Check out the various instruments that I use for my recordings, gigs and performances! I enjoy using horns that people deem to be useless or even inferior in this kind of work to prove that you can sound good on so called “unprofessional” equipment. The more inferior someone says it is, the more I want to use it. I am a firm believer that your skill determines your success, not your equipment and that you can always be successful on “less than ideal” equipment. It doesn’t matter what you play on as long as you are happy with the way you sound. Music is about expressing ourselves and connecting with people through our music, not about the kind of mouthpiece or reeds you play or whatever.

All of the information here is based on my own opinions, research and experiences. If there is any inaccurate information regarding maker or date of manufacture, feel free to leave a comment and correct me. I am not an expert on all of this history, and I am not here to present it that way. These are my own personal opinions on these horns, and you may not agree with me and that’s great. So play what you want and be happy, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!

Kohlert Bass Clarinet

Built in Czechoslovakia prior to World War II, I bought this second hand bass clarinet on eBay in 2018. I chose it because it was unique and it was the only bass clarinet in my price range at the time that was not a plastic student model instrument. Since then, it has been featured in a number of my recordings. It is played on nearly all of the bass clarinet solos on the Exit 27 album. It was also the bass clarinet that I made the ETSBOA All State Band on my senior year of high school, and I auditioned for the Lee School of Music on it. I am very thankful to have such an interesting piece of music history in my possession. Even though this instrument is rough in the intonation department, it plays very well and has a very distinctive tone among all the bass clarinets I have played which I find both unusual and amusing.

1970s Selmer Bundy Bass Clarinet

This bass clarinet was a surprise Christmas gift this past year. I had mentioned to my parents maybe wanting a Bundy bass clarinet, and when Christmas came around, this thing was under the tree much to my surprise. While I have my doubts as to its claim that it was “professionally serviced” a few adjustments got it playing nicely and it is just your typical Bundy bass in all respects. It has a nice tone and tons of volume and bite in the low end and its pretty responsive across the ranges other than the typical resistance in the upper register.

Now I know the question you are asking: “Why on earth would anyone want a Bundy? That’s just a crappy old student horn.” Most of the reason is sentimental, as this was the kind of bass clarinet I played through almost all of high school on, made all state on, and auditioned for college on. I also really like the way these play and I think they have much more projection and a better sound than any pro horn I have played. Not to mention, I love the simplicity and practicality of these bass clarinets. They have the bare essentials and that is all, and the things that they have work as intended and are pretty reliable. I also like the durability and build quality of these old horns, they can take a beating and keep on playing well and they last a lifetime.

As far as negative things go, keywork is a little flimsy and oddly placed when compared to other bass clarinets, and the neck angle is a bit uncomfortable at times. The higher register is not as responsive as the Kohlert mentioned above because of the single vent “rocker style” register key, but I don’t mind the challenge and it forces me to really think about my voicing which is a good thing in my opinion. Say what you will, but the Bundy does exactly what I need: A cheap good quality bass clarinet with all of the essentials that sounds good and looks cool in my opinion. And I would say that’s all one can ask for.

Yamaha YAS-23 Alto Sax

After my wonderful experience playing my Yamaha 23 Tenor, I went on the hunt for an alto sax of the same model. A friend of mine from college was selling his old high school marching horn that was everything I wanted. It was the exact model and price I wanted and it was in good shape as well. I picked it up, gave it a good cleaning and a bit of adjustment and I was not disappointed. This horn has exceeded my expectations in every category and much like my tenor, it plays so well I forget that its a student horn. I am pleased to have this horn and look forward to many years of playing and teaching with it.

Yamaha YTS-23 Tenor Sax

I purchased this saxophone from a friend of mine who knew someone who was selling it very cheap. I had been wanting a decent tenor to practice on and record with for several years, so I went to check it out. After seeing and playing it, I could not pass it up. Other than needing a new pad and some adjustments, it is in beautiful condition and plays great. It also has some of the best intonation of any student model tenor saxophone I have played. This horn was probably made in the early 2000s, and has played a major role in my gigging and recording in last 6 years or so.

1968 Selmer Bundy “Mazzeo Model” Bb Clarinet

After all of the clarinets I have bought and owned, I still consider this one to be one of my best and most exciting purchases. This is a 1968 Bundy with the curious Mazzeo keywork system, intended to help the clarinet produce a clearer and more in tune throat Bb among other things. While professional model Selmer Paris Mazzeo instruments have other features, the student model Bundy is more or less a regular clarinet with the throat Bb appendage on the upper joint and a different bell. While many criticize, I like the design of the bell as it gives the clarinet a more modern look in my opinion.

I found this clarinet at an antique store back in 2021. It was in fine shape with its original accessories and surprisingly the original rental agreement from when it was rented new in 1968. Unlike some Mazzeo clarinets of this type found today, this one actually has all of the pins in the mechanism in tact, so the Mazzeo keywork actually functions as intended. I must say, I use the Mazzeo keywork sometimes and it really does work to improve the throat Bb once you get used implementing to it. This clarinet is an odd piece of clarinet history that I am happy to own, and I enjoy its surprisingly good sound with my Vandoren BD5 and the good throat Bb that it produces. In the photo below, you can see the Mazzeo keywork a little bit better on the upper joint.

Mouthpieces, Reeds and Other Equipment:

Primary Clarinet Setup: 1968 Selmer Bundy Mazzeo Model with a Vandoren BD5 13 Mouthpiece, Rover Mark III Dark Ligature, and Vandoren V12 Reeds 3.5

Primary Bass Clarinet Setup: 1970s Selmer Bundy USA Bass Clarinet with a Vandoren B45, Rovner Mark III Dark Ligature, and Vandoren V12 Reeds 3.5

Alto Sax Setup: 1970s Buescher Aristocrat (Bundy) Alto Sax with Jody Jazz HR mouthpiece and a Rovner Ligature and Rigotti Select Jazz Reeds Size 3.5

Tenor Sax Setup: Yamaha YTS-23 with Jody Jazz HR (Jazz) or Selmer C* Soloist (Classical) with a Rico Metal Ligature and Rigotti Select Jazz Reeds Size 3.0

Previous/ Bass Clarinet Setup: 1920s V. Kohlert Sons Kraslice Made in Czechoslovakia, a Yamaha 4C mouthpiece, a Rovner Mark III Dark Ligature, and either Rico Royal 3.0 Reeds or a Legere 2.5 Synthetic Reed. Still use this one sometimes for recordings and practice.

Recording Software and Hardware:

Software: Cubase Elements 13

Interfaces and Mics: Scarlett 2i2, MXL 770 and Floureon Microphones

Primary Recording Computer: 2008 Mac Pro with Windows 11 Pro

MIDI Controllers/Keyboards:

Yamaha Portable Grand YPG-235 USB MIDI, AKM320 USB MIDI, Yamaha Portasound PSS-170, PSS-270, PSR-47, Casio PT-100, Realistic Concertmate 700, and Boss Dr. Rhythm Section DR-5 Drum Machine.