 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Micke Isotalo ★2017
Date: 2018-04-05 11:18
With "recent" I mean the current bore size of 14,6 mm (at the top of the top joint) (Edit 2018-05-29: No, not at the top but the bottom. Se my post from this later date below) on their Reform Boehm clarinets. I don't know exactly when that was introduced, but Bernd Wurlitzer told me last summer that this size has been "since some years".
I also notice from a picture on the new Wurlitzer Webpage that their current Reform Boehm clarinet is lacking the previous double vented low f/c4-key (affecting the tone of low g/d4 - see https://wurlitzerklarinetten.de/klarinetten/ and scroll down to the 185 model). Apparently they no longer consider this feature as necessary. I don't know if this change was introduced at the same time as the new bore, but perhaps that was the case.
Anyway, has someone tried this current model? How was the tone and tuning? How did it compare to their previous designs, if you have played on such ones?
I may add that my own Wurlitzers from 2002 has the 14,8 bore size, and a few years later it was changed to 14,85. As said, now it's 14,6 but I don't know if there may have been other changes in between these two latter measurements. By the way, as I understand the current 14,6 is the same as on older Fritz Wurlitzer RB clarinets.
Post Edited (2018-05-29 22:27)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2018-04-05 12:41
Bore diameters are usually measured at the middle tenon where the bore is at its narrowest as most clarinets have an expansion (reverse taper) at the top end of the top joint. Unless it's a purely cylindrical bore that is.
Also notice on the new 185, the LH2 ring key with a small vent key soldered to its underside now surrounds the E/B tonehole instead of the Eb/Bb tonehole as it did previously (as is the norm on Boehm systems - the E/B tonehole being controlled by the small vent key above the LH2 ring).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2018-04-05 14:36
No, not played them.
Interesting, the keywork has indeed changed a lot including a wrap-around register key.
From what I heard (I don't know sure), Wurlitzer made a switch around 2008 to a different bore to get the RB more similar (or even identical) to their Oehler model. Probably because the RB design of the years before did not really satisfy Wurlitzer and a lot of players (read: intonation issues). And I can imagine Wurlitzer didn't want to keep up a clarinet with a different bore with all time and effort it costs. This change also implicates the end of the RB mouthpieces, the normal German version is now supposed te be used on the RB clarinets.
I heard also some positive reviews about the later models but I have the impression that they are not played much. A lot of RB players had already switched to Leitner & Kraus and Swenck & Seggelke.
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Author: Micke Isotalo ★2017
Date: 2018-05-29 22:24
Chris, you are right and I'm wrong. The 14,6 mm diameter on these clarinets is at the lower end of the upper joint. At the upper end they are 15,0 mm. Both the Bb and the A has the same measurements. I measured a set by myself. Don't know about the Fritz Wurlitzer clarinets however, if they were 14,6 at the top or the bottom.
Sorry for the disinformation and fake news in my original post  .
Post Edited (2018-05-29 22:28)
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Author: dorjepismo ★2017
Date: 2018-05-30 17:11
So, the bore on the top joint of Wurlitzer RBs is now similar to the top joint of S&S "French" bore instruments. The S&S RBs have cylindrical bores. Is it really true that Wurlitzer Oehler clarinets also have reverse taper bores? That seems sort of heretical.
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Author: Bob Bernardo
Date: 2018-06-03 12:32
As far as the A clarinet playing them, they are tight sounding and not as free as a Yamaha CSVR or even close to the A clarinet R13's. They play very well in tune. The sound quality is very nice and woody, but resistant. A friend that has a set of horns from 1981 feels these are not as well built. But who knows. This is the opinion of one player and I didn't play his setup.
I think I'd buy a set if money wasn't an issue, before buying a top line Buffet or Backun.
Designer of - Vintage 1940 Cicero Mouthpieces and the La Vecchia mouthpieces
Yamaha Artist 2015
Post Edited (2018-06-04 08:13)
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