The barrel joint is an extremely important aspect
of the overall acoustical design of the clarinet. It has a profund
affect on modal ratios (pitch) and tonal coloration. We can think
of the barrel as the "interface" between clarinet and
mouthpiece.
Barrel design was dramatically improved with the innovation by
Hans Moennig of the inverted cone bore.
This is a shape that is suited well to the paradigm of polycylindrical
bored clarinets (most Buffets) and the larger bore style mouthpieces
preferred by American players.
FOBES barrels feature an inverted cone style bore and are
designed to work in conjuntion with FOBES mouthpieces which
have a medium large Kaspar style bore. Improvements you can expect
with a FOBES barrel are:
1. Closer twelfth intervals
2. Slightly lowered pitch in the tones of the left hand, upper register
3. Focused throat tones
4. Increased resonance and response
All FOBES barrels are made from aged African blackwood
with NO RINGS for
better resonance and warmth. Occasionally I make some barrels
from Cocobolo. The Cocobolo seems particularly well suited for
A clarinets.
FOBES clarinet barrels are available in Bb taper (64mm -68mm) or A taper (64mm-67mm). The A barrel has a unique double taper the bore and is smaller than the Bb barrel. These will work on and fit Buffet, Yamaha, Leblanc and older Selmer clarinets (pre Signature)
New!! FOBES barrels for Selmer Signature clarinets. Specially tapered for these instruments. 61, 61.5, 62, 62.5, 63, 63.5 and 64mm for Bb or A. The A barrel has a smaller bore than the Bb and a slightly different taper.
New!! FOBES barrels for Rossi clarinets. Specially tapered for these instruments. 61-64mm in half millimeter lengths for Bb or A
FOBES Eb clarinet barrels are available in 41, 41.5, 42, 42.5 and 43mm lengths
FOBES C clarinet barrels are available in 45-47mm lengths
My Eb extensions does not extend the range of the Eb clarinet. The extension fits between the bell and the end of the clarinet adding a properly sized and positioned tone hole to produce the E/B twelfth. Due to the much larger impedence of sound at the end of the clarinet the long B natural is often resistant and of a much different timbre than the throat tones. My extension greatly alleviates this problem - it also reduces the oversized twelfth interval. As a very happy coincidence the extension of the air column tends to even the timber of the Eb clarinet and produces a much more supple tone through all registers.