 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Speculator Sam
Date: 2018-04-21 11:53
So for those who want to suggest an ideal "marching/christnas-caroling" clarinet. I take it it'd be a Selmer 1400B, Buffet composite or Greenline type, or a Backun student model. Get a fantastic mouthpiece for the individual that's suitable for plastic reeds, because we don't waste our good cane reeds for outdoor events. Perhaps get the Behn barrel and bell since those would probably be better than what came with the stock instrument anyway. The rod rubber wouldn't be harmed by harsher climates too.
Aftermarket barrels and bells don't always work of course; they aren't always "made for the instrument". That's my idea of a perfect outdoors soprano clarinet. Any student bass clarinet would be fine I'm sure; perhaps if you're willing you could find an instrument maker that could custom build a higjer quality neck and bell that'll fit your instrument.
How about you? Wjat's your idea of the "perfect outside clarinet?
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2018-04-21 13:25
The perfect outdoors clarinet? This would be my wish list:
1. Sturdy forged keywork that won't bend or break from stage/field/assembly mishaps.
2. Stainless steel rods, screws, and springs that won't rust
3. Headless pivot screws that make it easy to tighten or loosen the action as needed.
4. Cork pads on the normally-closed upper joint tones holes; quality synthetic pads elsewhere. Nobody builds 'em this way; you'll have to have this done on your own.
5. A mirror-finish medium bore built into a dense but not brittle plastic body for maximum sound projection and durability
So far, my most ideal outdoors instrument has turned out to be the Yamaha YCL-20. It lacks some stainless hardware, but I had it overhauled to my personal pad specifications as noted in item 4. It's a little on the bright side timbre-wise but not strident and it projects very well--just what you need to be heard outdoors. Unique among the synthetic-bodied instruments I've auditioned, my Backun Moba Barrel and Traditional Bell with voicing groove work well with the YCL-20, yielding additional possibilities for voicing when playing indoors.
The Bundy and Signet Resonite instruments almost nail it, but the keys could be a little more resistant to bending as well as to wear at pivot points. The moulded bore on the Bundy 1400 I had in my studio also would not drain moisture effectively, meaning I was always stuck with a spitty clarinet after a few minutes of fff playing outdoors. Perhaps the Signet Resonite and Bundy 577 lack this cost-saving design compromise.
Post Edited (2018-04-21 13:32)
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2018-04-21 15:29
I'm playing an outdoor jazz gig tomorrow. The weather looks to be good, and I'm taking my 1930'ish Metal Selmer Manhattan. It tunes as well as most student instruments, it projects better than most, the keywork looks like they made it out of old Mack truck parts and it has a certain bling about it that catches the eye.
A lot of US military bands seemed to use Bundy's for outside jobs and keep their good instruments for indoors. The Brit bands that I saw used hard rubber B & H Edgwares and Imperials.
Tony F.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2018-04-21 23:58
The Yamaha student clarinets play great. Intonation and response is quite good.
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Author: TomS
Date: 2018-04-22 02:42
Ridenour RCP-576BC ... some come, I think, with synthetic pads, at least on top joint ...
During hot weather, the Yamaha YCL250/255 play very, very sharp, but might be OK during the cold season.
The Backun Alpha might be a good one ... barely played one ...
Tom
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Author: jordan.1210
Date: 2018-04-22 10:06
I just got done with an all day outdoor gig (8am-10pm), playing on my Yamaha YCL-200 and its always held up to the task. I've noticed it plays pretty sharp when it gets hot, but it's not hard to adjust or switch to my longer barrel if I need to.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2018-04-22 11:21
Did the jazz gig mentioned above. The weather was perfect, a good audience and the metal Selmer attracted a lot of interest, particularly with some clarinettists from another band, who had never heard of metal clarinets.
Tony F.
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2018-04-22 11:53
I gotta agree with Tony: deploying a metal clarinet for casual outdoors performances can be great fun indeed. I have a Pan American Brilliante, and nobody has ever seen anything like it--especially the double-wall bell that screws on and off like a light bulb.
People seem to expect that it should sound horrible, or like a soprano sax. I've seen looks of genuine disappointment when they hear it played, and don't hear anything "funny" coming out of the bell.
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Author: Speculator Sam
Date: 2018-04-22 20:56
That's great to hear Tony! From what I read, timbre isn't too much determined by the material of the instrument, but by the diameter of the bore and the quality in craftsmanship of the tone holes and key-work. From what my dollar store headphones and YouTube shows me, the metal clars. sounds kinda honky but rich. Has a bite to it it seems.
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Author: ClarinetRobt
Date: 2018-04-22 22:48
I use my Ridenour Lyrique without incident for years. I personally don't bother with swapping out barrels on it, but Behn's Rod Rubber set-up, I bet, would only make it better. I love his hourglass barrel.
My Ridenour is my 'foul' weather horn and hasn't failed once.
~Robt L Schwebel
Mthpc: Behn Vintage
Lig: Ishimori, Behn Delrin
Reed: Legere French Cut 3.75/4, Behn Brio 4
Horns: Uebel Superior (Bb,A), Ridenour Lyrique, Buffet R13 (Eb)
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Author: Speculator Sam
Date: 2018-05-11 01:51
Since an above poster mentioned it, I have a question about synthetic and organic cork tenons. If we are trying to create the ideal Outdoors clarinet, then would it matter if your cork tenens were made of an organic substance or or if they were synthetic?Thanks for reeding (reed pun)
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