Contrabass Digest

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2001-11-02

 
Date: Thu, 1 Nov 2001 17:56:12 -0800
From: Grant Green
Subject: [CB] French music store?
 

I was surfing around, and ran across the website for a French music store called "Musique et Art", which carries a number of instruments at comparatively reasonable prices. Their prices on some of the Selmer instruments appear to be lower than Woodwind & Brasswind (although I don't know how much extra gets tacked on for import and shipping...).  For example, Selmer Bb contrabass clarinet for US$11.8K, Eb contra for US$5.9K, Selmer bass sax for US$9.8K.  Maybe they're just on sale right now?  They also carry the Buffet and Leblanc equivalents, and carry Moosman and Schreiber contrabassoons, etc.  Has anyone dealt with them before?

now shaking my piggybank...

Grant
 
 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Grant Green                   http://www.contrabass.com
Professional Fool  ->  http://www.mp3.com/ProFools
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From: "Spencer Parks"
Subject: Re: [CB] Bohland & Fuchs Giant Tuba et al.
Date: Thu, 01 Nov 2001 20:03:58 -0600

Adolphe Sax made a couple of horns like that.

>I wanna get one of these REAL SOON!  -
>http://www.amati.cz/english/company/old/apprentices.htm
>
>7 bells and 6 Valves sousaphone wrap - I may have to get Rob Stewart to
>make it...
>
>Yikes!
>
>Dave Richoux
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From: "Dmabry"
Subject: [CB] serpent photos
Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2001 04:38:35 +0100
 

    For anyone interested in serpent photos Don Christlieb's book "52 Years in the Hollywood Studio Orchestras" includes three photos of him playing the serpent. Two with Bernard Hermann in "White Witch Doctor" and one with Jerry Goldsmith in "Tora Tora Tora".
    The book is a fascinating glimpse into the film studio world as seen from the point of view of a first chair bassoonist. Don Christlieb played in the studios from 1936 to 1988 and also plays on Stravinsky's LA recordings as well as on Zappa's Lumpy Gravy album.
    Fascinating reading with lots of references to film composers, his colleagues (including Alfred Brain, Dennis Brain's uncle), and a brief reference to his 1930's invention the Stratobat, a flying toy which emulates the flight of a bat.
    Published by Christlieb Products, ISBN 0-9653870-0-3.
 
 

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Date: Fri, 02 Nov 2001 06:29:38 -0400
Subject: Re: [CB] Contrabassoon wanted
From: Robert Howe

Hello all,

I seek a used or new contrabassoon for community use.  Any for sale, please
talk to me privately.  Any general advice into brands will be  appreciated.

Robert howe

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From: "Patrick.Scully"
Subject: Re: [CB] French music store?
Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2001 07:47:08 -0800

Grant - Thanks for sharing the French dealer that is "DEALIN'" on Buffet and Selmer contra clarinets.  The price you quoted on the Selmer model 41 BBb contra was actually $400 cheaper due to foriegn exchange fluctuation by the time I checked - about $11,400.  And also, at the time I visited the site, the Selmer brand instruments were stated to be on "sale", with the price inclusive of a 15% reduction.

Colleagues -  $11,400 is a piece of change, especially considering that new BBb Leblancs (which are more practical for everyday or gig use) are around $8,000 and refurbished used ones are between $4,000 and $5,000 (for low C models).  Some prefer the darker-softer quality of tone of the Selmer, though.   If you're one of those who must caress your wood <g>, please consider the following points:
 

  1. Grant's post expressed some concern about the costs of shipping, import duty, and the like.  These are legitimate concerns, but the actual impacts are hard to predict - especially the import duty.  I speak from experience, having imported a Selmer saxophone from the Netherlands about a year ago. Shipping costs for me were trivial in proportion to the cost of the instrument itself -- about $120 US.  Plan on trebling that amount at least on a Selmer model 41 due to insurance and weight.  I paid no import duty, but my instrument sat in a customs warehouse in New York for a month until my dealer initiated a trace procedure.
  2. Now for the surprise:  if you consider shipping costs, possible duties (I may have been lucky, based on reports from others), risks, possible treatment of your clarinet by Selmer dealers in the US as a gray market item (which it will be), you may come to see the $11,400 as the beginning of a larger and potentially truly bank busting series of expenditures.  Grant references the WW and BW frequently - their price for the Selmer in question is around $14,500 (yes, I checked, though I really love my Leblanc paperclip and will keep it).  However, dedicated (and sometime professional) internet troller that I am, I know that much better prices can be found -- in the USA.  (I definitely would not assume WW and BW has the best price on ANYTHING, and as for service...you should contact me before you order anything from them that is not in their stock at that very moment!  I was dumped and bumped from a waitlist I'd been on for a year, waiting for Monsieur Leblanc Godot Contra.  No apology, just claims they tried to warn me.  And they had my credit card number for goodness sakes!).  King, for example, quotes a price of about $12,500 for the Selmer - making it a virtual wash with our French dealer when expenses are accounted for, and a resounding defeat for WW and BW.  Still, take with a massive block of salt if they put you on a waitlist.


If you do start a purchase procedure on a Selmer, please drop me a line! I'd appreciate knowing the details and,  more importantly, knowing how you like your instrument when it arrives.  Like I said, I'm keeping my Leblanc and I love the sound especially in ensemble work (check out www.EclecticClarinets.com  Super, super paperclip sound throughout on varied repertoire.  You'll need several of the CDs for holiday gift giving!). However, I pass all of Grant's diagnostic criteria for contramania, especially contra hoarding behavior...could be I'll wind up with two BBb instruments...

Regards,
Patrick
 

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From: "John Kilpatrick"
Subject: [CB] Leblanc Paperclip
Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2001 18:14:16 -0000

Back to the dear old Leblanc paperclip. It's got two sling rings. The lower
one makes sense, after a fashion. That is, if you sit down with the thing
between the knees, connecting a sling at least helps to prevent disasters if
you accidentally let go to pick up a pencil.

I can't make sense of the upper one. I've tried a two-ended strap (I''ve no
idea where it came from; it's not a dog lead), but it really doesn't seem
much use. The instrument is quite unstable if I stand up, so I can't imagine
marching, for example.

Any hints? does anyone play this instrument except in a sitting position?
anyone successfully use a double sling?

John Kilpatrick - Sheffield
 

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From: Peter Orford
Subject: Re: [CB] Leblanc Paperclip
Date: Fri, 02 Nov 2001 23:02:26 +0000

I always played the Leblanc paperclip with a spike.  I think I recall
the double sling rings - never used them !

Peter Orford
Bass Clarinet / Website Manager
Doncaster Concert Band, UK
www.doncasterconcertband.org.uk
 

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