 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: A.J.
Date: 2001-08-14 17:31
I am looking for a new mouthpiece. I'm now playing on a Vandoren B44 mouthpiece with a Vandoren 3 1/2 reed. Any suggestion on a mouthpiece with a good dark tone?
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Author: Mike_M
Date: 2001-08-14 20:48
I tried out several bass clarinet mouthpieces last year. I don’t remember all of them, but the ones that stick out in my mind are the Vandoren B40 and Tom Rinenour's handmade.
I liked the Vandoren because it seemed to have a really gutsy low-end. Everything below open G was nice and full sounding.
The Rinenour outperformed all of the others in the clarion and altissimo range. These typically tricky areas were very smooth. Actually, I found the entire range to be very controllable.
I also tried Clark Fobes “San Francisco” in various sizes, but these didn’t seem to work for me.
I went with the Rinenour mostly because I had a performance of Straus “Til” coming up and the Bass part goes all over the place. There have been times playing in other settings that I wish I had the Vandoren handy. O well, you can’t have everything.
Hope that helps.
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Author: Stephen Froehlich
Date: 2001-08-14 21:06
OK, just for reference, what brand/model of Bass are we talking about here. I've had a Bay MO-M for just about ever and while it makes a nice, rich tone on a Selmer 33, it has a reedier tone on my Kohlert, while I remember it having a relatively pure tone on an old LeBlanc (and I bet a similar tone on a Yamaha).
I guess this is true for Soprano clarinets too, but I get the feeling that Bass designs vary from wide to narrow bore somewhat more than the currently revered Soprano offerings. (Not to mention the amount of creativity in tone hole placement, after all how many soprano's have to pads to cover one key (C/F pinky on the selmers) or forked register keys?)
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Author: A.J.
Date: 2001-08-14 23:26
I play on a Vito. It's not the best horn but it's all I've got.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2001-08-14 23:27
My large tip Bay (.100") piece plays well on my Selmer 37. Big robust sound. Easy response.
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Author: mike
Date: 2001-08-15 00:45
I've also got to say that I like the Bay mpc (MO+ M). It works great on a Buffet. Though I wouldn't characterize my sound as very dark. Like Robert Small, I do a lot of big band playing and wanted something that would really project.
I also use one of Roger Garrett's pieces. I would say this one is a little darker than the Bay. Its a nice piece. And with a cost < $70, it delivers enormous bang for the buck.
I've never played on a Vandoren bass mouthpiece, so I can't offer any sort of comparison with your B44.
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Author: pat
Date: 2001-08-15 02:58
I really like the selmer c double star I am playing on. It has a very dark tone in my opinion.
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Author: Nelson Heggen
Date: 2001-08-15 15:08
One word: Bay.....
O.K., two words: Charles Bay....
Well, maybe five words: Charles Bay bass clarinet mouthpiece.
How about......
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Author: Stephen Froehlich
Date: 2001-08-15 16:52
I love my Bay too, but I picked it up for $75 some time back (beginning of college, the C* the local music store had in stock was $80, and I knew I had a steal). I would recommend it strongly except for the price. You should try some Roger Garrett's too, as he does also make a fairly open mouthpiece and you can't beat the price for a handmade mouthpiece. However, the Bay will almost always be a strong player. On the Selmers, it will give an almost stereotypical Bass Clarinet tone (I believe this is the intention.) Also don't rule out the Selmer C* and C**.
My middle school had vitos with bay necks and moutpieces (go figure). I wasn't exactly a fit judge at the time, but as I remember, you'll get a well-rounded Bay tone in that configuration also. Its a mouthpiece you'll keep, that's for sure. Also talk to Dave Spiegelthal about refacing, he's also a Bass specialist and can do good work.
Unfortunately, unless you live in New York or Elkhart, IN, there probably isn't a music store with the selection you need to try. I'm afraid you'll have to go mail order.
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Author: Robert Gifford
Date: 2001-08-15 21:49
During High School I played contra and bass during concert season, I didn't have to play vitos ever so I can't comment on that. But on both my Selmer Series 9 Rosewood Contra, and my Leblanc and Selmer basses, I palyed on Selmer C*s, with LaVoz Mediums. I think the best tone I had was either with that one, or I actually got a really good tone with my $5 no name cheap mouthpeice (go figure). Some people might give me flak for this, but I do have to say after using many different brands and combinations of reeds, I got the best results with LaVoz 3s (Bass Clarinet for BC, and Bari Sax for Contra).
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Author: LynnL
Date: 2001-08-16 14:59
I use a Vandoren A3 Crystal on my Leblanc 430S, Low C professional Bcl and it is a great combination. The low register booms out, but I do have resonators on the lower joint, which really makes the difference.
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Author: Anna
Date: 2001-08-20 10:57
I like my Selmer C*; I also had a Pomarico #2 crystal before somebody else broke it....the Pomarico was quite open but it made projection really easy - I didn't have to blow 'til I saw stars with that. Not quite as warm a sound as the Selmer but it was a nice mouthpiece all the same.
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