 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Micke Isotalo ★2017
Date: 2024-09-19 17:00
The coming Backun Alpha bass has its neck and bell crafted from brass, while on their Q model they are from nickel-silver. What difference could that mean to tone, response, projection, or possible other sound characteristics?
Since the Alpha's body is synthetic, while the Q's is wood, a neck/bell from different materials could at least theoretically interact differently with each - but apart from that.
When anyone here gets an opportunity playing both of these basses at the same occasion, I hope you will report your personal impression about their overall tonal and other possible differences.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Hunter_100
Date: 2024-09-19 20:12
Maybe the parts are interchangeable between the Q and the alpha? It would allow for upgrade path down the road if the tone was indeed different/better/worse.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: tdufka
Date: 2024-09-20 07:18
The main difference in tone between these two is probably a result of the lower density material being used in the Alpha which gives it a somewhat less deep sound as far as can be determined from youtube videos. See Earspasm.com for comparison videos where Michael L. plays both.
I am guessing that Backun went with brass to round out the sound a bit.
It will be interesting to try these when they finally are readily available; they look to be very well designed!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: clarnibass
Date: 2024-09-23 08:36
The reasons to use brass are that it is (generally) cheaper and easier to work with. The advantages of nickel silver are that it's more corrosion resistant and (usually) somewhat stronger, though the latter can depend on the specific alloys and isn't necessarily an advantage (steel is stronger and you wouldn't say a steel neck would be better because of that). The difference in corrosion resistance isn't necessarily important either. They are plated so it's mostly a moot point on the outside, and look inside necks... they usually don't really have a significant corrosion issue.
I don't know why they chose those materials. If anyone claims a difference in tone as the reason then they might be honest and believe it, but it doesn't make it correct. It's a possibility that the higher price of the NS neck doesn't affect the much more expensive pro model in a significant way, but would add too much to the lower cost model. You have to save somewhere to reduce cost and all those little things add up. A brass neck isn't "bad"... they are both good materials.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2024-09-23 14:16
At the risk of asking a question that grammatically sounds completely stupid....
Are there any brass instruments made of nickel-silver?
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2024-09-23 16:07
Well it appears to boil down to the fact that while both metals have some distinctions in their tonal qualities, it's not really clear which of the two would tend to favor a bass for bell and neck. Perhaps Backun are the first to be in a position to shed a little light on that question, assuming these parts on the two models are interchangeable.
I'm sure we're bound to have someone make this trial and report on it eventually.
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
