 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: tpd
Date: 2024-11-13 07:06
Hello everyone,
I am having the opportunity to purchase a Dillon bass clarinet. However, I've never heard of it and I can't find reviews, comments or videos with people playing the instrument (I am from Brazil).
Does anyone know Dillon bass clarinets and can give advice on whether they are a good investment?
I play the clarinet and would like to try the bass clarinet for the first time.
Thanks in advance,
Tania.
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2024-11-13 12:24
This is a Chinese made instrument which is simply branded to whatever the distributor wants. They are all pretty much of a muchness, both for better and for worse . For better in that they actually play quite well, and for worse in that they tend to need quite a bit of tech work to get them playing properly....but then any newly acquired bass should go for a medical because they're schmicky little beasts. The reviews for the Ridenour low C bass should relate quite accurately to the one you're considering, although the model offered by Dillan's is probably better, because frankly nothing could really be worse than the low Eb mechanism on the Ridenour. I don't know if you would be buying new or second hand, but the price Dillan's Music are asking on their website for the instrument is probably the best I've seen yet.
Once you have this instrument properly adjusted, you should have yourself a very decent instrument.
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2024-11-13 13:17
Ps.
Buying one of these instruments made in China second hand can be better than buying one new, because the owner will no doubt have had a good bit of necessary adjustment work already done to it.
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: Ed
Date: 2024-11-13 17:00
Quote:
Buying one of these instruments made in China second hand can be better than buying one new, because the owner will no doubt have had a good bit of necessary adjustment work already done to it.
Assuming it was well taken care of. Sometimes you find used instruments that need a fair amount of work
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Author: tpd
Date: 2024-11-13 21:38
Thank you for the answers!
Dillon is a used instrument (2013), that has not been played during the last years, as the owner gave up to play it to invest only in the sax.
I am also considered an used Selmer USA or Vito. Dillon is been offered for a really good price, but Selmer USA instruments are more known. What do you think about these brands for bass clarinets?
Thanks again!
Tânia.
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2024-11-14 01:10
If the Dillon is a low C bass or a low Eb ?
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2024-11-14 13:31
Hi Tania,
My apologies!..... I somehow thought it was a low C.
Obviously the reviews on the Ridenour low C bass therefore don't apply.
I'm probably not the best person to help you in choosing which student level low Eb to go for, because for me, any student instrument is acceptable in its shortcomings in tone quality, but it must STILL be capable of producing all the notes. For every three Selmer/Bundys or Vitos on EBay, I imagine that a fourth just got thrown against the wall for precisely this deficiency. The Chinese made Dillon may well be a bit better of a performer in that respect ( I really can't say), but it's build quality will be lower than the US. made options .The condition-price of the instrument is probably the key decider. The problem with these student low Eb basses, is that unlike a low C, they have only one register vent ... something which compromises their performance to a greater or lesser degree.
My wife started playing bass on a Selmer USA. Eb, but quickly hit a wall. A real pro player can get over that wall but would probably prefer to boil their own head😂.
That wall was gone for my wife the instant she switched to humble, budget Chinese low C bass.
So I would say...by all means get your hands on bass clarinet, but a performing low C with it's automatic double register mechanism, rather than an instrument liable to handicap your learning curve and just rewards in the pleasures of playing.
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2024-11-14 19:13
Check the mouthpiece socket is wide enough to accept all bass clarinet mouthpieces other than the one that's supplied with it.
Inly this week I've had to make a new (and wider inside diameter) socket for a Chinese low Eb bass as the owner of it can't use any other mouthpiece with it except the stock one. It's easier to fabricate a new socket rather than having to machine down the mouthpiece tenons as those mouthpieces will be too loose on any other bass as a result.
The existing socket could be machined out, but that would make it too thin and weak as a result and the original doesn't have a wider flanged end which would normally add strength to it, so any impact would make it go oval. I copied a Buffet Prestige bass socket, although a Selmer one would have a slightly wider diameter flange.
The inside diameter of a typical (Boehm system) bass mouthpiece socket is between 30mm to around 30.25mm.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: donald
Date: 2024-11-15 00:46
To be honest, if you're looking at this bass it's probably because you need to keep your budget tight.... in which case you probably can't afford the RISK that this will be a lemon. Buy a Bundy/Vito/Yamah etc etc (established brand) and factor in some repairs. I'm not a HUGE fan of the Selmer-Bundy bass clarinets, but once they're fixed up they go forever, fairly reliable result and that's what you need.
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2024-11-15 01:45
i use a bundy bass as a rehearsal instrument and its fine for this. the vito is a better horn but they tend to break in half often. a good mpc goes a long way on either of these horns
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2024-11-15 04:02
There were Yamaha USA basses (YCL-220) made for the US market which are Vito/Normandy stencils. The YCL-221 and others since are made by Yamaha.
On the flip side, Yamaha made flutes, piccolos and saxes stencilled Vito.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: donald
Date: 2024-11-15 07:10
I know someone with a "Yamaha/Vito" ALTO clarinet with the keys replated with silver... people assume it's a pro horn, and it actually DOES sound great with a Vandoren 5RV Lyre (none of this "alto clarinet sounds weak" nonsense).
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2024-11-15 18:01
the vito alto clarinet sounds better than the bundy -i have both and its no contest
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Author: Julian ibiza
Date: 2024-11-16 11:16
Hi again Tania,
I feel bad with the thought that I may have put you off getting a bass. If the price and condition of the instrument are good, then by all means buy it . If you get into playing it, but end up hitting the limitations of its performance, you can always move up to something better. That is, after all, the way it tends to go with playing clarinet for everybody anyway.
All the best. J
Julian Griffiths
Tel. 34 696 798 853
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2024-11-16 21:26
> There were Yamaha USA basses (YCL-220) made for the US market which are Vito/Normandy stencils. The YCL-221 and others since are made by Yamaha. >>
Weren't they just made/stenciled before Yamaha started making the 221? Just guessing they wanted a bass with their name on it.
Almost everything here (not just musical instruments) uses the European naming, and many non-EU companies officially import here through a larger EU distributor, and we had the Yamaha 220 here.
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