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5 June 1997
Subject: Bari sax reed trial
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 97 08:24:26 -0700
From: Syd Polk <jazzman@rahul.net>
I realize that bari sax may not quite be low enough for this group, but what the hey. It's what I play the most and the best, and this list seemed appropriate.
For the last several years, I have had a hell of a time finding reeds for my bari. I have changed mouthpieces twice, and really like my current setup, but I have not been able to find reeds consistantly.
I play a Selmer Mark VI low A bari (70000 series) with a Yanagasawa 9 metal mouthpiece for jazz. I use a Rovner ligature.
For years, I have been using LaVoz medium soft or mediums. Recently, I purchased a box with NO good reeds in it. Sigh. I have also had reasonably good luck with Rico Plasticover 2.5, and they last a good long time.
This year, I have had a good year music-wise, so I had some extra cash. So I called our friends at Woodwind and Brasswind and ordered one of everything.
First of all, I did not order VanDoren because on bari sax, VanDoren reeds only fit Selmer classical mouthpieces. They are much too wide for a jazz mouthpiece. This also holds true the other way; I use VanDoren 4 on my Selmer D.
Manufacturers tend to ignore bari sax, so there are no Java cut VanDorens, and several brands do not offer reeds at all. However, I did get a box each of the following:
I also am back-ordered on the following:
I just got through going through every reed of the first list, and here is what I found.
| Brand | # Excellent | # Mediocre | # Bad |
| Glotin "Groove" | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Bari | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Alexander | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Lavoz Medium (had some left over) |
3 | 4 | 3 |
| Lavoz Medium Soft | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Marca | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| Rousseau | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Rico Royal #2.5 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| Rico Plasticover | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Rico Jazz Cut | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Alexander seems to be the best, by far. Marca is great also. Rico Royal is consistantly good. Lavoz has its moments. Rico Jazz Cut is excellent.
Rousseau and Glotin suck, and Lavoz just is not consistant enough.
Anyway, I now have a bunch of good reeds, at least on first playing. I will see how they shake out over the next few weeks, and I will also post what happens on the ones that were back-ordered.
Syd Polk
jazzman@rahul.net http://www.rahul.net/jazzman
"Let the music be your light." -- Dave Edwards, KUHF-FM,
1982
When I play bari (Selmer SA80II, low A), I generally use an RIA 7* metal mpc for big band, or a metal Otto Link 7* for ensemble/solo stuff. I haven't tried reeds exhaustively, but have been generally satisfied with Vandoren #3s.
Grant
From: "Daryl Fletcher" <daryl@www.walker.public.lib.ga.us>
Organization: Cherokee Regional Library
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 1997 08:37:19 EST
Subject: Re: Contrabass-List digest, Vol. 2, No. 45
On 4 Jun 97 at 14:41, Grant Green said:
> Roger Bobo's CD "Gravity Is Light Today" (1997, Crystal Records
> CD396), in addition to containing a lot of great tuba work,
> includes two pieces for *bass* horn (as in French Horn). The back
> of the liner notes has a picture of RB playing the bass horn (a
> suitable degree larger than the conventional Fr.Hn next to it)
I remember seeing a picture of Mr. Bobo playing his bass horn on the back of an LP a few years back, but I couldn't remember the title and I didn't know if it had been reissued on CD.
I actually had the honor of playing with Roger Bobo about 10 years ago. It was 1987, and I was a senior in high school playing in the University of Alabama Honor Band. Mr. Bobo was our guess soloist, and he played "Carnival of Venice" and "Introduction and Dance" on F tuba, and he was absolutely incredible. I talked to him for a while and got his autograph too.
I still have a tape of the performance. I have learned not to listen to it just before I go to bed, though, because it keeps me up all night. I start thinking I need to get up and practice.
Now what would really be interesting would be a bass double horn.
---------------------------------
Daryl Fletcher
mailto:daryl@www.walker.public.lib.ga.us
http://www.walker.public.lib.ga.us/~daryl/
COGITO EGGO SUM -- I think; therefore I am a waffle.
Yes, especially CC and FFF ;-)
Or should that be CC and FFF#?
>Date: Thu, 5 Jun 1997 04:23:31 -0400
>To: Grant Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
>From: bobellen@sover.net (Bob Eliason)
>Subject: Ophicleides>Hi Grant,
>I don't know of any ophicleides for sale, but Tony Bingham, London always
>keeps some on hand.>Yeah, the mail is suddenly thick.
>Bob
>-----------------------------------------------------
>Bob & Ellen Eliason Toad Hill Music
>603 795 4118 43 Pico Rd
>bobellen@sover.net Lyme, NH 03768
> http://www.sover.net/~bobellen USA
>-----------------------------------------------------
And, from TUBAEUPH...
>Hi--
> Just heard of an ophicleide for sale--Anonymous, Bb, 9
>keys--contact instrument repairman Tim Holmes (a GREAT repairman) in
>Detroit--Tel. 313-381-2274. Good luck.>Mark Jones
End Contrabass Digest