Ideas for bass clarinet.

[Gizmo Hall]

Does anyone has any suggestion for a good bass clr mpc? I'll be using it mostly in a jazz setting, either in a big band or in a combo. I'm looking for something with good projection, maybe a bit brighter than traditional bass mpcs. I have about a $200 max limit (And that is pushing it).

Any suggestions? Also, I'd be up for any offers to sell.

Thanks!

Gizmo Hall

[bari_sax_diva]

Hate to say it, but as much as I'd love to use a mouthpiece that would look more intriguing in my equipment list, I keep trying other mouthpieces, and I keep going back to my B46.

The only change I make for jazz playing is in my reeds; a friend recommended I try Fibracells, and I really like the projection I get from them, especially in the upper register. Yeah, they're a bit buzzy, but I can control that... and having a synthetic reed is a godsend for doubling situations.

Hope this helps...

[dburlone]

I have a quite nice Richard Hawkins piece that I play for everything (everything being pit work, some jazz, and concert band stuff)... Similarly, to BSD, I vary my reeds based on what type of playing I'll be doing... I particularly like the buzziness of fibracell reeds and use those in the pit (and I do control the buzz there if it's reqd) and jazz, switch to vandoren BB when I play in a concert band.

Not sure of your experience with Bass clarinet, but IMHO it's a fickle beast that doesn't like to be toyed with. Do your best to find a good setup that not only WORKS, but MAKES YOUR LIFE EASY at getting around on it! I went through 4 pieces at my local music store (that's all they had at the time) and about 7 mouthpieces in succession through WWBW before I landed on a B44... Played that for the entire time at college, and in one of the concert bands I played in someone mentioned a Hawkins piece they were selling because they no longer had/played bass... Tried it and fell in love with it... If I can find the B44 around I'll drop you a PM if you'd be interested.

Hopefully you just go out there and give everything a try, even if it's not "wide open" or marked as a "jazz piece"

[MojoBari]

I used a Vandoren B45 for years before going to a Charles Bay M-O-M. I use a PowerTone tenor sax baffle and Fribracell or Legere reeds. This is not a classical set-up, but is great for big band doubling in the low and middle registers. A B46 is a good go-to recommendation.

[clarnut]

Clark Fobes makes great stuff. If you want to keep the price a bit lower, try his Nova line

http://www.clarkwfobes.com/Low%20Clarinets.html

[Tim Price]

Get a Selmer blank and send it to Brian Powell- he'll make it for life.

You'll never look back.

[super20dan]

vandoren b46 and bari plastic reeds for me

[monzamess]

From an amateur: I like my Pomarico Jazz*. With a medium reed, I can hit the entire range fairly consistently, which I couldn't do with the stock piece. I haven't tried much else so maybe there are better choices, but this one gets good reviews too.

[Ken]

I got a Jimmy Yan mpc out of NYC, thanks to a recommendation here from Tim Price a while back. It's the best value for money handmade bass cl mpc out there and is in your price range. The only other mpc's I can compare it to are a Selmer C* and Vandoren B46 that came with the instrument. It's more open and I've used it for both pit band and jazz combo with no issues with sound or projection.

[Roger Aldridge]

Great suggestions already posted!

The only thing I can add is how deeply impressed I am with the Walter Grabner LB bass clarinet mouthpiece. Grabner bass and soprano clarinet mouthpieces are not as open as most jazz-type mouthpieces; however, I'm amazed at the big sound and fantastic projection -- as well as the drop-dead beautiful resonant tonal qualities -- they produce. A Grabner LB will be a bit more expensive than the $200 mentioned. But, in my opinion, it's definitely worth the stretch.

Good luck!

Roger

[dirty]

I second the Fobes recommendation. I play on a San Francisco model, RR facing, on an older Selmer Low-C bass clarinet (Mazzeo Model), and it is great. It does not limit me in any way, and I don't think I could ask much more of a mouthpiece. I recently played a Selmer C* for the first time and it had nothing on the Fobes. It was my friend's, and it was a good one, too. The Fobes is just great. I tend to play rather brightly and loudly (I like to move lots of air) for a classical player, dark for a jazz player. With some reeds, I'm brighter and buzzier, with others I'm nice and dark and smooth. Very versatile and beautifully handmade in San Francisco in Clark's house.

[Roger Garrett]

Interesting thread on bass clarinet mouthpieces.

Clark Fobes is one of the best bass clarinet mouthpiece makers in the business. I would guess that, beyond his truly outstanding skills in small, detailed work like this, his clarinet and low clarinet playing in the San Fransisco area makes for a great resume when it comes to a fine musician who also crafts professional quality mouthpieces.

Any Zinner based mouthpiece is going to cost more than a J.J. Babbitt based mouthpiece, but anything in excess of $225 isn't really necessary. I've had more requests to reface and rework Walter's mouthpieces than any other on the market - including the Vandoren line (which comes in second place). I've never been asked to rework a Hawkins or a Fobes, although I've been asked to rework a Smith before. I think Greg's had been toyed with by someone before I worked on it though - it did NOT look like his usual excellent craftsmanship.

If anyone is interested in a bass cl mouthpiece made from a J.J. Babbitt blank, let me know. They are quite good and cost a fraction of what the Zinner based mouthpieces run.

Best wishes,
Roger Garrett

[Bebopalot]

Fobes does make a great bass cl. mp. So does Grabner but if you want to keep it less expensive, Vandoren B46 is what works for my jazz bass cl work. I recommend it. I haven't checked lately but you should be able get one on ebay for much less than $200.

[clarnut]

If you want to keep the price down, contact Roger Garrett. He can make you a fine hand faced mouthpiece at a great price. It would be a terrific lower cost option. Don't let the price fool you.

[Heise]

Gizmo,

monzamess mentioned the Pomarico Jazz*. I have the Pomarico Jazz**, and I am VERY happy with it. WWBW currently has this in stock for $145. I would highly recommend you give it a try.

-DH

[dirty]

Just my .02 on the Pomarico Jazz: I found it to be waaay too bright and buzzy, without a good center. Once I got the reeds dialed in (took a 3, I usually play a 3.5), I felt like I couldn't push the sound without the buzz getting extreme. At times, I felt like the buzz was the loudest part of the sound. It sounded to me like a mouthpiece designed to sound like a sax doubler. You know the sound...

I'm pretty attached to my Fobes, though, and I like hard reeds and medium/medium-close tips on clarinets. I think I blow bright to begin with, as well, so bright clarinet mouthpieces are kind of out of the question for my clarinet and bass clarinet tone concept. Long story short, the Pomarico Jazz was not for me.

[MM]

Fobes, Grabners, Bays are good though pricey. I think on bass cl you really need a good facing to be able to play throughout the range with confidence and without squeaks. Vandorens may work too but you may need to try a few.

[Little Sax]

I picked up a Bass this year and wanted a mpc that I could use if I needed to double in the Big Band I sit-in with. I started e-mailing Walter Grabner based on the positive experience I had switching to one of his Bb mpcs (from my trusted Wells that Frank made for me when I was in High School). Anyway, Mr. Grabner recommended his CX_BB_90 (Pop/Jazz/Klezmer) mpc, partly because of my intent and partly because I'm really a sax player. I couldn't be happier with it.

[themacintrasher]

Clark Fobes makes great stuff. If you want to keep the price a bit lower, try his Nova line

http://www.clarkwfobes.com/Low%20Clarinets.html
That's what my teacher uses.

[warp x]

I play a Pomarico crystal, or a selmer G. Both are great on my Buffet Prestige with legere 3's.

[Stefano]

Now I'm using a vintage berg larsen refaced by Ted Klum (.90 tip opening). Before i had a bay O L. Bay's pieces are great!
Here's a pictures of my mouthpiece:

from left: berg larsen (.90 refaced by Ted Klum), geo m bundy 3, designed by arnold brilhart (sn 236), pillinger (230 tip openig), vandoren b44 (refaced by Jimmi Yan), selmer (E on the table), charles bay (OL), pomarico jazz**, unknow (.90 tip opening), brilhart tonalin (refaced by Ted Klum)

[qwerty]

See if you can find an old Morgan D. I have one and it roars.

[clarnut]

Fobes, Grabners, Bays are good though pricey. I think on bass cl you really need a good facing to be able to play throughout the range with confidence and without squeaks. Vandorens may work too but you may need to try a few.

I don't know many who play the Vandoren bass mouthpieces, although it may be possible to find a good one.

In a lower priced mouthpiece, Clark Fobes makes his Nova line, which are excellent. As mentioned above Roger Garrett makes a good mouthpiece that is very reasonable.