 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: bahamutofskycon
Date: 2006-11-03 21:05
Hello all, 1st time poster, long time browser here.
I am a clarinet player at Shenandoah University pursuing a Masters degree in performance. I've always loved to play Bass Clarinet also though.
Currently I'm using a Selmer C* mouthpiece. I've always used and been happy with Vandoren #3's, but recently they've been giving me trouble (too soft, too hard, not flexible, too stiff, uneven in registers, etc).
What strength Vandorens are generally recommended for Selmer C*s?
Also I'm debating sending my C* off to Walter Grabner for his "full CX_BS treatment." Anyone have personal experiences with that?
My backup MP is a B45.
Thank you all for your help.
Steve Ballas
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Author: D
Date: 2006-11-03 22:31
if you know your C* vital statistics you could work it out from their charts on the vandoren web site. I wouldn't recommend looking it up from a slow internet connection though, it does lots of fancy things.
At a guess I'd say, normally closed mouthpiece 3/5 - 4, medium 3 - 3/5. But it really depends on the version of vandoren reed and the cut.
The weather here has changed in the last two days, I've suddenly had to change from a V12 3 to a Rue LePic 3.5 which hasn't wanted to know all summer because it doesn't seem to fit the mouthpiece. (sop, don't have a bass :-() So get it right this week and next week it will have changed. I'd try and keep a few things around. With a reed that size you must have even more variations cause by weather.
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Author: J. J.
Date: 2006-11-03 23:36
I have a CX_BS and I think it's an excellent mouthpiece. I've never played well with stock C*s, but the CX_BS just seems to work for me. I use a very hard 3 1/2 or soft 4 reed with it, but reed preference is all very, very relative. For the price, it might be a very good investment for you to make.
J.J.
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Author: RodRubber
Date: 2006-11-03 23:38
I think that sending your C* off for a treatment will definately get your mouthpiece working for you. Im using a refaced C* with vandoren 3.5 reeds. The tip opening is 165. This is considered a pretty close tip by most bass clarinet mouthpiece adjusters. It really takes the reed exceptionally well.
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Author: bahamutofskycon
Date: 2006-11-04 03:15
I will consult the charts tomorrow to see if they have any insight for me. I may just go ahead and buy a box of Vandoren 3 and 3.5 to test them all out.
Too true about the weather though.
I'll have to give Walter Grabner a call and see what he has to say about doing the refacing and how long it takes. It seems to me that getting it fixed up for 60 to 80 bucks is a pretty good deal for a used MP I only paid 40 for.
Thanks for the responses.
Steve
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Author: SFroehlich
Date: 2006-11-05 12:57
Getting the CX_BS treatment from Walter is a good move - he did a great job in refacing my old Bay MO-M - brought the essence right back. (And that's a mouthpiece he hates - or well dislikes anyway.)
These days I usually play on one of his CX_BB's (the Bay is good for jazzier stuff).
If you can float the working capital, I'd probably recommend getting the C* treated by Walter and try a few other mouthpieces. (Talk to Walter about your needs and also consider Clark Fobes stuff). You can alway eBay a CX_BS for a fair penny and cover most of the cost of whatever new mouthpiece you end up buying.
All-in-all, given the value gain you'll get out of the refacing of your existing blank, I'm pretty confident that you can get a new professional mouthpiece for less that $120 by the time you're done - that is if you don't prefer the CX_BS.
Finally, the last time I did this, I gathered all of my Bass Clarinet buddys so that we could all compare and contrast the mouthpieces, and I asked them to help defray the cost of shipping ($5 apiece from 3 other people).
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Author: Ebclarinet1
Date: 2006-11-05 16:49
I agree with SFroelich that the Grabner mouthpiece will realy improve your sound. He also took my old Selmer C* that I could NEVER use and he made that one playable as well. It's now a good back up for the Grabner.
What i like about the Grabner m'piece is that ALL the octaves come out ringingly clear and are actually easy to play. With almost any other mouthpiece the high notes have been wild or un-pleasant. The Grand Canyon Suite passage with the C-C#-D repeated notes sounds really nice with this mouthpiece and was a passage I had dreaded previously, using the tril fingerings for C# and D rather than break into the next octave.
EEfer guy
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