 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Micke Isotalo ★2017
Date: 2025-02-22 00:43
Many reviews of the Backun Q and Alpha basses have been most favourable concerning their tuning - but supposedly at an a=440 level. Someone played/playing them at an 442 level? Any trouble reaching that level, without extensive warm up? Can the neck itself be adjusted any shorter from the 440 level, or only longer? How about internal tuning at 442? Which mouthpiece did/are you using?
Post Edited (2025-02-22 00:45)
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Author: JMrnr
Date: 2025-02-22 22:30
I got my Backun Q Bass-low C just before Christmas, wonderful instrument, definitely at 440 after a normal warm up; the neck can be adjusted longer to compensate for warm up. I use a Vandoren BD5, and reeds 3. I am very satisfied with the tuning in all registers, and not aware of possible tuning at 442.
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Author: jimk
Date: 2025-02-23 01:41
I am surprised there have not been more responses to this post. I have had my Q for three weeks, so I am still exploring it. Before then if I needed a bass I would borrow one from a friend. I never played one regularly.
At the end of my practice time today I checked my pitch with a tuner set to A440. All three Concert As were extremely accurate. This was with the neck completely pushed in.
Revealing my mouthpiece and reed is a little embarrassing. Remember, I am quite inexperienced (but rapidly getting better). I play on a Clark Fobes Nova mouthpiece with a CF facing, which I bought about 15 years ago so I would have my own mouthpiece to use with borrowed instruments. With it I use Vandoren V12 reeds, strength 2-1/2. I assume my pitch will come up as my skills improve and I try more expensive mouthpieces and harder reeds.
Post Edited (2025-02-23 01:48)
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Author: JMrnr
Date: 2025-02-24 14:03
I am also very surprised of the lack of reactions; there are so few Backun Q basses around?
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Author: puffball
Date: 2025-02-24 23:24
I have a Q bass (received in early September). It is indeed a wonderful instrument. And pitch is spot-on A=440 warmed up with the neck pushed all the way in. I play a couple of different mouthpieces with similar results: a Lee Livengood and a Fobes CWF. I'm not sure what adjustments would be necessary to play it at 442, but "out of the box" I think it would be difficult based on my experience.
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Author: donald
Date: 2025-02-24 23:35
I play tested an Alpha about 6 weeks ago in our (southern hemisphere) summer conditions, and in the heat needed to "pull out" a good distance to get to 440 (so throat notes just a weeny bit flat but the rest of the range pretty good). It would have been no problem playing up to 442, but it WAS the summer with no aircon.
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Author: bradfordlloyd
Date: 2025-02-25 03:13
I love my Backun Q bass clarinet, and have found the tuning at 440 to be spot on across the entire range of the instrument. This is with the neck pushed in all the way. It's actually a little astounding.
As for 442, I'm not sure how I'd handle that. Probably a different mouthpiece and reed combination to bring the pitch up? I think it's a great question and one I think Backun itself (or himself) would be best suited to address (hence my lack of response previously).
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2025-03-05 18:34
i have in myy possession several runyon bass clarinet mpcs made to tune to a442. they are decent players and kind of frustrated i cannot use them as i play at a440. onlyy. runyon was a genius and seems he foresaw the comming need to tune to a442.
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Author: lauralordelaure
Date: 2025-03-06 06:28
Players have reported good results with the Backun Q and Alpha bass clarinets at A=440 Hz, but reaching A=442 Hz depends on warm-up, mouthpiece selection, and overall setup. If you are struggling to maintain pitch at 442 Hz, consider trying different mouthpieces, reeds, or exploring small mechanical adjustments. Have you tried any specific setups that helped with tuning stability at this level?
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