 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2016-08-21 06:04
Hello,
I bought a Backun Alpha clarinet last month so I could have a non-wooden instrument for outdoor concerts and pit work. As I need a longer barrel than the 65mm that comes with it, I'm looking for suggestions. I played my last outdoor band concert of the summer at the end of July and it was so hot out that we tuned to A442. Good for me as I was better able to do that than tune to A440 in a cooler environment and the stock barrel (pulling it out 1mm flattened the throat tones noticeably in relation to the rest of the clarinet). I tried a Muncy black diamond barrel, but didn't like the intonation. I play with a Johnston mouthpiece.
I want to stay synthetic as adding a wooden barrel adds the potential for cracks, and avoiding cracks is why I bought the clarinet in the first place. Backun doesn't make a longer synthetic barrel (I asked them). Anyone play this clarinet with a non-stock synthetic barrel?
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Rachel
Clarinet Stash:
Bb/A: Buffet R13
Eb: Bundy
Bass: Royal Global Max
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2016-08-21 10:50
I've played both the 66mm Ridenour Ivorolon and Doctors' Products Power Barrel on my Alpha with very good results.
Oddly, my wooden Backun Ringless and MoBa barrels don't tune well with the Alpha.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2016-08-21 18:36
I don't know how it'd work with the alpha, but I'm a big fan of muncy diamond synthetic barrels. They sound great. Definitely worth trying out.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
Post Edited (2016-08-21 21:08)
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Author: Daniel Frazelle
Date: 2016-08-21 21:10
A suggestion that doesn't get enough mention here are the barrels from Wesley Rice. They're extremely consistent and have been adopted by a number of musicians here in DC recently. I do play a couple of his grenadilla barrels on my main set of clarinets for certain reasons, but his Delrin (synthetic) barrels are outstanding and I use one exclusively on a Greenline Tosca of mine. I don't know enough to say whether they're a perfect fit for the Backun Alpha, but from what I know about the design, they're probably as good a fit as any of the 3rd party options. I really can't recommend them highly enough.
They can be found here:
http://www.clarinet-repairs.com/clarinetbarrels.html
Post Edited (2016-08-21 21:11)
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Author: kdk
Date: 2016-08-22 00:08
I'm sure all of the recommended barrels are good and one (or several) of them may do exactly what you want. But I'm a little intrigued when you say that "pulling it out 1mm flattened the throat tones noticeably in relation to the rest of the clarinet." A millimeter (if that's accurate) isn't really very much and, if a millimeter is making your your throat notes that flat, you might consider having them adjusted by a good tech.
You need a little room to maneuver, so the barrel shouldn't ordinarily need to be all the way in anyway. The pitch is mostly if not entirely (someone may correct me with more nuanced information) determined by the volume of the air column. If adding a millimeter by pulling out is distorting the scale noticeably, then a barrel that is a millimeter longer may well do the same thing. The bore diameter and length will combine to influence the pitch, so if you only need a millimeter you might get the pitch drop you need by finding another 65 mm barrel with a larger bore. In any case, the throat notes will flatten more than anything else, and if that effect is enough to cause a problem, the best solution may be by re-tuning those notes slightly.
Karl
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2016-08-22 03:05
Hi All,
I have several Bob Scott barrels and they certainly do the job for me. I had a Leblanc Dynamic 2 with a wide 12th. I emailed Bob and he sent me one of his aa2 barrels that was being used by R13 players. It worked great. I also have a couple of his ligatures and they are excellent. I've been to Bob's shop and had him do some repairs on my bass clarinets. He's a funny guy as well.
C. Robert Scott is a WWII vet so you know that the time to get advice from him is getting precious. He lives on Sunderland Rd. in Lansing. Email me and I can give you his contact info.
HRL
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Author: super20bu6
Date: 2016-08-23 06:34
Has anyone else tried the RS Berkley Freedom Barrel? Turn the middle and lengthen or shorten the barrel as needed.....EXCELLENT adjustable barrel to be used in a cold pit. I was able to buy mine at a music store...try it out first...but you can find them on Amazon or that auction site...... I heartily recommend them for quick tuning changes.
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Author: TomS
Date: 2016-08-27 20:30
Try the Ridenour hard rubber barrels. Nice warm sound, stable, various lengths and two different bores available.
And reasonably priced.
Tom
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2016-08-29 09:13
Thought I replied here, but I guess I didn't.
Karl, I'm not sure how much the heat was a factor as it was 90+ degrees when I was playing this summer. Also, my teacher says I'm "sensitive to the gap" when pulling out, meaning my intonation is different if the barrel is simply pulled out vs. the barrel pulled the same distance with a tuning ring in there. I've had issues with tuning rings getting stuck in the past, but I'm willing to bet it was due to wooden tenons no longer being perfectly round (I know of one cracked barrel I had long ago that definitely had this problem). Or, it could be me used to playing my R13 and making adjustments for that rather than the Alpha.
A friend of mine owns a Ridenour barrel and isn't presently using it. As soon as I can remember who it is, I'll see about borrowing it.
I'll have a better idea in a couple months as I'm playing Reed 3 for Little Mermaid in November for a local high school. Well, part of the book anyway. The conductor is giving the flute and sax parts to students to give more players a chance to play (she uses a combination of hired players and students), though I'll learn the entire book for fun. The clarinet parts in the other books will be covered by students as well as the neither the hired flautist nor double reed player double on clarinet. It'll also test my transposition skills as I only own an alto sax and the book has soprano and tenor. My flute chops only get used every few years, so I have a tendency to play about a quarter step flat if I'm not in shape and blowing warm air a good bit before having to play.
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Rachel
Clarinet Stash:
Bb/A: Buffet R13
Eb: Bundy
Bass: Royal Global Max
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2016-08-29 09:19
The Zoom barrel is tuneable and leaves no gaping void between the end of the tenon and bottom of the socket when lengthened, but they are expensive from what I gather.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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