 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: spikey1973
Date: 2023-05-20 19:43
Just generally wondering,
Is it worth it to change the (abs / bakelite) bell on my rubber clarinet for a wooden version? my clarinet is beside the bell and the mouthpiece rubber.
The mouthpiece will be replaced.. and I am getting a test (cheap) wooden barrel 62mm from someone. So I was wondering about the bell. I don't like the looks of the plastic vs the rubber, but looks isnn't enough reason to spend this money.
Kind greats
Matthieu
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: SecondTry
Date: 2023-05-20 19:59
No IMHO.
Clarinet notes transmit their sound largely through the next open hole in the pipe, meaning only full fingered low E and middle B find their way to the bell.
There are high end musicians out there like Jessica Phillips on her Eb who have not only mixed manufacturer sections on their instruments, but use bells I believe with holes in them. But for 99.9% of us, such things aren't likely worth the money.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: spikey1973
Date: 2023-05-20 20:21
Thanks @ Second try
I was thinking so.. unfortunately I was kinda hopen I would find myself a proper excuse to buy into some luxury... because it had a reason. Now it doesn't..
Now I will have to spend it on some more delicious icecream.
Kind greats
Matthieu
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2023-05-20 20:36
Bells can have a surprising effect on how the whole instrument responds, but that has to do with the internal shape rather than the material. If you are just getting a cheap no-name wooden bell it will probably do more harm than good.
-JDbassplayer
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: super20dan
Date: 2023-05-23 01:44
i added a wood barrel and high quality wood bell i had surplus to my normandy plastic clarinet and it really made a huge differance
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2023-05-23 16:39
If you are considering getting an aftermarket bell, check it fits first of all and also check it doesn't cause any problems with the response of your altissimo register as I had a Selmer Privilege come in a while back with an aftermarket bell and the altissimo F was kicking and unstable regardless which fingering was used. The owner took it to someone claiming to be a clarinet expert who couldn't find the fault, despite charging the owner for doing unnecessary work which didn't resolve anything.
The only difference I could see was the aftermarket bell, so I put a Selmer St.Louis bell on it as that was the only modern-style Selmer bell I had to hand and that completely cleared it up as it didn't have anywhere near as much of a choke (narrowing in/constriction of the bore diameter) at the base of the bell socket as the aftermarket bell had. It also worked fine with a Mazzeo bell, Series 9 and Centered Tone bells as they also have a wider bore diameter at the base of the bell socket.
Has to be said, the owner is using the stock bell and barrel again, so they spent money on buying a fancy aftermarket bell and barrel for absolutely no practical gain.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mojo
Date: 2023-05-23 17:37
I use a plastic Fobes barrel on my wood Leblanc. The sound, response and intonation seems better. Probably due to the internal geometry of the barrel which is quite different than my original wood barrel.
MojoMP.com
Mojo Mouthpiece Work LLC
MojoMouthpieceWork@yahoo.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: LFabian
Date: 2023-05-26 19:55
The Fobes barrel is not plastic. For $99 Otis an excellent replacement.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: spikey1973
Date: 2023-05-26 20:16
@ Chris P
Actually it would have been a Grenadilla bell from the same factory as my clarinet it self came from. Beside the cheap mouthpiece I believe the Clarinet to be of fairly oke quality, with the new mouthpiece en reeds it is reasonably well tuned. With my quality of play, that is all I can say, about that. but from open G to Low F, I can manage to get is 5 cent off fairl easy.. just not stable..but that is me.. and completely expected.
But If I would (currently i am not going to) I understand it would be a bit of a gamble, should check If I could return it before purchase.. anway.. it is not a huge price either.
The current wood bell, has given it a timber which I personally seem to prefer.. but besides that, not much difference, it didn't seem to have any effect on tuning.
I understand that If I would travel, or big weather changes the rubber barrel would /could be better, so I will always keep it close.
Anyway. as said. for now I stick with what I got..
am happy with the sound and tuning..
it is definately better the my abilities :D
kind greats
Matthieu
Post Edited (2023-05-26 20:27)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ursa
Date: 2023-05-26 21:14
For what it's worth, I have a Backun Traditional bell in grenadilla with the voicing groove along with Backun MoBa, Backun FatBoy, Ridenour Ivorolon, Scott, and PowerBarrel aftermarket barrels.
I've carefully analyzed the tuning of all of these on various instruments that have come through my studio and have observed the following:
Backun Alpha (plastic): Had best intonation with stock bell and barrel.
B&H 1-10 (plastic): Had best intonation with stock bell and Pruefer Festival Six-20 barrel.
B&H 8-10 (wood): Had best intonation with stock bell and barrel.
Bundy 1400 (plastic): Had best intonation with stock bell and barrel.
Normandy 1948-type (wood): Had best intonation with stock bell and barrel.
Pruefer Festival Six-20 (ebonite): Had best intonation with stock bell and barrel.
Pruefer Artist (ebonite): Had best intonation with stock bell and barrel.
Ridenour RCP-576BC (ebonite): Had best intonation with stock bell and barrel.
Vito 7214 (plastic): Had best intonation with stock bell and Ridenour Ivorolon barrel.
Vito V-40 (plastic): Had best intonation with stock bell and barrel.
Yamaha YCL-20 (plastic): Had equally good intonation with stock barrel and bell compared to Backun FatBoy barrel and Traditional bell.
My conclusions:
1. The Backun Traditional bell didn't affect intonation nearly as much as the aftermarket barrels did, but wasn't useful in improving intonation on the sample instruments above.
2. .Aftermarket barrels can and do cause horrendous tuning issues on many instruments.
3. Backun's accessory bell and barrels, surprisingly, aren't necessarily a good match for their Alpha clarinet.
4. Carefully matching a mouthpiece and reeds to an instrument--and having that instrument serviced regularly by a competent technician--is your best bet for optimizing tuning and response.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Hunter_100
Date: 2023-05-26 23:25
Ursa, what mouthpiece was used for all those trials? Maybe your mouthpiece doesn't do well with the tapers on the aftermarket barrels (which I think all of those are).
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ursa
Date: 2023-05-27 02:36
Hunter_100, I tested the barrels with a variety of mouthpieces:
Grabner K14e
Pomarico Ruby Bright
Selmer HS-Star
Buffet (Chedeville) C Crown
Woodwind Co. G7
Brilhart Tonalin 4 (4 inscribed on table)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mojo
Date: 2023-05-27 16:43
“ Author: LFabian
Date: 2023-05-26 19:55
The Fobes barrel is not plastic. For $99 Otis an excellent replacement.”
HDP is a plastic. I got mine used for $50. Fobes also sells wood.
MojoMP.com
Mojo Mouthpiece Work LLC
MojoMouthpieceWork@yahoo.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
