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Re: Double register neck on a single register instrument?

Author: Chris P
Date: 2018-08-26 01:36

If you're on the market for a pro level bass, look for an older Selmer Paris (Q to A serial number) if it's to low C as the RH pinky layout is better on them. If it's to low Eb, then any age is fine (including C and D prefix serial numbers) as the keywork is kept simple and standard on them.

If it's a Buffet Prestige, then look for a newer one built after the year 2000. The ones before that had all manner of extra linkages and whatnot where simplicity would've been better (they revised the entire design for the new model in 1999) and the pre-'99 low C ones have a longer lower joint with all the keywork on it, so no good if you're playing somewhere with those crappy folding plastic chairs where you end up sitting with your knees up to your chin.

Leblanc basses are a bit backward in some areas, but some do have a RH forked Ab/Eb mechanism as you'll find on vintage saxes where you can play Ab/Eb as xxx|xox, thus not needing the LH Ab/Eb lever when you need to slur low Eb-Ab. The low C models don't have fully linked keywork as Buffet, Selmer and Yamaha have, so to get the lowest notes you'll have to hold several keys down instead of just one to get low C, C#/Db and I think low D as well.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

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