 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2012-07-04 01:36
I was wondering, does anyone else on the BB play a German (Deutsche/Oehler) system bass clarinet?
If so, what do you use for a mouthpiece? I've pretty much had to make my own, but that's partly so I can use readily available French-type reeds (in bass or alto clarinet sizes; I have one mouthpiece for each).
And what do you use for reeds? The only Oehler-specific reeds I've been able to get (Steuers) don't seem to work real well for me; they're not bad, but I find the cane has sort of a grainy quality to the feel and sound (like Olivieris during their bad era).
And once this line of questioning peters out: Anybody playing an Amati bass clarinet (Boehm system, presumably)?
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Author: Elifix
Date: 2012-07-04 07:49
I don't play a German system but something in ur post interest me.
I suppose your MP is German bore and so sized. How did you compensate to fit the French Reeds?
I'm trying to experiment getting a German lay onto a French one.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-07-04 10:31
There is a player fairly local to me who bought a low C Amati bass recently - by all accounts I think he's impressed with it as his previous (low Eb) bass was a Q-series Selmer which is a tough act to follow. I had a look over it prior to him buying it but didn't try it out as I didn't have my mouthpiece to hand.
The only major downside I find with the Amati is the low D, Db and C aren't linked to the rest of the mechanism so the low Eb has to be held down to get them - not the 'one-touch' type as Buffet, Selmer and Yamaha.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2012-07-04 10:52
If you are looking for someone who is playing an Amati bass clarinet, I can't help, since I don't. But I have tried probably 10+ of them if that helps in any way. Are you interested in opinions about them, or something specific, or...?
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Author: Merlin_Williams
Date: 2012-07-04 13:32
I know Steve Fox is into German basses. Best to contact him off-list.
Steve also makes an adapter to fit German mouthpieces to French style bass clarinets.
I tried out an Amati low C bass several years back. I thought the small key touches for the extended notes were a bit odd. Couldn't get used to the more compact sound of the instrument compared to the Y series Selmer I was playing at the time.
Jupiter Canada Artist/Clinician
Stratford Shakespeare Festival musician
Woodwind Doubling Channel Creator on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/WoodwindDoubling
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2012-07-04 14:07
Elifix: I adapted a Pomarico crystal alto clarinet mouthpiece (the only one I've ever seen, by the way) to my German-system bass clarinet by bonding a short section of copper pipe to the shank to transition the mouthpiece's bore diameter to that of the instrument. Most recently, I adapted a Pomarico crystal tenor sax mouthpiece (seriously!) to fit the bass clarinet, using a similar technique with a section of pipe as adapter, and liberal use of metal-filled epoxy to bond the pieces and reinforce the bonds on the outside.
So the one mouthpiece uses alto clarinet/alto sax reeds, and the other uses bass clarinet/tenor sax reeds. With both mouthpieces I did extensive refacing and deepening of the baffles; it has taken a lot of work and many sessions but finally both mouthpieces play nicely with a characteristic bass clarinet sound. I suppose that given the hours I've spent on these abominations they make no sense financially, but I like to tinker and it has been an interesting experiment! And I'm all set for mouthpieces, not looking to buy any, I was just curious what other German-system players are using (probably Viottis for the most part, if I had to guess).
Merlin: as for the Amati, I tried one years ago when Graham Golden (whatever happened to Graham?) was making at go at distributing them in the USA. I mostly liked the instrument and wrote a short review which you can find here somewhere with a search. I was just wondering if, years later, anyone is buying and playing these instruments -- the 'compact' sound you mention is reminiscent of the Oehler-system bass clarinet sound, to my ear. Their "4-button" touchpiece setup below the thumbrest is the same as what I have on my F. Arthur Uebel German-system bass, and I like the way it works.
Nitai: I have no specific questions on the Amati bass, just random curiosity, since I see them being offered for sale but don't actually know of anyone who plays one, even though their retail price new is about half that of a Buffet, Selmer or Yamaha low-C in the US.
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Author: Elifix
Date: 2012-07-05 19:54
That's really very interesting. I tried experimenting similar to yours but there was always an evident intonation problem. Thanks for your description! Will try to experiment! Seriously amazing!
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Author: MarlboroughMan
Date: 2012-07-05 20:04
David,
Have you tried contacting Charles Stier at Wurlitzer Clarinets America? I'm not sure about bass clarinet models, but one of the most popular selling mouthpieces for soprano clarinet when I worked there was the 3WZ, which is designed for French cut reeds. They might have something similar for bass clarinet.
Eric
******************************
The Jazz Clarinet
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/
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Author: davetrow
Date: 2012-07-06 06:43
I understand that Schwenke and Seggelke will build a Boehm sysem German bore bass clarinet for a French mouthpiece: the clarinet tech I work with has a customer to had that done. The tech says it plays very nicely, perhaps not as resonant as a Buffet 1193, but mechanically wonderfully solid.
Dave Trowbridge
Boulder Creek, CA
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Author: Bill Patry
Date: 2012-07-06 18:34
I play two German basses, a 1969 Fritz Wurlitzer and a two year old Schwenk & Seggelke; both have German bores but Reform Boehm fingering. I have a few mouthpieces: a Wurlitzer, a Leitner, a Schwenk & Seggelke, and a Richard Hawkins. Yes, Richard makes great German bass mouthpieces. So I would contact Richard, Jochen Seggelke, or Charles Stier.
Post Edited (2012-07-06 21:30)
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Author: Gempen
Date: 2012-08-05 01:18
Hallo,
I play an old F.A. Uebel German system bass clarinet which I love. And I am using an original Uebel mouthpiece with Esser reeds and a Wurlitzer M5 that has been opened up by Zeretzke (in order to take Boem Alto reeds, I was told by the seller, but I use it with) with AW reeds Nr. 429. Now I am using this instrument in a jazz band, more and more. So I would love to have a more open mouthpiece. I have another old Uebel and and a Fritz Wurlitzer mouthpiece that could be opened up. Would anyone here know who could help me to turn one of these traditional German system BCL mps into jazz mouthpieces (more open, perhaps a little baffle, ...)? If it is true that Schwenk and Seggelke are making a German bore bass take a Boehm bass mouthpiece, how can I make my Uebel bass do it? For this would be the best solution: I would be open to the whole world of jazz BCL mouthpieces. So in case anyone could help, this would be very much appreciated.
Thanks,
Gempen
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Author: Bill Patry
Date: 2012-08-05 02:40
Dear Gempen, I have a 1969 Fritz Wurlizter Boehm system Low C bass and a new Schwenk & Seggelke Boehm system Low C. I use Richard Hawkins mouthpieces (based I think on a Wurlitzer blank) and I love them. I am sure Richard could help you; or, email Schwenk & Seggelke, they made a great basset horn mouthpiece for me. They are very very familiar with German mpcs, and do great work.
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Author: electravox
Date: 2012-08-22 23:27
Attachment: mps1.JPG (453k)
Attachment: hullerBC.jpg (199k)
I have one but now I'm wondering if it's something like an improved Albert. It's a Huller, and has 4 rollers, range to low E, and only a single, double vented Bb/octave key. But the mouthpiece is pretty big - longer and narrower than my Malerne mouthpiece. It has the thread grooves/schnurrand. French cut reeds seem to work fine.(they do look just a little short and wide) The Malerne MP is slightly wider and doesn't fit the Huller. I sure would like another mouthpiece as a backup. The question is will it have to be a custom job or is this just an ordinary "bassklarinette mundstück"?:)
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2012-08-23 14:09
Looks like a regular Albert bass to me. Remember that the Oehler system is basically "improved Albert". I'd suggest you open up the mouthpiece socket on the neck slightly so you can use your standard French-style mouthpieces. A "Dremel"-type motor tool fitted with a sanding drum works very well and it doesn't take long to remove the small amount (repeat: small amount!) of material from the inside of the mouthpiece socket.
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Author: electravox
Date: 2012-08-26 19:43
Interesting.So it's a french MP disguised as german:) I took my Malerne MP and sanded the cork down to make it fit - it plays, albeit not as well as the Huller MP. I'll experiment with reeds. Thanks!
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Author: graham
Date: 2012-08-28 12:03
I still play on the Amati low C bass I bought in the mid 2000s from Graham Golden. It's never needed an overhaul despite my doing quite a bit of playing on it. But you have to go round frequently tightening the screws.
It's very choosy over reeds. I currently use Grand Concert, being the best compromise. But some of the recordings of me when I had a difficult reed on sound the best, so one of its distinctive features is that it sounds and seems better to the audience than it does to the player.
But when it is good it is very very good.....
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