 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2024-07-10 21:51
I am switching to Bass Clarinet, and recently purchased a used hard rubber Giardenelli (I know, I know, but I got a good one!) My main issue with it is the HUGE case. I am looking for a smaller one, preferably a trekking type case. The only ones that I have found that are reasonably priced are the those that require leaving the two joints of the instrument assembled. I don't like this idea, and have heard stories about players ruining the cork because they never take their instrument apart. If this weren't a problem, there is still the matter of taking it apart to dry the tenons, then putting it back together after every time it is played. Seems like this would cut the life of the tenon cork in half, not to mention the extra consumption of cork grease. My Questions:
*Are my concerns unfounded, is it alright to leave the body assembled?
*Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced two part instrument case that has trekking straps? (I found one sold in the UK, overseas shipping required!)
Thanks!
Laurie (he/him)
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2024-07-11 00:10
I think you're right to go for a case that holds the instrument disassembled for the reasons you stated, and also I think the dimensions are much better for backpack carrying.
Michael Lowenstern ( Earspasme)has a review of cases that might be helpful.
It is important to get a case that holds the joints snugly so they don't rattle about in there, in fact I would offer that as being paramount. A case that lets your instrument buddy about ,will likely cost you in visits to a tech to recover lost regulation..... money better spent on a good case to begin with. To test for a good snug case fit , I put just the two joints in the case and give it a good shake in all directions. Also the instrument should not be resting on any of the longer key work for obvious reasons.
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2024-07-11 09:52
Another economy option, is to get a cheaper " one size fits all badly" case, and glue in firm foam blocks to properly secure the ends of the joints. The main thing is that the case does its job of truly protecting the instrument in transport. For this it's important to use the contact glue made especially for foam however, as ordinary contact adhesive's solvent melts the styrofoam which is likely what's under the cloth lining.
Main thing is to travel with those precision torpedoes secure.
And there is no shame in playing a hard rubber bass..... it's a wise choice. Apologies are only in order for basses out of regulation.lol
Enjoy. J
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2024-07-11 09:56
It's better to have the instrument disassembled in the case but it's not the end of the world... except the case size and shape. A single/assembled bass case is just very annoying to carry.
The cork probably won't last as long... but it is likely to still last a long time either way. You might need to have it changed a few years earlier. With wood clarinets a tenon that isn't disassembled can sort of "fuse" after a long time and get stuck. It's a lot less likely with a plastic bass but can happen (for somewhat other reasons).
I wouldn't consider any case without shoulder strap, but if you don't mind it there are the Yamaha and the Jupiter suitcase style cases.
Reasonably priced is relative. I don't know anything remotely close to the Protec single piece bass clarinet price. The least expensive is possibly Reed & Squeak, which I use and it's good, but worth keeping in mind a few things if buy one. I changed from a Wiseman and compared with that anything is reasonably priced I guess, including a Bam which is also good. I had the R&S shipped internationally from the UK, no issues. The Wiseman, although it's good, sits in a closet unused... so price doesn't necessarily mean anything...
>> It is important to get a case that holds the joints snugly so they don't rattle about in there, in fact I would offer that as being paramount. <<
True but also not. Some of the best cases have a somewhat softer material that isn't as snug. Some very snug cases aren't really better, since if they do get a strong hit there's a harder material pressing against the clarinet. What's more important than being snug is that the shape supports the parts in a way that won't damage anything or at least protect them as well as possible.
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Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2024-07-12 23:27
Thanks for the responses, they are very helpful! That online review, especially so. I am wavering between the Bam Trekking (I’m now convinced it is probably worth the extra money) and the Reed & Squeak, which now comes with shoulder straps.
BTW: my disclaimer at the beginning was an effort to avoid an OT discussion about the sometimes maligned Giardinelli. I recently found a thread asking for a comparison of the BG Revelation and Super Revelation ligatures. It got a couple of legitimate responses before it devolved into a debate about whether or the BG ligatures are any good.
Laurie (he/him)
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Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2024-07-12 23:28
Thanks for the responses, they are very helpful! That online review, especially so. I am wavering between the Bam Trekking (I’m now convinced it is probably worth the extra money) and the Reed & Squeak, which now comes with shoulder straps.
A similar case I just found is the Altieri, which seems relatively new.
https://altieribags.com/products/clarinet-gigbag-for-low-e-76e
BTW: my disclaimer at the beginning was an effort to avoid an OT discussion about the sometimes maligned Giardinelli. I recently found a thread asking for a comparison of the BG Revelation and Super Revelation ligatures. It got a couple of legitimate responses before it devolved into a debate about whether or the BG ligatures are any good. In the end it was not very helpful for those who wanted an answer to the original question.
Laurie (he/him)
Post Edited (2024-07-12 23:33)
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2024-07-13 15:13
It looks to me like the Giardinelli is just another of the alias brand names for an instrument likely made by the same manufacturers as the Kessler/Ridenour... and the list of marketing brand names goes on and on. All are probably much of a muchness, with key work designes probably constituting the only significant difference between them, but basically all pretty good performing instruments provided that all their little build issues have been sorted out. If you get one secondhand , hopefully the original owner got that side of things done already, in which case you've likely hit the jackpot ....... Mind you... It's only in dreams where you take your bass in to a tech and they say....
" Oh no!..there's absolutely nothing wrong with it ." 😅
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: LJBraaten
Date: 2024-07-13 18:33
I did some measuring and realize that any trekking case is going to be very close in size to the one I have now. But I still like the advantage of having my hands free to carry other things. That raises another question: I notice the Bam case measures just a little wider than my band music folders, which are 11.75 inches (39.8 cm) wide. Does anyone know if the large outside pocket of a Bam (or similar trekking type case) will accommodate this sized folder?
On the Giardenilli: the one I bought was barely used, and sold by a repair tech who went over it thoroughly. It sounds better, and plays the upper register more easily than the Yamaha 221ii that I had been borrowing. It has some nice features: a stop between joints to assure perfect alignment of the bridge keys, and a large wing nut type tightener for the floor peg. The main thing I miss from the Yamaha are the multiple adjustment screws for fine key alignment.
Laurie (he/him)
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