 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2013-03-26 02:42
Heres the journey if you dont mind some light reading into my happiness.
So I've messed with a few things over the years, but over the past ... Oh.... I guess 10ish years I've slowly pieced together my clarinet into an amazing player.
I have an Evette and schaeffer k-series clarinet which was one of my first posts to this board in 2003. Through this board I made contact with a Graham Golden who was an amati dealer and woodwind repairer here in the US. I sent my horn to him and asked him to make it as amazing as possible. To my knowledge, he voiced and tuned it, worked with undercutting, and in general, worked the hell out of it to leave it ..., well, heavenly would be the only choice left!
It went into a closet as I tried and went through a variety of other clarinets. An Amati 604, a set of leblanc opus clarinets, a selmer 10g, a ridenour Bb, a leblanc bliss wooden and composite models, and another ridenour Bb. In the army I've been through many R13 prestiges, r13 greenlines, a festival greenline, festival wood, tosca wood, and a few Yamaha 650s. All the while with my Evette and schaeffer in the closet. Great clarinet, plays better than the money I would have gotten selling it so I never did.
Mouthpieces? Dear god ..... Well, the ones I stuck with for at least a year.... b45, Greg smith, gigliotti p, grabner k11*, Richard Hawkins b, ridenour zinner, M15, and most recently, Rico reserve.
Well, after trying all sorts of stuff, I was blown away today by the sound and response I got.
Clarinet: Evette and Schaeffer overhauled by John Butler
Barrel: Taplin-Weir AM ringed, taper M3 65 mm
Mouthpiece: Rico Reserve, and I've gone back to cane reeds instead of Legere (will be getting it touched up by Richard Hawkins in the near future)
Ligature: Rovner Versa (used to use an Eddie Daniels, but this one works just as well and is a little simpler)
The only thing left that I haven't tried are bells. Not sure about the hype, but one day I'll try them out and see if it adds anything to my sound.
Felt great today, read through some pieces with a piano player for some sight reading together, and it just felt and sounded so right.
One of the longest days I've had in the army, had to work from 9 am till 10 pm, but that one hour of reading through some music with this clarinet setup just really made my day. 
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: bethmhil
Date: 2013-03-26 03:08
It is the most beautiful feeling in the world to know that the search is over... that you have the set up that works best for you. Congratulations!
BMH
Illinois State University, BME and BM Performance
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2013-03-26 05:43
"It is the most beautiful feeling in the world to know that the search is over... that you have the set up that works best for you."
This week!
Tony F.
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Author: curlyev
Date: 2013-03-27 02:58
Love my Evette! I still haven't found the perfect mouthpiece, but I enjoy the ones I have (plain ol' 2RV and a vintage hard rubber mouthpiece). My Rovner ligature is in the mail, and I can't wait to try it!
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2013-03-27 15:00
We all know when the search is truly over, don't we? ![[rotate]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley25.gif)
Best regards,
jnk
Still searching (at least this morning).
Post Edited (2013-03-27 15:02)
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Author: CarlT
Date: 2013-03-27 15:52
Certainly no pro here, but if I might offer a suggestion, Alexi.
Don't want to rain on your parade, but make a copy of your post. File it away for 1 year, then re-read it and see what has changed.
CarlT
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2013-03-27 17:34
Per Jack Kissinger's cmment, I firmy believe the search will end when I lie down on the other side of the grass for a very long nap.
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2013-03-27 23:56
Quote:
Certainly no pro here, but if I might offer a suggestion, Alexi.
Don't want to rain on your parade, but make a copy of your post. File it away for 1 year, then re-read it and see what has changed.
CarlT Very dificult to rain on my parades, but I know exactly what you're thinking. My past certainly hasn't shown a pattern of "stick with what works" and I always seem to try new stuff. It is a very good setup though, and as I'm getting older, I'm starting to just get tired of the constant search and am getting to the point of sticking with what works. Even my recent choice of mouthpiece, while new to me in August, was chosen partially because it's cheap and easily replaceable should something happen to it.
I'll definitely see what's going on in a year. It's not what I thought my ideal setup would be, and depending on where my playing venues shift in the next few years, I may have to look at a greenline (I could get stationed anywhere from Hawaii to Alaska, and everywhere inbetween, so weather MIGHT have to be a stronger issue), but it certainly does sound pretty sweet.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: CarlT
Date: 2013-03-28 02:07
<<I could get stationed anywhere from Hawaii to Alaska, and everywhere inbetween, so weather MIGHT have to be a stronger issue>>
Well, let's hope it's Hawaii. If so, you'll certainly be forgiven, although Alaska's weather would be a much better excuse for changing gear ;^).
CarlT
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