Backun Model Q Bass Clarinet, Reviewed!

It's here! Well, its almost here, but it'll be shipping in March/April, 2024. The new Backun Model Q Bass Clarinet(s) in Grenadilla and Cocobolo. I've got them both, and this is a review you are going to want to watch.
I do a lot of playing, so if you want to jump to the music, here are some links to the music!
0:00 Bach Cello Suite #2 (Grenadilla)
5:16 12ths Intonation test
5:42 15ths (two octave) intonation test
10:20 Bach Cello Suite #1 Prelude (Grenadilla)
10:51 Bach Cello Suite #1 Prelude (Cocobolo)
13:38 Khachaturian Piano Concerto Excerpt (Cocobolo)
14:26 Rose Etude #1 (from 32) (Cocobolo)
14:59 Shostakovich Violin Concerto Excerpt (Cocobolo)
15:14 Tchaikovsky Nutcracker Suite Excerpt (Cocobolo)
15:27 Strauss Till Eulenspiegel Excerpt (Cocobolo)
15:35 Dolphy/Holiday God Bless The Child (Grenadilla)
16:27 Yun Monolog (Grenadilla)

[@ilyasseckin]

Now we need the Alpha Bass Clarinet review! :)

[@Raine_R]

Couldn't agree more!

[@kevinstrauss8020]

Be still my beating heart. Can’t wait for mine to arrive.

[@Thedreadedflutist]

Im not even a clarinet player and i love these videos

[@Raine_R]

It can be really cool to learn about other instrememnts, especially when he gives play tests!

[@clarinetdonn]

Thanks for the comprehensive review, just a small note- very little AIR actually flows through the instrument- by the time you get to the first tone hole there isn't enough compression for an actual flow of air out of the hole. What IS happening is that there are pressure waves that come out the toneholes. The waves follow similar laws of physics as an actual airflow would, but the air is vibrating rather than flowing. Also, for the "overcut toneholes" yes it's a genius idea, but it's not the actual tonehole that is "overcut", rather the tonehole is more adequately vented (at least, that is how it has been described to me). There are actually instances where toneholes are "overcut" (creating a slight hourglass shape in the bore of the tonehole chimney) but I understand that this is not prevalent on this instrument- and what is visible from the outside is venting of the tonehole rather than a feature of the tonehole contour. Sorry to be a pain with picky details, but I think it's worth making the distinction.

[@reedguy]

Great hearing it again, this time with that comparison of the two woods, Michael. I'm first in line in Canada....and have been for over 2 decades. I've been dreaming about it ever since we played it in September. Morrie's work has moved from evolutionary to revolutionary over the decades....and he isn't even close to done yet!

[@flams53]

This is the best sounding bass clarinet I’ve ever heard. I played one for many years, but I’ve always felt it’s not quite “musical” enough (blasphemous in this channel, I know). But this bass sounds so liberated, free, musical. Wow!

[@clarinetdonn]

It's a good bass for sure, but what you write is nonsensical. The bass can't sound "musical", it's just a tool. Sorry.

[@memohech]

Great sounding instruments. They sound even through registers, remarkably in tune and lacking of fuzzy notes. They are priced competitively. It seem that demand will be high.

[@easheraustinmusic]

Wow, thanks for reviewing this bass! I play a Selmer, buffet Tosca and royal firebird and this is quite close to all of them in its capability. Finally Backun made this bass!

[@pukalo]

You own three top tier pro level bass clarinets?

[@easheraustinmusic]

@@pukalo No! I used to play a Tosca a couple of months ago but it doesn’t suite me, now I play a Selmer and my teacher Mark O Brien has lent me a Firebird.

[@mambojazz1]

​@@easheraustinmusicThats not the same thing🤣

[@pukalo]

I've been looking forward to this.

[@JoeMG14]

Can’t wait to try one 🎉

[@mambojazz1]

Im so glad to hear you say its the best bass clarinet you've ever played because my first thought was you sound better than Ive ever heard you sound ever!! I was worried my ears were lying🤣

[@LaraDiazLaraclarinet]

Wow Michael!! Thank you for your playing and for the very useful review. See you soon!

[@stacietraill9979]

Those 12ths!! Amazing. Can’t wait to get mine.

[@lowreedman]

This new bass seems fabulous. I've wondered for most of my playing career - 'what if.. someone took the good things from the instruments available, worked on mitigating the bad elements, and put them into a new instrument. Can't wait to play it. (Not that I need a new instrument) Sounds amazing. The intonation is crazy good!! Thanks for the thorough review.

[@QGDeclined]

Monolog was fantastic, what a demo of both the instrument and your skillful dynamics -- I was mesmerized!

[@finnsclarinet]

thank you so much for the wonderful review! I am hoping to get my hands on a bass of my own sometime in the near future and the competitive pricing of the grenadilla model is extremely enticing. I also believe my local music store is getting a few in april - so that will be fun!

[@thomasstone1363]

Superb. Wonderful selection of demo music. If I was in the market for a bass clarinet, the cocobolo one would be it!

[@QuickStartClarinet]

O man, I've never wanted a bass clarinet more!

[@RikardPeterson]

That last piece you plaed was interesting! I'd love to hear that live - it should be magical…

[@leematt9676]

Awesome review! Will you be reviewing the Backun Alpha Bass? I wonder how it will compare to the Royal Global Max. Can’t wait!

[@Tei_022]

The tuning made me so excited, oh my god

[@clairegoguen622]

You are such a fabulous bass clarinet player. Your interpretation spectrum is as wide as your co ti uous breath tech ique. Your judicious comments about thes Backun instrume ts convinced me about their value vs. Selmer and Buffet. Food for thought tu upgrade my instrument one day. Many thanks and happy holidays.

[@stephenmcnally9878]

This instrument looks fantastic

[@AdamAdams1436]

Both of these clarinets sound great! I do prefer the sound of the cocobolo instrument, it just has a much warmer sound and a more even sound across the break.

[@lwskiner]

I found that the cocobola exhibited a more fluid connectivity between the notes. The grenadilla had a brightness factor for just the slightest time between each note.

[@davidkurraschmusic]

Thank you for the review, what a beautiful instrument. Guess I'll start saving up for one now!

[@Sagefox455yt]

i have been waiting for backun to make a bass clarinet

[@gustavschneider745]

What about the quality of the key metal? Is it solid like Selmer and Buffet, or cheaper, more bendable metal like cheaper basses?

[@Jordan-ol3em]

The Q sounds fantastic (well, *you* sound fantastic on it), but this looks like a different recording setup than you've used in the past. It'd be very interesting and useful to hear you play some of the other big-dog horns in the same acoustic environment. And "butt-clench notes" is the perfect description!

[@normalizedaudio2481]

I like the low end.

[@Garrett_paul09]

When my 1193 greenline craps out, this will be the first instrument on my list!

[@txsphere]

So with the low price and Q designation I am curious, are they made in Canada or China?

[@JulioGrin]

Omg this is the video I've been waiting for! If you had to compare this Q model against the Firebird, what qualities are better in one or the other? Which one feels better? Which one has a better sound? Which one should I go for?

[@Mini-judgment]

its my personal take, but I think that the Backun is better than the firebird just about in anyway. Keywork, Voicing, Throat Bb correction, tone hole cuts...

[@billducker7404]

Very nice. Both sound great. Are these better than the others. Best wishes. Bill. UK

[@johnnysalinas]

I don't even play the bass clarinet, but I am genuinely excited for all my clarinet friends to try this once it's available!

[@baptistestanek8036]

The case looks sick, do you think Backun will sell them separately as well ? The bcl sounds great also aha really beautiful work !

[@mambojazz1]

Interesting in the grenadilla I hear a slightly more aggressive presence favorable for jazz and the cocobolo has a wider more expansive sound that both jazz and classical players would enjoy.

[@ric9452]

Great Demo !!! Thx … What’s your take on Hard Rubber made Bass Clarinets ????

[@davemcdaniel4856]

He's got multiple videos covering all the main ones. Ridenour, Kessler, and many many more. He's reviewed every single one that is accessible in the states. Just. He k his video library

[@cactusmakesperfect]

What's the configuration of the thumb keys? I currently play a student-quality John Packer Chinese-made bass, with D below the thumb rest, C# below D, and C as a long bar to the left of both of them, all with rollers to slide between them, and I far prefer that to the configuration on any of the higher-end ones I've tried (though I haven't tried that many). I don't seem to see any photos of the rear of the instrument on the Backun website. Also, what's the key spacing like? My John Packer is obviously intended for someone with slightly bigger hands than me, and the Buffet instruments that I've tried are a noticeable, if not world-shattering, improvement. Is this one at least as ergonomic as a Prestige or Tosca for someone with modest-sized hands? Finally, if one were to plug up the bell vent with some sort of cork bung, would one get an in-tune low B? I mostly play with folk musicians, and there are far more tunes where a low B, i.e. concert A, would be a more useful note than low C / concert Bb.

[@bigalinwesttexas]

I Couldn't tell if the transfer bar between the 2 joints has adjustment screws, or is is just cork shim. Also are you using your own mouthpiece is a supplied one? If supplied your evaluation of it also. I really enjoy your playing and presentation. thanks.

[@earspasm]

My own (vandoren) B50 was used. Not sure what you mean by transfer bar, but the bridge keys have adjustments screws. Thx!

[@pelican7202]

shirt goes hard

[@davemcdaniel4856]

My goodness that clarion was nice and unfuzzy the entire time.

[@joeyburgos_]

Me and my Prestige are feeling a bit jealous of some of the bells and whistles on the Q. Looks beautiful and sounds even better! Great review as always!

[@wojciech_clarinet]

If it will be 9k than will be something really good to consider! 👍 Dear Mike, what about low notes system? It is like prestige with D under right thumb or like Tosca with eflat under right thumb? Or maybe I missed that information?

[@Raketa_MC]

Great to see these beasts are coming closer :) btw what means "Q"?... Because there is no other models of Backun bass clarinets, right...so any specific word or term behind it? are we excepting model "R" or "S" etc?...

[@Raketa_MC]

*expecting

[@Cornodebassetto]

It simply follows the Q line of professional Backun clarinets.

[@nickchesemore8325]

@@Raketa_MCmy assumption is they plan to introduce other models into the market at the low and high end price points in the future. This is likely the equivalent of their Q series clarinets.

[@JasonAlder]

@@nickchesemore8325yes, Joel from Backun told me they plan to release basses in their whole product range… so up to Lumiere and CG Carbon, and down to Protege and Alpha

[@cl7player]

On my laptop the cocobolo and the grenadilla both look the same (black)!

[@joaoorecchia]

A couple of people have asked and I'm sure many would like to know, especially since you're such a Selmer person, how does this compare, for you personally, to the Selmer? I was days away from buying a Selmer until I saw this. I'm moving from a student bass and have tried the Buffets, the Royals and the Selmer and of those only really liked the Selmer.

[@earspasm]

It’s a really personal decision, but the Backun is different from Selmer and Buffet - and I really like it. I know it’s difficult to make a big decision like this on the basis of a KZbin video, so I understand why you’re asking. I’ve been playing Selmer basically my whole life - in 2024 it’ll be 40 years. This is the ONLY instrument besides Selmer I would personally play in a concert or recording. I would definitely choose it over my Selmer for an orchestra audition, for example, because it’s so easy to play in tune. Id also play it in an orchestra for the same reason. Sitting behind the instrument, the sound and feel for me is basically identical to a Selmer. I haven’t heard a recording of myself in a hall to compare but I think the Backun would represent what I would want to sound like better than the Selmer from >20 feet. But that’ll be a test for another time. I am torn, because I love Selmer, but again, these Backun instruments are really, really alluring. You should consider it, I think. I certainly am.

[@cameronwiseman8598]

I wonder if in a few years if Backun would ever come out with a contrabass clarinet? But I definitly would love to own one of these low c basses.

[@JasonAlder]

At backun’s roll out rate, it would be more than a few years… maybe sometime next century…

[@mambojazz1]

​@@JasonAlderDont jinx it Jason come on🤣

[@The_Cloudy_Sky]

All that being said, are you sticking with your Selmer or are you making the switch to Backun for bass clarinet?

[@earspasm]

We shall see :)

[@SaxSith]

Between the prestige and the Q - which one you like better? Ignoring the price.

[@earspasm]

Personally, I've never been a Buffet player (on bass) so this is an easy question to answer....

[@mambojazz1]

​@@earspasmHow about the Q vs Selmer Privilege?

[@JasonAlder]

Tell me about your rack stand… is it a guitar stand? Cello?

[@ClassicClippy]

Well still no solution if one has already great Privilege that actually does well in tune; and not like you who may afford many instruments. (And one may only sell if they have a buyer lol) But intriguing about articulation because that is what I like about my other Backuns. Anyway, if I didn’t have that “barrier” I would surely get one. Thanks for demo tho

[@markalanpalmer7787]

Query: For standard soprano Bb and A clarinets, is there the same difference between granadilla (more focused) and cocobolo (warmer) wood? Query 2: Are there cases for standard soprano Bb and A clarinets that raise the instrument so that keys are not touching the case? (Or is that less of an issue with a soprano clarinet?)

[@earspasm]

Yes to both. For the case, we are selling the Bonna Double Case (not yet up on Earspasm because they arrived yesterday), but will have them available early in the new year. They feature the same system as what you see here.

[@RichardMigneron]

Very nice. Would you change from one to the other while playing a piece ? If not, why not suggest that Backun sell the pair but with only 1 neck and 1 bell (and stick) for both of them, that would lower the price a bit for players needing both - and maybe get a special case to hold both of them.

[@evansentnote]

Mmm, Bach

[@javierquesada798]

I'm talking about the the cross your legs because your blood pressure is going to be high but are you a great musician😮😮😮😮😮😮😮

[@ernietollar407]

i wonder how the intonation tendancy changes with various reed / mouthpiece combinations (different than perhaps what its design is calibrated on, or for that matter, different playing styles which employ tighter vs more open embouchure?

[@Cornodebassetto]

Great video, I would have preferred to have heard the Pas de Deux solo over Trepak from Nutcracker. It was great to see the first one being built back in August when I was in Vancouver. Sounds awesome!!

[@SaxSith]

Backup or uebel ?😊

[@albiondi4078]

he's circular breathing??

[@MusicLiberates]

Yes he is.

[@apolloalva2640]

Let's hear how they sound with a wooden Backun bell.

[@GordonKindlmann]

at 3:03 and 8:57 AND 11:57 AND AGAIN AT 13:10 the suddenly very loud (relative to audio just prior) music is a bummer

[@matthewgellar1442]

Okay. hang on, $9000? um

[@matthewsnyder6127]

Well, yes. Much better price than the over $16,000.00 you will pay for a new Selmer 67, and Mike seems to rate these horns at least as good as that here, though he didn't do a direct comparison.

[@matthewgellar1442]

@@matthewsnyder6127 I was speaking out of disbelief and pleasant surprise. Backun clarinets can get closer to $10000 than most other brands so I was expecting this to be the price of a car

[@2ndclarinets583]

You are definitely biased! :-p

[@roderickdewar1064]

I boycott all products advertised by KZbin. have a nice day.