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Re: Sub- $3000 Bass Clarinet Help

Author: Max S-D
Date: 2022-09-13 23:30

I've played the Kessler for about 40 minutes in a practice room at the Kessler store in Vegas. I can't speak to its durability, but my playing impression from that session was that it's a very good instrument. It doesn't have the tone of my old Selmer model 33, probably similar to the 32 you are eyeing, but the keywork is honestly quite a bit better for the extension notes down to low C. I would also say the intonation in the right hand is a little better than the Selmer with no tuning rings. All bass clarinets I've played are at least a little sharp in the lower clarion range, but my Selmer can be pretty rough in there. I've had a tuning ring semi-permanently installed that gets things more under control, but out of the box, the Kessler wins.

I can still get around on my Selmer better than the Kessler, but I think I could take the Kessler anywhere I have ever taken my Selmer and nobody would really know the difference outside of maybe a jury or a very well-engineered recording. It's a good enough horn that a great player will sound great on it.

The Kessler family were also great to deal with and super friendly and happy to have me come play their horn even though I made it pretty clear up front I wasn't going to be buying one. Adam Kessler was very proud of the horn they were selling and was excited to get feedback from me about it. I've heard nothing but great things about their service for customers who actually buy things.

I'd also vote Low C. A lot of band literature goes down there these days and pretty much all the fun solo literature uses those notes in ways that just don't work up an octave. Plus you can read cello music! It'll be a whole step down, but if it's solo stuff, so why deny ourselves that rumble?

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