, you know? At least now I know that the mythical rosewood base DOES exist, and that now I have a few places to shop around. I'll definitely check out Ripamonti... I like the sound of nice pricing and a short waiting list. :P
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Author: CocoboloKid
Date: 2011-04-08 13:53
Attachment: amati bass clarinets.jpg (36k)
Ashley, you might also want to consider the Amati bass, which is offered in mopani wood. As per the updated Amati website, their contact info, should you wish to inquire about the instrument, is:
USA
In the United States we have established our own branch office.
Amati USA, Inc.
1011 Unit C, Route 22 East
P.O.Box 1429
Mountainside NJ 07092
Telephone: +1-908-301 1366
Fax: +1-908-301 1367
E-mail: amati_strunal@msn.com
President: Mr. Rana Singh
Photo attached, of course
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Author: Bill Patry
Date: 2011-04-10 02:46
I believe Schwenk & Seggelke will make a German Reform-Boehm Rosewoood bass although I don't think they recommend anything but grenadilla. I have one of their Low C basses with a rosewood bell, picture attached, next to my Selmer Privilege which has one of Morrie Backun's bells.
The Schwenk has a bit of an unusual fingering: no low side D (just thumb) and to get Low C to EB you have to also hold down the Low E for all four thumb keys. Not all German system basses do this: I have a 1969 Fritz Wurlitzer bass where you don't have to hold down the Low E I asked Jochen Seggelke about it and he said it was just his personal preference. In any event, the rosewood bell is quite nice. As you might be able to see from the picture, the bass is extremely tall, but much lighter than the Selmer. It also has a hole on the inside of the neck, through the cork, for alignment with the register key.
Post Edited (2011-04-10 02:46)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-04-10 03:12
Leblanc and Amati basses aren't fully linked as Buffets, Selmers and Yamahas (among others) so require the player to keep low Eb held down in order to get low D, Db and C which can be a nuisance.
German basses traditionally have all four lowest notes for the right thumb with no linkage to the rest of the keywork so low E has to be held down to get them.
So it is a luxury to have fully linked keywork on low C basses so low Ds or low Cs can be played by pressing just the one key to get to them from low G. The main reason I bought my Buffet bass back in 2000 (having borrowed one for a show the previous year) was because of the lightness and layout of the keywork and especially the perfectly balanced front low D key which I found very handy.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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