 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Ashley91489
Date: 2008-07-22 21:18
I started reading here about the Backun barrels and how nice they were. Does it make *that* much of a difference to change the barrel? Should I change the bell also? (I was just reading the thread below on bells)
Are Backun barrels *the* clarinet barrel to get to enhance the instrument? What makes them superior? Which of the Backun barrels is best in your opinion? I'm sure it is somewhat of a personal preference but I'm just trying to get an idea of what I should try first.
Also, what about the aftermarket Buffet barrels? Would I benefit from purchasing a different Buffet barrel for my R-13? If so, what Buffet barrels do you like?
Then I have to ask, which would be better: a Backun barrel or a different Buffet barrel?
Lastly, as I just mentioned, I play an R-13. I love the clarinet and very happy to have such a quality and high esteemed instrument to play on. I guess I always thought, this is as good as it gets. After all, how could I improve on an R-13? With such a clarinet, again, I wonder...Does the barrel make that much of a difference?
Post Edited (2008-07-22 21:25)
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Author: Lynn
Date: 2008-07-22 21:44
Ashley,
Run.....do not walk...to Muncy Winds and order yourself three of the Muncy barrels for your R-13. (Phil and Pam Muncy have a liberal policy of allowing you to "audition" three of them at a time for a nominal fee) Then blind test them with a friend and a tuner, try them on lyrical as well as strongly-articulated music, then I'd bet you'll come to the same conclusion that a lot of us have. WOW! They really do make a good instrument even better.
Lynn
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Author: clarionman
Date: 2008-07-22 22:19
Different barrels do make a big difference. I have never tried a backum or Buffet Muncy barrels. I own several Buffet Moennig and Chadash also I have a Fobes barrel. There is a difference on the tone that the different barrel produces. Just try any of the barrels that you mention and you will be surprise of the difference it makes.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2008-07-22 23:03
Your mileage may vary, likely very considerably, between different models and even between different units of the same model. It's a "what works for you" situation. Between Backun barrels, I've had mine for about 4 years, and haven't played anyone else's that worked as well for me as mine.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Tara
Date: 2008-07-22 23:23
I agree with the "what works for you" disclaimer above. While the Backun barrels are the choice of many, I recently played on a dozen of them and didn't find anything that worked FOR ME as well as my Chadash. You may love one, you may hate one. It's trial and error!
Tara
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Author: Ed
Date: 2008-07-23 00:37
There are many good barrels available. All of those mentioned above have fans. Allan Segal (one of the sponsors here) makes lovely barrels as well. You have to see what works for you with your set up. It would be somewhat like asking "what kind of shoes should I buy?" It would all depend on what fits and feels best *for you* I have known some who like the stock barrels.
Good luck.
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2008-07-23 00:43
i have a muncy barrel and a backun barrel. But i also have 2 clarinets.
with the backun barrel, i notice a huge volume in sound. The backun barrel works very well with newer buffet clarinets
whereas
with the muncy barrel, i notice an evenness throughout the sound. there is slight resistance, but the tradeoff is perfect intonation for my 142XXX buffet clarinet.
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: pplateau
Date: 2008-07-23 02:32
And the Muncy diamond synthetic works like a gem for me on an 86 R-13 ; almost as well as my Chadash and better in tune; go figure, as they say.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2008-07-23 16:35
I've had mixed results with tuning barrels on my Buffets.
The first several I auditioned made no difference that I could perceive. Playing intervals with a tuner showed no change in the instruments' intonation.
Finally, I sat down with 2-dozen (24!) Orsi&Weir barrels. I was looking for a boost getting over the upper break into the altissimo register. I found some that made a perceptible difference --and one barrel that was 'way different. It is more responsive and easier to play than anything I could stuff between the mouthpiece and the upper joing
So, I got together with this new barrel, two stock Buffet barrels and a Moenig and a symphony clarinetist. He liked the plain old, stock Buffet barrel's sound.
I repeated the experiment with another symphony pro (my teacher), and he, too, preferred the stock Buffet barrel.
Here, in my small town, my playing colleagues will look over when I put on the Orsi & Weir barrel because they hear something different in my sound.
I like playing on the Orsi & Weir, but use the Buffet bit at my lessons.
How a brilliant technician like Alan Segal can work from an over the phone discussion to a problem solving barrel remains a mystery to me. Sorcery, I think.
Bob Phillips
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Author: GBK
Date: 2008-07-23 16:55
Bob Phillips wrote:
> I repeated the experiment with another symphony pro (my
> teacher), and he, too, preferred the stock Buffet barrel.
Don't forget - in the Buffet manufacturing process, the (stock) barrel and upper joint are bored at the same time, while together. No doubt that many clarinetists prefer the "match" of these two pieces.
See 2'35" through 3'07" of the Buffet production video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gKjDqm4Bqw
...GBK
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Author: Alseg
Date: 2008-07-23 18:13
Bob Phillips asked:
"How a brilliant technician like Alan Segal can work from an over the phone discussion to a problem solving barrel remains a mystery to me. Sorcery, I think."
Answer:
First, thanks for complement.
Actually, I have a Gulfstream G7 with its own woodshop available at all times to fly out to the client.
But really, I ask a lot of questions or the patron, and then I do a lot of slow and tedious work, inching up to the final product. Then there might be a few mailings of the product back and forth (assuming that the barrel is one of my custom ones at full price). Sometimes it boils down to trial and error. And...unfortunately, sometimes I fail.
Disclaimer....I make and sell barrels.
Former creator of CUSTOM CLARINET TUNING BARRELS by DR. ALLAN SEGAL
-Where the Sound Matters Most(tm)-
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Author: toney
Date: 2008-07-24 01:26
Of course barrels can make a huge difference, depending on which brand you go with, however no two are ever the same. I believe it can make *that* much of a difference to change the barrel as you questioned...
I personally found Moennig barrels better than the stock I was using and after a period of about two years switched to Chadash barrels which I found even better. After some convincing from various friends who use Backun I ordered a whole slew of the traditional and didn't find one I liked. I then tried a MOBA barrel however and out of 8 MOBA's I received, found one that I considered to be superior by a mile to anything I had ever played on. So even in a batch of good barrels and well established names, I think there can be huge differences between each one. I personally didn't like any of the Backun traditional but would never trade my MOBA barrels for anything as of this moment.
I believe that changing the bell has a much less dramatic effect than changing the barrel but it can make a difference. I personally broke down and bought a MOBA bell as well to go with my barrels, but even then and again, I had 13 bells sent to me and only found one that I thought made a huge difference. And even that difference is much more noticeable on the A clarinet than the Bb as well but it is quite a difference. I found that difference to be in focus and clarity of sound, as well as bringing up the pitch on the lower clarion which can tend toward the flat side, thereby making the tone more uniformly in pitch throughout all registers in general.
My suggestion would be to try different brands but always at least 6-8 barrels per brand as there can be a wide variety and select the one that allows you to produce that sound in your head you are looking for. For me personally, that was the MOBA barrels for Backun and on my regular R-13s they make a huge difference in a very positive way (commented to me by orchestra colleagues).
Good luck and good hunting!
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Author: Phil Pedler
Date: 2008-07-24 01:51
At least one was missed in the discussion above. I just got a Ridenour and absolutely love it. I believe the tone is better than my Muncy Diamond because of the hard rubber used by Ridenour, instead of Delrin.
The basic point of the thread is true: A good barrel makes a huge difference.
Phil Pedler
clarinetpages.wetpaint.com
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Author: Ashley91489
Date: 2008-07-24 02:18
> I'm playing an R-13, Vandoren M13 mouthpiece, Rovner Eddie Daniels
> ligature, and Mitchel Lurie Premium reeds for my current concert setup.
>
> I've decided on a Buffet barrel but am not sure which to try first. At the
> moment, it would not be easy for me to get all three to try and compare so
> I need to try just one to start with.
>
> What are the differences between them and which in *your* experience is
> the best choice?
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Author: lllebret
Date: 2008-07-24 06:17
You might also want to consider a Peter Spriggs barrel. He's a sponsor of this board and when I bought mine years ago it was about what a stock Buffet barrel cost - actually a little less and much better than the Buffet barrels I had tried at the time.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2008-07-24 15:31
I'd like to reinforce toney's mention of the fact that one needs to audition a ton of "production" barrels to find a good one.
GBK
OHH, I've mixed my barrels up between my Buffets and have only a vague memory of which barrel started with which clarinet. Lessee, the F-serial number full Boehm must have had that short barrel; and the RC got swapped to the Moenig, ... SIGH
Bob Phillips
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Author: feadog79
Date: 2008-07-25 00:35
I second the Ridenour barrels. I liked it better than Buffet moennig. Added bonus is that the Ridenour costs less.
JW
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