The $4,000 Bass Clarinet: RS Berkeley BC-314 Reviewed
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.พ. 2025
- Having a $12,000 bass clarinet is, well, amazing. But $12 grand is also a downpayment on a house. So I was curious what a $4,000 bass clarinet would sound/feel like. Watch and see.
"Buy an expensive tool and you will cry when you buy it. Buy a cheap tool and you will cry when you use it."
Thank you Earspasm Music for posting. What a thrill to find this video! My junior high school had bought a bass clarinet and an alto clarinet in 1944, and the instructor gave me, Bflat clarinet player of 4 years, first choice of the two, and I chose the bass clarinet. I played it for 2 years in both band and orchestra. My "famous" solo was the Donkey Serenade in the Grand Canyon Suite. What nice memories, I'm 87 now and could never find the breath to blow. (:
At first I thought you may have been younger and that 1944 was that they bought it long before you were in school
Bass clarinet makes the most glorious sound!
Wow, if you had been around 45 years ago, I might have spent more (any) time practicing my bass clarinet. Kids today have direct access to so many talented and entertaining mentors. Thanks.
Totally having TH-cam now as a learner my self has made such a difference. Had it been the same in my teens/twenties I would not have taken such a large gap in my playing/learning.
All very good points; well done.
As a repairer, I try to explain these very things to people...some take it in, others don't.
You have a knack for describing things...
I have a $2,100 Yamaha bass clarinet and it's amazing
Kenye Westes Nahh I play a Yamaha for my school’s wind ensemble and they’re actually aids to play on.
I have a Yamaha too and they are okay not the best but decent to play on
Wow you’re so cool
The student level Yamaha bass clarinets are probably the best ones for the money. I speak from some experience with repairing and playing this type of clarinet on occasion in small groups.
That what i have too
1 "the irony of it, it's harder to play a student instrument than a professional instrument."
With respect to the instrument, it's harder to be a student than a professional. It's only natural that a student should use a lesser instrument than his master, and in overcoming and even embracing the shortcomings of the student's (first) instrument uniquely inform his approach, technique, and style.
It also helps one to appreciate things of higher quality once one has experienced lesser goods.
Thank you for the unboxing. I'll be saving up for a Selmer!
9:16 hehe
I've also noticed that the cases for student horns, while heavy, can be constructed really poorly on the inside, causing the keys to bend because of awkward positioning or lack of support. Would love to see a video on good cases for schools/young students to invest in to insure proper support.
Great idea. I'll put that on the list
Reed and Squeak soft cases are full of absorbent areas made in UK and strengthened with ply wood . I tested one with a clarinet inside and threw it in the air about 8 feet up and allowed it to crash down - the clarinet survived perfectly and played without damage after. www.reedandsqueak.com
If they can send me one to try, I'll gladly review it.
What did you ever do with the Berkeley it is never mentioned or talked about in later videos
Logan Rutledge same
I just want to say I really enjoy your videos as a bass clarinetist I love watching your videos for support I currently only play one owned by my high school and I'm looking forward to getting my own hopefully
Thank you for the video! I love that you always make a lesson out of your specific topics. Looking forward to seeing more!
Oh! What I would have liked, and kept thinking during the video, was that I wanted to hear the altissimo range on the instrument. The high C wasn't terrible, though it sounded like you were blowing pretty hard (as you mentioned). Did you test the altissimo range off camera by chance? What did you think of it?
It is probably made of "Chineseum" as Trent Hamilton says
Honestly i laughed so hard as soon as i saw this comment, props to you
"Trint" *
I laughed so hard tears ran down my leg
Lol
Ha
I love your channel so much! As a clarinet and a bass clarinet player, I think your videos are super helpful!
Something else to consider when adjusting an instrument is low profile pads. I've had to have professional Alto Clarinets fitted with very special thin/low profile pads for the right hand plateaus to get a more even sound.
When you have an instrument that may need frequent adjustments to remain playable, it is typically not practical to spend that much time and money in the repair shop when yo bought it to be played.
Great video as always!
Thanks
4:19 Did you see that? The 2nd Register Key (on the neck) Opens up when you let go of the Right Hand 3rd Finger Key (The G/D Key).
I'm diggin that specialized sticker on your stand, they make awesome bikes
I play tenor sax and i want to try the bass clarinet someday it looks so cool!
2:39 OK there's the Problem the Bell was bent, good thing they got that replaced
Great video! I was really on edge about buying a cheap low C bass clarinet, and now I know what to expect if I buy one. Thank you!
Hi Earspasm,
What an interesting video full of great educational tips. Thank you so much!!! I would like to share your videos with my young daughter. She plays the bass clarinet in concert band and alto sax in jazz (played clarinet since 5th grade). She really likes the bass clarinet the best but teacher doesn't need one in jazz. That is pretty rare to see a jazz playing bass clarinetist....hmm. I am glad my daughter is keeping up the concert music because of the diversity she'll experience. She's in 7th grade. Thanks again Earspasm, and have a great day every day.
I loved the bass clarinet review . You brought new insight on how to buy a new BC 😀
I just got a Selmer Paris 41 Bbb contrabass clarinet and I love it
I play oboe and flute and know almost nothing about clarinets much less bass clarinets but I find your videos very fascinating and informative. Keep it up :)
What notes were you playing while you were practicing? It sounded really nice (even though you were just testing the noise. 4:29-4:35
Sounded like an ascending F scale (out of scale pattern) down to low C
Dude this page is lit it's so helpful
I use school bass clarinets and the brand that my school uses is Jupiter
We recently got new bass clarinets and they came with neck straps and I use one every day
Great demonstration - couldn't agree with you more: a top-notch instrument not only sounds better but is also easier to play!
I play Bb clarinet but still love these bass videos too.
I have a Vito. Works good. Love it.
(Not the best condition though.)
Your Black Bass Clarinet, What make and model is that?
It’s. Selmer... and I’ve got another one for sale if you’re interested. ($16,800 is the price from Selmer. They just sent another and I don’t need a second black bass)
I have a $80 second hand alto sax and been using it for four years now, I call it old reliable :b
I have been playing on a $2300 Kessler Low C for a couple of years that looks similar. Mine does not have the alignment plates but when Kessler set it up (they do that in the US) they scribed some alignment marks. I have not found that any of the keys bend out of alignment over time. I think this was a problem with earlier generations. I did find the RH F#/B fork adjustment screw did not hold adjustment until I put a drop of Loctite on it. A few felts compressed after a few months that did not have screw adjustments. But I think that is normal for any instrument. The low C# is very flat but this is a seldom used note. I think this may be due to using a Low Eb bell design on a low C bass clarinet. The low C and D are in tune for me. I would expect other BCs made at the same factory to have similar issues.
That bass clarinet is very sharp in terms of pitch, like you didn't pull the tuner to know if the instrument was mainly natural.
My mom played a lot of Glenn Miller around the house when I was a kid, and I always wanted to learn clarinet
At the beginning I was doing something else, so you can imagine what I thought at 1:08
XD LOL
You talked about low quality keys constantly going out of adjustment. How does that compare with Buffet bass clarinets which are infamous for going out of adjustment frequently? Is there a correlation or is it because of something else?
Good question. Every instrument goes out of adjustment - it's a fact of life (and a factor of how we treat them as players!). It's just that cheaper instruments go out of adjustment MUCH more frequently. It's maddening.
Actually the Buffet bass clarinets have the best keywork in terms of design and material (alloy and shape).
Nitai Levi even though buffet is better you can get selmer Paris bass for less money and the same quality
I hated it when my 8th grade band director put me on the bass clarinet until I could afford to buy an Alto Sax mouthpiece. But that all black bass clarinet is looking pretty good. Wouldn’t mind blowing on that one.
I scored a Leblanc at a yard sale for $50 😎 I had new pads put on and I'm a happy camper
I have a Selmer bass clarinet and it is almost worth $1,000 and it’s amazing
I use a Yamaha it was pretty pricey, but worth it since I've had it for 5 years
What is the bass clarinet kind of look like a saxophone I need to put these pieces together or search em up
I had an Allora student sax in middle school, and my A sounded kinda stuffy, I now bought my own sax, and everything sounds WAY more clear. I think the only reason some students are dropping band is that they can't play a note correctly because the instrument doesn't have a decent key level and doesn't produce a good sound. Or they drop band because they don't know what reed strength is and they end up buying a reed that's too hard for them, luckily for me I actually googled it and moved down half a size because my low notes weren't coming out.
Hi Mr. Lowenstern, would it be feasible to do a video covering some of the basics of the contrabass clarinet and how its implemented?
Hi Michael, just a few comments if you don't mind.
A harder or stronger alloy is not necessarily better. It's the combination of a specific alloy (specific strength and stiffness) and exact shape of the keys that are both important. Some instruments have keys that are too hard which isn't good (some Chinese instruments too). So it's not exactly the alloy, but the overall design/shape/materials/accuracy that can affect the price very significantly.
It's not clear but it looks like maybe you adjusted the screw over the low Eb key (when low D didn't come out). If it's a copy of most pro bass clarinets then the low D also has some other adjustment screw over other keys (E and F usually) and it is best to adjust all of them (because of flex in this entire area even on pro models, especially Yamaha).
Your review was really awesome. I hope you do more of these. Could you also do more in-depth reed reviews? Or maybe a video on whether a student should invest in a Low C bass or Eb bass?
You've seen this, right: th-cam.com/video/Wer5Zr26vrI/w-d-xo.html
Yea I have! And I really liked it! I was wondering whether you could do more of that! hahaha I really like your reviews, I get so happy when you post a review video
Beautiful
Thank you for your video. And what do you think about the bass clarinet Yamaha YCL221?
Very nice, Bb clarinets are so loud 's .bass clarinets are so sweet's.
Man im so glad brass instruments dont have to deal with the nightmare of keywork
I have a student model Yamaha (soprano, I don't play bass on a regular basis) that I've been using for almost four years now for both concert and marching. Even during concert season when it never sees the outdoors, the keys bend so much. I always have to smash my pinkies down to play clarion B because those two pads on the bottom of the instrument are never in line with each other for more than a couple weeks after repair (in fact I think it used to be a month, and a few months before that). I'm also airy on all Yamahas. I don't know how that works, either. Now that I'm in college I'm looking for a good professional horn to use for the next several years, and when I find one I can finally leave my Yamaha for the field.
I have a Jupiter bass clarinet and I love it, it's old and it sounds good if using good reed
"Lube it up"
*heh* 😼😏
Andy OwO 😉
no
whats your opinion with the Bb contrabasses? my university has an Eb contra but im trying to see if we could get a Leblanc Bb since we have about 7 bass clarinet players between both concert bands and if one needs to be repaired we wouldn't have one for them to use while theirs is getting fixed.
I really don't have any experience with contras. Not my thing I guess. (Alto clarinets either, I'm afraid, just in case you were wondering).
Can you review the BD5 Vandoren mouthpiece with the v21 reed?
I just switched to this setup myself, going from Walter Grabner mouthpiece with V12. I like the clarity and the projection of sound, though it might lack a bit volume. A review would be interesting
Thanks Earspasm Music, am a good Tenor sax and alto player and i heard the bass clarinet being played at a concert yesterday and am loving it. What can you advise in picking it up. In terms of fingering,playing,prices and products in your rich option.
WELL DONE VIDEO. BRAVO
nice black saxophone.
Bender Rodriguez I WILL DESTROY YOU FOR SAYING THAT!
Nice.
Bender Bending Rodriguez Lol
*inhale*
boi I stg that's the most annoying thing-
No this one time this 6th grader thought it was an actual black saxophone
My school's bass clarinet is only a low Eb :(
Wiley Martin True, true. But low notes are wicked! I just solve the problem by playing contrabass occasionally 😂
Boo hoo... Sorry the school doesn't have what you want. If you want a low C, you should go buy one yourself.
Earl McEarl low c bass clarinets are pretty expensive if you did not know they got for tens of thousands of dollars
Angel Sanchez I purchased my vintage Moennig Bros low C (with extended bell) bass for $1200. You can purchase a brand new, albeit subpar quality, Chinese Low C for around $1100-$1300. My point is that one shouldn’t complain that the school doesn’t have what they want, because they’re already lucky enough to be able to use school instruments in the first place.
Earl McEarl please for the love of God don't tell anyone to buy one of those awful 1~2k Chinese Bass Clarinets
I have an Accent BC742C Bass Clarinet, around $2000, low C, seems very similar to your $4000 one. Has a few stuffy notes, but overall for $2000 it can't be beat. The Berkeley just seems like the same instrument to me for twice the price.
Have you reviewed the Kessler Bass Clarinet? It is a $2395 low C bass Clarinet. I am curious about what you think about it.
I'm trying to get my hands on one. Stay tuned.
Nice review, thanks!
2 questions (if you have time)
1: I've seen several of the hard rubber/plastic basses that look identical. Would you say that they are all essentially the same quality just with different names stamped on them? (accent, ridenour, Kessler and sons, etc)
2: Could you do a review of the Yamaha low C bass? I see that you prefer selmer (and I'd like to own one some day too) but at this point I don't see how I could afford a 12-13K instrument when Yamaha makes one for around 8. I agree with you when you said you get what you pay for, but I know Yamaha usually does good work for a modest price. I just don't know anyone who plays on them (besides John Yeh) and I haven't had a chance to try one.
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for doing what you do.
1: Yes, most plastic horns suffer from similar problems.
2: I could try, but Yamaha horns are really not my favorite. There are better 8k horns out there (Uebel is one I think is very good and it's about 8k. I'm hoping to do a review of it soon.)
+Earspasm Music That would be awesome, thanks!
John Reeks, with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, now plays a Yamaha Low C bass after playing a Selmer low C for decades.
Hey Mike,
Since you seem to be revisiting some topics you've already done videos for (student horns and circular breathing), do you think you could do a bass clarinet mouthpiece video? I believe the last one you did was back when you had a different mouthpiece and the mouthpiece market has changed since you made that video (just checked now, the original video was made 7 years ago), so a new video on mouthpieces would probably be very helpful for bass clarinetists who want your advice on mouthpiece selection. Thanks!
Out of all the more inexpensive Bass Clarinets you've possibly played, which was your favorite? I've been looking for a replacement as the one I'm playing is in the worst condition possible.
Wow that low C sounds soooo good
何喋ってるか分からなかったけど
バスクラの音色が凄く綺麗なのが伝わった。
Is the BC-314 even available anymore? Instrument in video looks like a Ridenour 925-C.
@earspasm is this not the same horn as the Ridenour? Are they different or are they the same thing with different stamps???
i really want a subcontra or octo bass clarinet
This is just a question, When do you usually get low C extensions on school Basses? I really want a c extension for some reason.
Hello . My name is Alex and i want to ask you a question. I just started to play on bass clarinet . Some tips ? of what should i study ? By the way i am at uny and i am studing there clarinet .
What’s up with that all black bass clarinet?
I am not hearing the low fundamental sine wave that gives the Bass Clarinet its characteristic bottom of the woodwind section sound. However when you switched to your own instrument the fundamental sound was there!
The RS Berkeley looks very similar to the Ridenour low C Bass Clarinet. Are they built in the same factory? Or are they made by the same company?
Have you reviewed Tom Ridenour's low C Bass Clarinet? I am interested in your thoughts on it.
Hi Mr Perez - I am the UK agent for Ridenour look at my reviews for Ridenour and my post above I have used RCP clarinets for 18 years with no trouble.
It was after 17 years of using them I agreed to be their sole agent in UK - I am a player first but near retirement now so can concentrate on helping customers with a great set up clarinet.
Hi Les, if you can send me one to review, I'd love to do that on the channel.
Hi I like your work but sadly I have to import them from USA to UK so sending one for you to review would not be an option for me - but I agree with you - I guess ultimately you get what you pay for but all I wanted to say is RCP do supply an affordable Bass that I know I could set up and play professionally. I do this for my clients - I never send a client an un-tweaked clarinet even from Tom as transit does horrible things to Basses as you know.
I have the exact same. Same case and all, just not with Berkeley written on it, but I'm really sure it's the same.
I bought it from China on ebay for 1200$, it was the cheapest one on ebay. Not as great as a Buffet, for sure, but works really well.
I think Berkeley is just buying off from China, putting their brand on it and multiplying the price by 3.
Honestly I think they both sound really good, of course the professional one sounds nicer, but I'm not an expert bass clarinetist I'm a saxophonist
What reed size do you use most often? Any other tips for a student bass clarinetist on the altissimo register? Thanks
My bass Clarinet came from Paducah and it came in October like a few months after sixth grade started (I'm still in sixth grade though)
Would you maybe play the bass clarinet solo "Deepwood"? I am gonna play with it for my qualifing exam for the army band and I would really appreciate another interpretation on it. Thanks anyways.
I know your channel is about bass clarinet but I play contra alto clarinet and I can't find a expert like you for contra alto, can you make a video about contra alto
Hello! I've been playing bass clarinet for just under 9 years now. I'm a junior in high school and ink owns thing or two about how bass clarinets work! But I'm having problems with my Middle C and B notes. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. I've taken my instrument in a few times now and they can't seem to find a problem. I've even played for them and the instrument misbehaved and they said it was fine. This is my personal instrument and I'm sure it's not a student model and I don't think it's a professional model. Could you give me some advice on what I should do to fix it? Thanks -Ariel
+Chris Moody no! That's what is confusing me :(
I play clarinet and baritone sax and now I want a bass clarinet OR a bass sax; cannot decide which....
Bob Bly I play Bari and Tenor Sax and Bass Clarinet. Definitely get a Bass Clarinet. The Yamaha YCL-211 is only $2,100 and it's an amazing instrument. It has nearly 4 octaves in its range and doesn't weigh anything. A lot of music is written for it and it sounds amazing. Bass Saxes are very very heavy and hard to transport. The least expensive Bass Sax I've seen costs a minimum of $10,000. They sound really bad in terms of the reediness of the sound. Barely any music is written for these guys, thus making them a bit useless. If you're gonna play/buy one of these, definitely do Bass Clarinet.
do you have a video reviewing buffet B12 or a good resin clarinet?
i.m thinking about a second hand bass cln selmer bundy 1430, you have opinions about it? thanks!
I'm trying to become a contrabass clarinet in my high school band after being a bass clarinet, but I'm sure how to approach it. Do you have any tips?
Nope. I don't play it. Sorry!
I'm really digging the Peterson tuner. Do you have any recommendations for metronome apps?
check out tonal energy and pitch lab. those are my go to apps
Where do you get the fully black bass clarinet at?
I hate to say this but. I like your black saxophone. But in all seriousness this review was helpful. I am currently trying to find a bass clarinet and the search is tough.
Hi _ I will contact Reed and Squeak but they would only send a sample if you agreed to return it - which - you being in USA is quite an expense. They may agree to let you keep it but I doubt it. I will certainly contact them as I am offering my Bass clarinet customers an upgrade to this case for very little money ..about £175 for my customers about $230 - I have no idea what soft gig bag type cases cost in US but they most likely are made in China - these R&S are made in UK totally and even the economy version I have here - the prototype is really good - well padded and protective. Many UK players have moved to R&S cases - I use them for my Bb A and C clarinets. Best wishes Les
Please do - we'll see what they say.
What is your opinion of the Uebel Emperior? Thanks
What are the major differences in design and materials between your new custom Selmer and the professional model that anyone can buy?
Ah, found it. If anyone is interested, he discusses the black chrome plating and the foam pads at the end of the video in which he plays the "Black" duet by Marc Mellitus.
Why did you choose to get the clarinet angled neck for your new selmer? Just curious lol.
huh. I didn't even notice this, I am curious as well
It's what came with it. BUT, interestingly enough, despite the fact that the TOP angle is really intense, the angle that it has the mouthpiece entering the mouth is the same as the necks I like. So, whatever they did, they didn't mess with the "important" angle.
Will you also be reviewing any selmer 1430 or plastic LeBlanc or bundy bass clarinets in the future?
I'd like to, but I need to find someone who's willing to send one to me. :)
I have a $4100 eb selmer bass clarinet and it's very nice. It feels really good to play and everything was great when j played it first. It resonates beautifully and feels so free when I do play it. The peg is ugly tho. Only thing I don't like about it.
Agree mostly, but time to break the instrument in to get used to you is also needed, ex. How hard you press keys, pads covering tone holes after adjustment, and whatever material its made of being use to your vibration
Can you do a review on the Yamaha y221 student model bass clarinet
I just love bass clarinets.
I was a clarinetist in HS but was always tempted to take up the bass. It was just not popular due to the size and weight. The case was as big as 4 Bb clarinets.
Can you do one on the Kessler and Sons low C? They sell for $2000
The clarinet is hard-rubber.
Which is actually a great sounding material.
I hope I can have one bass clarinet one day 😭
wonderful presentation. I congratulate.