 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Liquorice
Date: 2003-10-02 17:34
Does anybody know what a normal B-flat clarinet weighs? Are some brands heavier than others?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: bp (F)
Date: 2003-10-02 18:30
I can only talk about clarinets that we play in France.
Selmer clarinets are heavy. I think that every model is heavier than a Buffet RC or R13. Signature is heavy, Recital is really heavy....
Buffet Elite is very light.
I have played for many years Selmer but I appreciate know to play a standard RC for its weight, even if I changed for other reasons.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ralph G
Date: 2003-10-02 18:31
Depends on the grade of wood used, the density, the bore size, the weight of the keywork -- lots of factors. The R-13 Prestige I used for a year had very dense grenadilla wood and heavy silver-plated keys, and it was considerably heavier than my old Signet 100 with normal grenadilla and nickel keys.
Can't say I've ever put a horn on the scale, but I'd guesstimate they range from 1 to 2 pounds.
________________
Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.
- Pope John Paul II
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-10-02 18:36
Ralph G wrote:
> The R-13 Prestige
> I used for a year had very dense grenadilla wood and heavy
> silver-plated keys,
I don't think the silver plate added too much to the weight 
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2003-10-02 19:00
"...Does anybody know what a normal B-flat clarinet weighs? ..."
A lot more at the end of the rehearsal than at the beginning.
/cue rim shot/
Thank you, thank you very much...GBK (who has left the building)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ralph G
Date: 2003-10-02 19:55
They sure felt heavy. Perhaps it was the forging, or just the action. Great horn, but it felt like a fence post.
________________
Artistic talent is a gift from God and whoever discovers it in himself has a certain obligation: to know that he cannot waste this talent, but must develop it.
- Pope John Paul II
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Meri
Date: 2003-10-02 21:26
A past issue of the ICA journal mentions the difference in weight between a Bb and an A clarinet, and I know I read somewhere the approximate weight of a student-grade instrument versus wood instrument. However, I've noticed a rather wide variance in the weight of wood intermediate and professional instruments: my late 60s R-13 is quite heavy, (I am not the only one who would say that, my current teacher was a little surprised at the weight difference to his 1990s R-13), and other clarinetists I know have said the same thing. The only instrument I have tried that I know was heavier than mine is my former teacher's R-13 Prestige; though one of my student's E-12 may be about the same as my R-13 or even a tiny bit heavier. One student's Noblet I think is lighter than student-grade Yamahas. (which two students I have play on--they are heavy for student-grade instruments). The reason the difference is so noticable is because the instrument is mainly supported on the right thumb.
Maybe this would be an interesting science project for a scientifically-oriented young clarinetist: to weigh various makes/models of clarinets, and maybe compare tonal qualities.
Meri
"There is a difference between being flat and sounding in tune, and being in tune but sounding flat. The first I can live with; the second I cannot."
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: RM
Date: 2003-10-02 21:28
Buffets and Rossis seem to feel light, Peter Eaton, Selmer, and Leblanc tend to be on the heavier end. I would say the Eaton and Selmer larger bores were the heaviest I've encountered.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-10-02 21:31
You guys are a bunch of wimps. Soprano clarinets are ALL light as a feather. Try wearing my EEb contra-alto around your neck for a while and find out what HEAVY really means!
Ahhhhnold Clarinegger
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: deepriver27
Date: 2003-10-02 22:11
I was really surprised at how big the Selmer Recital felt and heavy too - as much as I like its tone I can't imagine holding it up by my right thumb through a 3 hr gig.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Katrina
Date: 2003-10-03 03:58
David...HAH...I'd never even play one of those behemoths with a floor peg...LOL! 
And as Meri suggests...age of the horn might indicate a different weight. Not anything scientific, but my '69 R13 Bb weighs (I think) pretty much the same as my '85 R13 A.
Katrina
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Rick Williams
Date: 2003-10-03 11:36
I don't know what normal is because I'm not sure what the normal clarinet is, but I've played and compared Selmer, Leblanc (Concerto & Opus) and the Yamaha V series and from heavy to light, it's Selmer, Leblanc, Yamaha.
RW
Best
Rick
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2003-10-03 14:12
Slightly off-topic, but last night I brought a plastic Charles Bay (modified Vito) bass clarinet to community band rehearsal and alternated playing it with my regular Kohlert hard-rubber bass clarinet --- the difference in weight was noticeable, the Kohlert felt about 50% heavier (hard rubber is a fairly dense material, it would seem).
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ray
Date: 2003-10-03 18:59
Well, here's what happens when you're out of work:
(Weight does not include a mouthpiece or ligature.)
Buffet R13, 1979 1 lb. 10 1/4 oz.
C. G. Conn Connstellation, 1958 1 lb. 10 1/2 oz.
Boosey & Hawkes 8-10 1 lb. 10 5/8 oz.
Vito V40 (plastic) 1 lb. 7 3/4 oz.
C. G. Conn armored, 1928 1 lb. 11 3/4 oz.
H. N. White Silver King (metal), 1939 1 lb. 11 1/2 oz.
Cundy Bettoney (metal, no model name), 1948 1 lb. 10 1/2 oz.
Bundy Eb (plastic) 1 lb. 1 3/8 oz.
A Bb mouthpiece and ligature weighs on average 1 1/2 ounces.
Best regards,
Ray
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Michael E. Shultz
Date: 2003-10-19 18:53
Buffet Greenline Festival 809.86g (1 lb. 12.57 oz)
Weight including Vandoren 5JB mouthpiece, Binade inverted ligature, and Vandoren reed (actual playing weight) 852.90g (1 lb. 14.09 oz)
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
Groucho Marx
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GBK
Date: 2003-10-20 02:01
According to the above findings, the grenadilla R-13 weighs less than the Greenline R-13.
Interesting... I would have guessed the opposite...GBK
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Wayne Thompson
Date: 2003-10-20 08:13
You all notice the obvious, I suppose. Most normal people don't have accurate scales to measure weights like these. So most of us can only talk about this important subject using guesswork. And I'm not much help either. A year ago I bought a Buffet Festival, which has the denser 'Prestige Wood' and silver plated keys. It felt much heavier to me than my 1960 Evette Schaeffer Master Model, presumedly similar to the same age R-13. I was able to weigh them both accurately at work (with no mouthpiece), but I have lost the dang slip of paper the weights were written on. However I remember clearly that the Festival was exactly 10% heavier than the Master Model.
10% is over two ounces in Ray's and Michael's data. My point is that 10% feels like a big difference.
I'll keep looking for the piece of paper. I wish someone could measure a Patricola Rosewood clarinet. I've heard of people playing them precisely because they are light. Also, the Greenline feels quite heavy to me.
Wayne Thompson
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: donald
Date: 2003-10-20 12:23
thanks to Michael for measuring in metric
all you ounce/pound guys, why not join the rest of the world so we know what you're talking about? the imperial measurement system is a pain in the arse and became out dated a long long time ago.
a clarinet weighs about 800 grams. most people in the world know what that means, it's about 8 square cm of water or aprox 80 ml of water or 80% of a kilo. easy huh?
remember the Hubblescope
donald
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2003-10-20 14:04
donald wrote:
> remember the Hubblescope
Wrong problem. Try a Mars mission ...
Now, if everyone would just drive on the correct side of the road ...
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: hans
Date: 2003-10-20 14:53
SI is deficient in that it lacks some very convenient units like the foot or the gallon, and degrees C are not accurate enough to make my home temperature control's thermostat useful.
Anyway, I tried to weigh my Recital using my kitchen scale but the lower section exceeded the scale capacity so for now all I can say is... apparently it weighs more than 2 pounds. Maybe Selmer should price it by the ounce. When I can find a better scale I'll try again.
I don't know what it weighs in centipedes.
Hans
Post Edited (2003-10-20 18:08)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: D
Date: 2009-01-03 16:24
I know this is an old thread but I just weighed my Bb so thought I'd add the info.
On the kitchen scales (of dubious accuracy) my Hanson T5G weighs 800g. I also have an A which I didn't weigh because I don't have any more gram weights. But that is noticeably heavier.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: vials
Date: 2009-01-03 19:28
actually, 800 grams is equal to 800 cubic centimeters of water, or 80 cl (800 ml)
Post Edited (2009-01-03 19:29)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: D
Date: 2009-01-03 19:37
LOL, well spotted vials. That would have been a very flat clarinet.......One way to make a Bb into an A I suppose!
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2009-01-04 01:19
It is interesting that so many clarinets weigh differently. My Selmer Signature Bb is much heavier than either my Buffet R 13 Bb or A, which of course is larger. Obviously it has to do with the type, density and thickness of the wood. My Selmer low C bass weighs a tone, it must be the gold plating on the neck and bell. ESP www.peabody.jhu.edu/457 Listen to a little Mozart, Live performance.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: spage
Date: 2009-01-04 10:50
Dug out from exchanges with a friend (all B-flats, barrel to bell weights):-
Selmer
Series 10 Nickel plate (W-series) - 738 grams
Series 10 Silver plate (V-Series) - 744 grams
Series 10 FB Silver plate (X-Series) - 830 grams
Series 9 Mazzeo 'Personal' model (T-series) - 860g
The latter is, of course, saved by the bell (S10 FB bell 96g, S9 Mazzeo bell 74g)
Not sure about quality of scales...
Leblanc France
Concerto - 799g
LL FB - 889g
Leblanc USA
The Vitos weigh in at 740g...
Scales may read a couple of percent high
We have others but we haven't yet got sufficiently insane to weigh them all or, indeed, to calibrate by weighing on the same set of scales :-)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Michael E. Shultz
Date: 2009-01-04 11:31
When I posted the weight of my Buffet Greenline Festival, I forgot to mention that the Festival has the auxiliary Eb / Ab lever, which would add a bit of weight.
Working in water / wastewater laboratories does have its advantages for this sort of discussion. Since I calibrated the Mettler balance prior to using it, I am confident of my weights to within 0.01g.
As far as the Celsius thermostat, my home Honeywell digital is adjustable in 0.5 degree increments. I keep it at 22.5 degrees for heat, and 23 degrees for air conditioning.
When a local newspaper columnist wrote about how she burned the Thanksgiving turkey because she had put the oven thermostat knob back on backwards, my first thought was "Didn't she also use an oven thermometer that she had checked against a certified thermometer?" Then I realized that ordinary people don't do that.
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
Groucho Marx
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: D
Date: 2009-01-04 15:28
I used the old fashioned metal tray and metal weight balance type kitchen scales to do my weighing. No idea what the temperature was, but given that if it had been any heavier the weight would have been 800g plus-two-thirds-of-a-jar-of-pickled-onions-as-we-lost-the-other-weights, I don't think any temperature variation from where other people took their weights will be reflected due to the other huge error factors introduced already be being weighed by me! hehehe.
I do have an alt Eb lever though, and the vandoren mouthpiece was still on!
That LLFB sounds heavy. I must find the other weights so I can see what my A weighs. I suppose one or two of the small ones could have got in the Christmas cake....
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
