der_kluge
Adventurer
So, I play clarinet in the Richmond (VA) community band. I just moved here, and was in a community band (actually two) in Kansas City before I left. One of those being a wind ensemble (smaller than your typical band) and made up of really top quality musicians. I consider myself to be a better than average clarinetist.
Well, a while back I decided I was going to get an Eb clarinet. Normal, average run-of-the-mill clarinets are of the Bb variety. An Eb is much less common, and is much shorter. So, you can think of it like a miniature clarinet. In the Richmond community band, there are about 20 clarinet players. I was fortunate enough to get on the first part, through good timing, mostly, and sit 5th.
But, I guess I'm kind of vain, and would rather play something no one plays, so that if there are Eb clarinet parts, I could play those, and thus you would actually be able to hear *me* play.
But Eb clarinets are hard to find. I bought 3 off Ebay before finally settling on the one I have, and even it isn't perfect. I didn't want to spend an arm and a leg for one. I think I spent just over $200 for this one.
But it had no mouthpiece. And a clarinet mouthpiece (a good one) is easily $100. I just ordered one online today from a guy that makes them, someone I met off the "klarinet" mailing list, for $120. If you are so inclined, you can spend up to about $245 for a mouthpiece. But these should be quite good for my needs, and are played by some professionals, so if they're good enough for them, it's good enough for me.
But my clarinet also has a crack in the barrel (second section of the instrument, right below the mouthpiece). And while it is repaired, I've decided that I just won't be happy unless I have a new barrel.
Do you have any idea how freaking hard it is to find Eb clarinet barrels for sale on the internet?
I found two - one from clarkwfobes.com - another individual who makes symphonic level professional mouthpieces and barrels. These are absolutely top of the line barrels, but cost $140. I found another that is a standard Buffet clarinet barrel for Eb clarinets, that's about $65. I'll have to measure mine to see if either barrel is a match.
But, in doing this exhaustive search, I was curious if anyone else here had really obscure hobbies like this?
Really, I don't know what I'd do without the internet. It seems like I'm always looking for things that just don't exist anywhere but in cyberspace.
Well, a while back I decided I was going to get an Eb clarinet. Normal, average run-of-the-mill clarinets are of the Bb variety. An Eb is much less common, and is much shorter. So, you can think of it like a miniature clarinet. In the Richmond community band, there are about 20 clarinet players. I was fortunate enough to get on the first part, through good timing, mostly, and sit 5th.
But, I guess I'm kind of vain, and would rather play something no one plays, so that if there are Eb clarinet parts, I could play those, and thus you would actually be able to hear *me* play.
But Eb clarinets are hard to find. I bought 3 off Ebay before finally settling on the one I have, and even it isn't perfect. I didn't want to spend an arm and a leg for one. I think I spent just over $200 for this one.
But it had no mouthpiece. And a clarinet mouthpiece (a good one) is easily $100. I just ordered one online today from a guy that makes them, someone I met off the "klarinet" mailing list, for $120. If you are so inclined, you can spend up to about $245 for a mouthpiece. But these should be quite good for my needs, and are played by some professionals, so if they're good enough for them, it's good enough for me.
But my clarinet also has a crack in the barrel (second section of the instrument, right below the mouthpiece). And while it is repaired, I've decided that I just won't be happy unless I have a new barrel.
Do you have any idea how freaking hard it is to find Eb clarinet barrels for sale on the internet?
I found two - one from clarkwfobes.com - another individual who makes symphonic level professional mouthpieces and barrels. These are absolutely top of the line barrels, but cost $140. I found another that is a standard Buffet clarinet barrel for Eb clarinets, that's about $65. I'll have to measure mine to see if either barrel is a match.
But, in doing this exhaustive search, I was curious if anyone else here had really obscure hobbies like this?
Really, I don't know what I'd do without the internet. It seems like I'm always looking for things that just don't exist anywhere but in cyberspace.
![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
But "Rage" I missed when it came out, and was unaware even existed until right after I bought "The Promise." That took me 5 years, from the time I started trying to get it to the time I finally had two copies in hand, working at it at least once and usually several times a week. I would stay up until all hours to call record stores in parts of the world where I knew the album had sold to try to find a copy, and frequently ended up learning bits of their language specifically so I could call and ask properly and understand the answer. I placed a bounty of $100 for a copy at local record shops, and by local I mean every music store within 120 miles of here, and some in a few other states. Some of my friends and I even planned (jokingly? 
) to go break into the home of Carol Decker (the lead singer) and steal HER copy, make a copy, and put it back - based on the theory that if ANYONE had a copy, she would. FINALLY, a store in the town where I live found a source and got me two copies - they said they figured if I didn't want the second one, it MUST be good enough to have a copy of in the store to sell to someone else. And even after they placed the order it took 6 months for them to arrive. I called EVERY DAY. I got to know them pretty well. 
Take care and keep playing.
