 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Reese Oller
Date: 2023-10-14 02:54
A Backun bass? I'm intrigued, Backun does some great things. I recently tried a Backun soprano and was impressed!
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Author: Jordan Selburn
Date: 2023-10-14 03:08
Peter -
Sure you can! :-)
I'm curious if he was able to address the issues with the mid-clarion notes, such as fourth-space E to G on the Buffet Prestige. These notes are a barometer of my playing shape. The more active I am on bass, the easier these become, but even at best they still don't respond anywhere near as easily or sound as good as the notes below and above. My understanding is that this is a fairly universal issue on French bore basses, so it will be interesting to see what Backun has done here. Perhaps the 3rd register vent helps?
Do you know the arrangement of the basset keys? The Prestige (and Uebel, I think) has D/Db/C, while the Tosca and Selmer use Eb/Db/C.
I also wonder if he was able to address the other issue that afflicts bass clarinets - the high price. Oh, wait, this is Backun . . . he is probably setting a new standard there as well!
Jordan
Jordan
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Author: kilo
Date: 2023-10-14 14:45
Funny – when I was at my tech's shop last week he mentioned rumors of a Backun bass. I'd be more excited about a new Yamaha.
Post Edited (2023-10-14 14:46)
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Author: Maestro_6
Date: 2023-10-14 18:33
Many colleagues (and even myself when I played on a couple of Backun barrels many years ago) have often experienced their wood cracking, and it was not just around the tenons. It was especially common with cocobolo wood. It might be worth lining the bore with an appropriate material, similar to Fobes’ line of hard rubber lined cocobolo barrels. I’d imagine any issues with that would be disheartening for any bass owner.
Post Edited (2023-10-15 06:10)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2023-10-14 19:09
Maestro_6 wrote:
> Many colleagues (and even myself when I played on a couple of
> Backuns barrels many years ago) have often experienced their
> wood cracking, so I hope the body is reinforced with carbon or
> something, especially with the cocobolo bass. I'd imagine it
> will be a pretty high cost knowing their product line, so any
> issues with that would be disheartening for a bass owner.
You do realise the barrels you're referring to are most likely ringless and therefore unsupported sockets will crack if the tenon corks on the mouthpiece or the top joint are too tight fitting and exert too much pressure within the socket. Your comparing apples to oranges here.
The sockets on this bass all have metal socket rings to reinforce them as is the norm, so there's no risk of socket cracks developing unless they become loose due to low humidity levels. You can clearly see them in the photos:
https://backunmusical.com/products/q-series-bass-clarinet
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2023-10-14 19:23
It looks very Selmer Privilege based and nicely made.
Where are they actually made and what's the price tag ?
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2023-10-14 20:48
The base model with a Grenadilla wood body and silver keys is $8995. Quite impressive, if it plays like the Privilege it could be a game changer.
-JDbassplayer
Post Edited (2023-10-14 21:59)
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Author: ebonite
Date: 2023-10-14 22:06
The trill keys look like a Selmer, but the basset mechanism looks more like a Buffet
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2023-10-15 01:51
$8995? Are you joking? That's an absolute STEAL for a pro level wooden low C bass with all the extras it has! That would be around the £7400 mark in the UK, only we'd have VAT and import duty slapped onto it.
The UK prices for low C basses being:
Royal Global Max - £4550
Royal Global Polaris - £5950
Royal Global Firebird - £7250
Backun Q Series - c.£7400
Yamaha YCL-622 - £7970
Uebel Emperior - £9975
Royal Global Firebird in cocobolo - £9995
Buffet Prestige - £10885
Selmer Privilege - £10995
Buffet Tosca - £12834
For most part the keywork is based on the Buffet Prestige which was a real gamechanger back when they were introduced in 1999, added to that are Selmer style side/trill keys which are a sturdier design compared to the usual long lever style keys as well as create more room on the top joint. Also has the B-C#/F#-G# link and triple speaker vent mechanism which the others don't have - I'd be interested to see how that's linked up.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Connor1700
Date: 2023-10-15 02:37
Thoughts on buying a "1st generation" instrument? Would you or wouldn't you.....
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Author: mozartklar
Date: 2023-10-15 05:31
I don't think it would stop me being a first generation instrument. You have to assume that Backun has carefully studied the Buffet/Selmer bass clarinets and tried to best them. I feel like Backun's quality control is way ahead of anything coming from Buffet/Selmer right now. If I found a bass of theirs I liked, I would go for it, first generation or not!
With regard to the "Q" model, I did see mention of the possibility that the Q is the first model in a line of other bass clarinet offerings that is forthcoming.
Time will tell...
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Author: moma4faith
Date: 2023-10-16 23:46
Maestro_6 wrote:
"Many colleagues (and even myself when I played on a couple of Backun barrels many years ago) have often experienced their wood cracking, and it was not just around the tenons. It was especially common with cocobolo wood."
My MoBa barrel and bell both cracked (grenadilla), and they have never been put under any undue tenon stress. I've babied them like I do all my equipment. Meanwhile, my fatboy cocobolo barrel and standard bell have held up with no cracks so far.
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Author: smokindok
Date: 2023-10-18 04:20
In the Backun promotional material, linked to above, under the “DESCRIPTION” heading it reads:
Years in the Making. Well Worth The Weight.
Is this some clever word play? Or, is their instrument exceptionally heavy? I’m not getting it. Guess I’m just slow and need someone to explain. Maybe it’s a Canadian expression?
Thanks.
John
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Author: Patrick
Date: 2023-10-18 04:36
I bet there was a lot of research and development in the new Q series bass clarinet. That price is also great. I still like my Buffet Prestige bass clarinet, but I am now amazed at how expensive they have gotten since I bought mine in 2003. It is good to see more affordable professional bass clarinets on the market now.
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2023-10-18 09:44
The additional register vent is a detail that certainly suggests they've dedicated to research and development . Like all things " The proof is in the pudding " however.
I hope that soon we will be hearing opinions from people that have tried it .
Hi John,
When you buy a Backun product, they stick it in the scales and you pay by the pound ...... That's why their bells are so chunky.
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: pukalo
Date: 2023-10-18 10:31
Julian ibiza wrote:
>
> The additional register vent is a detail that certainly
> suggests they've dedicated to research and development . Like
> all things " The proof is in the pudding " however.
I've heard it is like the "bright b-flat" mechanism on the buffet tosca bass where there is an additional hole in the body specifically for the throat b-flat, but I can't confirm that.
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2023-10-18 10:55
>> Is this some clever word play? <<
Sounds like it. Probably just referring to how much heavier a bass is than a soprano (and a low C bass in particular).
Does anyone know where it's made?
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Author: donald
Date: 2023-10-18 16:10
A few people up top have made negative comments about Backun products... you better be careful people, Mr Meany Backun emailed me to threaten me with legal action (which was absurd for a number of reasons) when I passed on a negative anecdote about his products here on this BB.
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Author: DNBoone
Date: 2023-10-18 18:12
>>Hope to see a low Eb version!
We've been told there will be Eb and C versions in both plastic and wood.
Post Edited (2023-10-18 18:13)
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2023-10-19 00:33
I visited Backun in August of this year, the week before Michael went. I witnessed the bass being built but was unable to try it. I did speak at length with the team about however. I think it’s gonna be a fantastic bass.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: smokindok
Date: 2023-10-19 07:19
Julian ibiza wrote:
>
> Hi John,
>
> When you buy a Backun product, they stick it in the scales
> and you pay by the pound ...... That's why their bells are so
> chunky.
>
LOL. And perhaps, Julian, that payment is by a pound of flesh?
John
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Author: Hunter_100
Date: 2024-02-01 01:31
The Alpha plastic low C and low Eb basses are listed on Backun's website now. Looks like they are the same design as the Q, just made out of synthetic material. No price listed that I could see though.
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Author: mozartklar
Date: 2024-02-01 17:05
Jonathan Copeland had the price of the Alpha posted, it was around $3850.
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