 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2018-05-01 07:12
Dr. Charles Bay who many of you know of through his mouthpiece business has apparently passed 'some time ago'. This is according to a reliable former Cal State Univ., Northridge colleague of his who had to do some checking around to confirm the fact.
I believe, based on other another source, that he died in 2016. There seems to have been no notice or orbituary published, which is a shame as he was certainly a figure of some interest in the clarinet world and deserving of acknowledgement. He was one of my main teachers. He will be missed.
Anders
Post Edited (2018-05-03 02:51)
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Author: Mojo
Date: 2018-05-01 16:58
I went looking for an obit a year ago too when I saw some items listed as purchased form an estate sale.
MojoMP.com
Mojo Mouthpiece Work LLC
MojoMouthpieceWork@yahoo.com
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2018-05-01 21:25
Very sad news..his mouthpieces were very reliable and played in tune. His ligatures were also sought after. The world changes so much every day..may he rest in peace.
David Dow
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2018-05-02 04:38
He was a pioneer of the bass clarinet world too, with his re-angled necks, improved tonehole venting and other innovations (some of which were not always in the best of taste, maybe, but were functional).
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Author: Carmelo
Date: 2018-05-03 00:48
Hello ALL,
I just got off the phone with Jonathon Bay, Charliie’s son and he said his father is alive and well still going strong at the age of 85. He told me that his father still comes in and works 5 to 6 hours a day to do the work on the mouthpieces as normal.
Take Care
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2018-05-03 02:00
Wow, that's great news! I have to say, I'm shocked. I did due diligence before posting. I last spoke to Jonathan 2 or 3 years ago and would have found a way to to tactfully call him again if I'd still had the phone number handy. Their website domain has expired (one of a list of circumstantial pieces of evidence) and so I was not able to make that contact.
The source that confirmed his death through the University that employed him for much of his career would not have done so had there not been a way to do it.
For now, I'll have to say I'm cautiously optimistic.
Anders
Post Edited (2018-05-03 05:20)
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Author: seabreeze
Date: 2018-05-03 03:39
I think many of us have been wondering about this after repeatedly seeing mouthpieces (mostly Bays but also a few other brands) for sale for at least the last 5 months or so on the famous web auction site advertised as "from the estate of Charles Bay."
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Author: Mojo
Date: 2018-05-03 16:13
We generally use the words “estate sale” after someone has passed. Then, like you said, the web site being down makes you think it could be true. But I wondered why his son did not keep the site active.
MojoMP.com
Mojo Mouthpiece Work LLC
MojoMouthpieceWork@yahoo.com
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Author: Carmelo
Date: 2018-05-03 17:33
Jonathon Bay mentioned that the website is being worked on for maintenance issues and should be up in the next couple of days. He also mentioned as a safe guard to stay away from purchasing his father mouthpieces on the "auction sites" as they are old and some are probably "junk" and or rejects as he stated.
Hey Dave great to hear from you, hope your trip turns out great. Let me know when you finish up the move.
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2018-05-04 03:31
I've just been in contact with Weiner Music. They distribute his mouthpieces. The folks there say he has died. I don't know how to sort out all the conflicting information other than to continue to post here when something new comes to light. It's rather disconcerting to not know for sure.
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Author: shmuelyosef
Date: 2018-11-19 05:30
The website is up, but there are no prices or ability to purchase...just descriptions of the various products. Weinermusic does seem to have stock of mouthpieces, but only large tip openings which does seem suspicious.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2018-11-19 06:29
All I know is that it took a year to get an order through back in 2012, and Mr. Bay was already pretty sickly.
.................Paul Aviles.
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Author: kchan ★2017
Date: 2018-11-19 22:54
Paul Aviles wrote:
> All I know is that it took a year to get an order through back
> in 2012, and Mr. Bay was already pretty sickly.
>
I think Charles Bay has always been busy. It took me almost a year to get the mouthpiece I ordered in the late 70s.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2018-11-19 23:52
Well he was pretty frank about his illness over the phone. I don't recall what that was so I won't toss out a guess, but he knew that his health was fairly compromised by 2012.
.................Paul Aviles
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2018-11-20 00:53
He had cancer some years ago but seemed to be making a good recovery when I saw him at ClarinetFest at Cal State Northridge in 2011.
I've recently heard third-hand through another former student of his that as of a few months ago he was still alive and active. I still consider it an open question. I hope that the family has not been negatively impacted by the recent fires and mass shooting in the area.
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Author: richard smith
Date: 2018-11-20 20:39
always chatted with him at TBA in San Antonio, and sold him an old Chediville MP for a couple of his ligatures.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2018-11-20 23:48
FWIW- I see some things on eBay where the descriptions says they are "from the estate of Charles Bay", but I don't know anything beyond that
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Author: aalexko
Date: 2021-02-19 23:23
I got a message today that Charles Bay passed away this morning.
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Author: nellsonic
Date: 2021-02-21 00:44
Unfortunately, it really is true this time. Confirmed through multiple sources.
Anders
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