 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: STuart
Date: 1999-07-27 23:23
OK, first of all may I say that San Francisco can kiss misintonation - I just can't win here. I live with a guitarist who won't tune to me - only to a tuner at 440.
I recently wrote about being flat on my Bb, that magicaly went away for the most part but an old problem still lives with me: my Bass Clarinet is at least 5 hertz sharp all the time. I had the bass of the neck extended but it didn't help enough. I think I should get a Bay neck and pull way out, becasue I don't have a prayer right now, its embaressing. I look at a picture of Dolphy all day here, and he has an adjustable neck so I'm reminded. SO:
-has anybody played em? what's the scoop?
-where can I get one cheap? Bay is famous for being too expensive for Stuart, is there a cheaper imitation?
-is there any others alternative to my sharpness cutting away freinds and audiences alike?
thanks-Stuart
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: William Fuller
Date: 1999-07-28 02:34
Pull the mouthpiece AND the neck.
Maybe your mouthpiece is too short for your instrument--try a Selmer or VanDoren.
Use less lip pressure--try double lip embrochure.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Dave Spiegelthal
Date: 1999-07-28 14:14
Stuart,
I've had two Charles Bay re-angled necks on past bass clarinets I've owned. On the Noblet (cork tenon one-piece type neck) b.c. I played in college, I had Bay's original-type neck, where he took your existing neck, cut off the socket, and re-soldered it at a better angle. I've just recently done this modification myself at home to my Vito neck (works great, looks pretty good, though it would look great also if I bothered to get the neck re-plated). I also had a Leblanc bass clarinet about 10 years ago for which I ordered a Bay two-piece neck (his current design), although back then he sold it to me for, I think, about $150 (without mouthpiece in my case, since I already had a Bay mouthpiece and told him so). Now, he insists on selling you a mouthpiece with his new neck, and the combination runs about $500 (ouch!). For you or anyone else who's interested, I'll be happy to send a short instruction sheet I made up last year on how to do the neck modification yourself (or have a technician or craftsman do it).
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: STuart
Date: 1999-07-28 21:15
Yikes,
I've pulled everything out and I can sag my tone down but it isn't enough. I play a selmer C* refaced by Everett Matson, but that was never a problem on other horns. It doesn't look like I'll be getting a Bay neck anytime soon based on the price. I plan to have some work done soon and I'll ask my repairman about it - is it possible that leaks are making it sharp? The horn needs serious work. What in the instrument could make be making it sharp?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 1999-07-28 21:41
When I acquired Selmers, alto and bass, I found the Adjust. Necks were great, once you tune "in", you seldom have to change and, with my mediocre "ear" , I have learned what if any I must "favor" to be compatible. What more does Bay have than this capability? Am interested. Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Dave Spiegelthal
Date: 1999-07-29 16:48
The selling point of the Bay necks is that the mouthpiece comes into your mouth at a more vertical angle (closer to that of a soprano clarinet), compared to the more horizontal angle of most stock necks of whatever brand. Some of us (myself included) are more comfortable with the sharper angle of the Bay necks -- it allows us to sit more normally, rather than the "edge of the chair, bottom of the horn tilted back under the chair, nose in the air" position we're usually forced into.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Don Berger
Date: 1999-07-30 17:28
Thanx, Dave, I see the point. Possibly why I havent seemed to need a Bay is that I have quite an "over bite" and play comfortably with neck-strap and peg [belt and suspenders!!]with the BC nearly vertical. Not having had orthodonture [sp?],its a small advantage of being old!!! Don
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: STuart
Date: 1999-07-30 21:42
Who else makes these necks? Everyday I stare this picture of Dolphy and think:
a) what a musician!
b) yo, where'd he get that neck?
This picture is from 60s, could Eric Dolphy have played a Bay neck?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
