Author: HANGARDUDE
Date: 2024-02-22 06:38
Hi William,
I also share your fascination of German bore basses as much as the French ones. As I mentioned above I've once owned a Martin Foag German bore bass, but I opted for the standard German/Oehler fingering rather than Reform Borhm to keep costs down(even though it was already way more economical than Jochen's magnificent creation), and figured out the Oehler system myself.
Although Martin also makes a French bore instrument(also Oehler system), the German bore instrument itself was able to compete with French basses in terms of power. I played it against someone's Buffet Prestige Low C horn with a Vandoren mpc(definitely not a B50) and I was able to project better than his setup, and I later played my Foag against my old mentor's Selmer 37(louder than my current Privilege) and both of us were able to hear my Foag even though his 37 was still louder. A repairman also complimented the fullness of the instrument.
I ultimately sold the Foag and went back to French bore horns mainly due to not being able to find someone to teach me the German bore bass's approach, but I'm certainly open to getting another German bore+fingered bass(alongside my Selmer) when my budget allows in the distant future, either from Foag or Adler(their basses are pitched at A=442.5, but can be made at A=442) or possibly Jochen Seggelke's albeit his is much costlier.
For German bass mpcs, I mainly played on a Playnick Aida(since sold with the instrument) which has a 1.50 opening and has wide enough rails to fit French alto clarinet/sax reeds along with traditional German bass reeds. I also have another 2 from Ed Pillinger, one of which also has a 1.50 opening but with a very unusual baffle derived from a French alto mpc along with a Wurlitzer M4* whose tip opening is unknown. Me and Ed Pillinger's experiences have led both of us preferring a 1.50 tip opening (Gleichweit's JG6 would be similar) and using alto reeds(manly classical cut sax or alto clarinet ones) on German bore basses.
Lastly, speaking of Ed Pillinger- I've been a customer of his for over a decade and have met him several times. In fact, he just refurbished my 2 Fobes 10K (French) bass mpcs weeks ago with a near-doppelgänger facing to Clark's original AP facing, and I'm really happy with them. He also made me a few other mouthpieces, including 2 aforementioned German bass mpcs. He along with Clark Fobes(whom I'm also close to) are my 2 favourite mouthpiece makers.
Josh
Post Edited (2024-02-22 06:47)
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The Clarinet BBoard
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