Clarinets Clarinet GAS (or CAS) - Anyone ? I`m losing it

[Colin the Bear]

Skin condition is important when playing clarinet. Dry skin won't seal the hole just like dry pads. I had to knock it on the head when I worked in engineering and guitar playing gives you hard tips on the left hand so that's a no no too.

 

[Ads]

I`m trying to play the guitar less and less thesedays - I`ve only ever played it on a need-to basis, I`ve never actually enjoyed playing the things , that it may damage my fingers for clarinet playing is the perfect excuse to give it up . Well, the Acoustic anyway as I also have a Yamaha EZ-AG which doesn`t give you callouses on the fingers , it`s a fantastic guitar MIDI controller on the cheap disguised as a tacky teaching tool, far better than those crap Casio DG things of the 80s...

I was thinking of wearing one of those rubber thimble things for counting money on the thum with the pimples shaved off . Whatever, I`m not letting a bony thum get in the way of my halfassed clarinet playing

 

[sushidushi]

I only have one clarinet (Leblanc Bliss) but I certainly feel that I have the bug. Sadly, I just don't have the funds to buy any more, or I'd start collections of Leblanc / Noblet, Boosey & Hawkes and Couesnon. For some reason, those all appeal to me greatly. I'd also have to get a Selmer Centered Tone, on the basis that if it was good enough for Benny Goodman, it'd be good enough for me.

 

[aldevis]

I only have one clarinet (Leblanc Bliss) but I certainly feel that I have the bug. Sadly, I just don't have the funds to buy any more, or I'd start collections of Leblanc / Noblet, Boosey & Hawkes and Couesnon. For some reason, those all appeal to me greatly. I'd also have to get a Selmer Centered Tone, on the basis that if it was good enough for Benny Goodman, it'd be good enough for me.

My full clarinet outing is in some other thread.
I own a beautiful (and somehow rare) CT*, but I ended up playing a Selmer series 9 (not 9*!) as my main gigging instrument.
I love my two Leblanc: LL and Dynamic H. You can find a LL for very little money. The Dinamic H is my deluxe piece. I only use it for recording or high profile gigs. I also like showing off that "H is for Houvenaghel, the top acoustician at leblanc".
I also have a "Classic" that I am struggling to like.

Now the bit that will make you surf the web for a LL now: it was endorsed by Jimmy Hamilton.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUWniWj4Pdk
(off topic: please note the parallel harmony at 2'00")

The best sound ever across the break:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUMxNefFp_E

 

[Chris J]

The Leblanc LL was also endorsed by Buddy Defranco, but I don't know if he spent any significant time of his career playing one.

Ads - great photography! Your Besson is in a light box?

Chris

 

[aldevis]

I just DID NOT subscribe the clarinet board forum. A serious crush on Jimmy Hamilton (again) almost took me there. I bought a CD by him too.
Now I just have to find the mouthpiece he used,

BTW, would it make sense to organize a clarinet mouthpiece passaround on this forum?

(edit/answer) - No. no mouthpiece would play in tune on both a 926 and a Buffet.

 

[Ads]

Clarinet mouthpieces are a weird thing because of bore differences and none of the ones I`ve used have had wide tips, the Hite Premiere I have is the largest bore I`ve had and the Vandoren B45 the widest gap . I actually prefer the hite . I dunno what I`ll use on the large bore Hanson when its eventually done

I`ve had a bit of a clearout - the E13 and B12 have gone , I prefer the sound of the 926 based Besson to even the E13 and the cheapo TJ Artemis is up for grabs in the Yard sale (currently at £50 but will take offers) . this leaves the Besson (the superb old sound classic) , the Aristocrat (token plastic horn) and the Hanson which I`m upgrading to a large bore Rosewood version .. of course the Lyons will remain as it`s in C and is unique.

 

[aldevis]

Has anyone some experience about Hanson clarinets?

 

[Ads]

I have an SE5 model and it`s excellent . made in Yorkshire with excellent attention to detail . the keywork is lovely (nicer than the E13 IMO) and the sound is warm but complex . I find the standard bore a bit too much resistance so I`m upgrading it to a large bore (large bore Hansons aren`t as large a bore as some) .

 

[aldevis]

I have an SE5 model and it`s excellent . made in Yorkshire with excellent attention to detail . the keywork is lovely (nicer than the E13 IMO) and the sound is warm but complex . I find the standard bore a bit too much resistance so I`m upgrading it to a large bore (large bore Hansons aren`t as large a bore as some) .

I was thinking of contacting them about it.
R13 should be 14.6mm, old selmers and most B&H 14.8, 15.2 Centered Tone and S9. B&H100 0.6" (I am going by memory). Do you know Hanson's numbers?

 

[Ads]

I don`t know the bore sizes of theirs but Alastair will no doubt be able to tell you . I`d ask about deals on refurbs while you`re on too , they`re always willing to let people try stuff with no obligation ..

 

[Chris J]

There is a review of the T6 here:

http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk/Reviews/Clarinets/hanson_T6_clarinet.htm

Chris

 

[Jeanette]

I was thinking of contacting them about it.
R13 should be 14.6mm, old selmers and most B&H 14.8, 15.2 Centered Tone and S9. B&H100 0.6" (I am going by memory). Do you know Hanson's numbers?

Alastair at Hanson's is very helpful and they do usually let you havr stuff on trial. I went over there when I had an idea to buy a tenor. You would probably get a lot out of meeting him but I guess Yorkshire is a bit far for you

Their website lets them down a bit.

Nice pub nearby too http://theriverheadmarsden.co.uk/

Jx

 

[aldevis]

Alastair at Hanson's is very helpful and they do usually let you havr stuff on trial. I went over there when I had an idea to buy a tenor. You would probably get a lot out of meeting him but I guess Yorkshire is a bit far for you

Their website lets them down a bit.

Nice pub nearby too http://theriverheadmarsden.co.uk/

Jx

I think that
"Pan roasted Venison medallion on a bed of leeks and wild mushrooms,
mini haggis shepherds pie, Madeira sauce" (from the pub's menu)
could be a good argument for a visit.

Back to clarinet gas, thanks to this thread I contacted the guy that owns Hamilton's leblanc. I will ask for permission to publish part of the email he sent me.

 

[Jeanette]

I think that
"Pan roasted Venison medallion on a bed of leeks and wild mushrooms,
mini haggis shepherds pie, Madeira sauce" (flom tha pub's menu)
could be a good argument for a visit.

If you do go ask him to show you his top of the range saxes, I'd be interested to know what you think of them

Jx

 

[Ads]

Hansons are best on the phone or met in person

As you say Jeanette, the website is pretty awful and Email can be patchy at best which is a shame because in these days of "non communication" where Text messages and emails sadly are replacing true human conversation, people judge companies on response to these hit and miss faceless streams of data and Hanson are really very good when dealt with the old fashioned way ..

 

[aldevis]

If you do go ask him to show you his top of the range saxes, I'd be interested to know what you think of them

This is what is stopping me from contacting him. As a Sequoia endorser, any comment about his saxophones could be seen unappropriate one way or the other. Limiting my interest to clarinets leaves the issue out of the door.

Hansons are best on the phone or met in person
As you say Jeanette, the website is pretty awful and Email can be patchy at best which is a shame because in these days of "non communication" where Text messages and emails sadly are replacing true human conversation, people judge companies on response to these hit and miss faceless streams of data and Hanson are really very good when dealt with the old fashioned way ..

I could do my Chico Marx accent to sound cheeky on the phone.
"Hey hey sir, you send clarinet, I write review-a. Good review-a. On sax website. hello, hello, yes, clarinetto on sax-a-website, no sax, I have sax, clarinet! [Harpo: honk honk]"

I can seem much more professional in writing.

 

[Jeanette]

This is what is stopping me from contacting him. As a Sequoia endorser, any comment about his saxophones could be seen unappropriate one way or the other. Limiting my interest to clarinets leaves the issue out of the door.




I could do my Chico Marx accent to sound cheeky on the phone.
"Hey hey sir, you send clarinet, I write review-a. Good review-a. On sax website. hello, hello, yes, clarinetto on sax-a-website, no sax, I have sax, clarinet! [Harpo: honk honk]"

I can seem much more professional in writing.

He will probably be interested in your sequoia, you can compare and then use PC to let me know

Jx

 

[Ads]

Alastair seems to be open minded, he`s ALSO fighting the TJs, Walsteins, Jupiters etc to get a foothold in the UK Sax market and who knows, Aldevis may become a Hanson Endorser, at least most of them are made or assembled over here to a large degree (like TJ etc) and from what he tells me, the higher end ones will be 100% British made soon .

Aldevis ain`t married to Sekoya and Hanson need a leg up on the marketing front - even I once saw them as being like Buffet , an excellent clarinet maker who stencils imported saxes which is wrong on the sax front it would seem ..

get in touch with them Aldevis, though I`d avoid electronic means and use the real-life method of speaking to them

 

[jthole]

In the meantime I had a clarinet lesson ... extremely useful! I'll certainly take a few more, especially to relearn the clarinet embouchure and voicing.