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Contrabass list Fri, 27 Mar 1998 Volume 1 : Number 29
In this issue:
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 18:23:38 -0600 (CST)
From:
Charles Stolarek <cstolare@sun.iwu.edu>
Subject:
question??
this may be the lamest question ever but.. where can i get a cheap (probably used if i want it cheap) contra bass clarinet)(Bflat). Preferably one that is not coiled and goes to low c??? cheap.. i am a college music ed student.. low on the bucks... any ideas?
Date: Thu, 26 Mar 1998 17:06:15 -0800
From: Grant
Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
Subject: Re:
question??
At 06:23 PM 3/26/98 -0600, you wrote:
>this may be the lamest question ever but.. where can i get a cheap
>(probably used if i want it cheap) contra bass clarinet)(Bflat).
>Preferably one that is not coiled and goes to low c??? cheap.. i am a
>college music ed student.. low on the bucks... any ideas?
One that is not coiled and goes to low C? The Leblanc instruments come in "coiled to low C" and "straight to low Eb", and the straight ones are apparently hard to play sitting down. Selmer's straight contra might go to low C, but ... it probably isn't cheap! (Three options: cheap, low C, and straight. Pick two.)
The least expensive low C contra is likely to be a 2nd hand coiled Leblanc. The models less expensive than that are all low Eb instruments (including the Vitos and Bundys). The list price on a new coiled Leblanc is around US$10K last time I looked (discount price probably 60-70% of that), with old used horns going for about $1K-3K. NB: many of the older instruments only went to low D - make sure you check the horn out before you commit.
I think Selmer and Buffet make wooden contras: I've never seen one, new or used. These horns are wood, rather than metal, and apparently cost 2-3X the Leblanc.
As for where to find one, I'd try the schools in your area first. Often, high schools, colleges, junior colleges, sometimes even junior high schools have an old contrabass and/or contralto that nobody uses anymore. Sometimes they're willing to sell them (possibly quite reasonably). Second, the Woodwind & Brasswind , Charles Fail Music and Wichita Band Instrument Co . sometimes have secondhand contras for sale.
Good luck, and happy hunting!
Grant
End of list V1 #29