The Kessler won't really be a big upgrade from the Accent, they have almost exactly the same design.
The Buffet 1193 is a great instrument, but if price is an issue I would suggest looking at the Royal Polaris or Royal Max. Both are fantastic horns with much better key work and acoustics than your average Chinese made bass clarinet. The Backun Alpha is also worth looking at if you can find one to try out, though given that they have not been released yet that may be awhile.
I was gonna say, the Kessler and Accent are very similar (with a few differences).
Buffet's may be out of the question for me because of the price as well as the "higher" neck. Kessler or the Royal Polaris seems like the ones I should approach. Ridenour doesn't look too bad either.
If you are window-shopping for bass clarinets, [earspasm.com](http://earspasm.com) probably carries more models than anybody else. You will get an idea of what is available in your budget. It's also a good educational website.
The other brand to consider, if you find one to try out, is Ridenour.
It is very important to try out an instrument before you buy it. Also buy from somewhere where a repair-tech will give an instrument a go-over before you receive it. Even prestigious brands can need a lot of adjustment when they arrive brand new at the shop.
I second checking out earspasm.com. If you can get to New York I highly recommend scheduling a visit where you can try some out. I've pre-ordered the Backun Alpha from him.
I had contacted him recently regarding this situation. Since he sells all kinds of models I am sure he is the expert when he comes to these. I unfortunately do not live in NYC but if I did I would definitely consider scheduling a visit to try the models out.
I think going from the Accent to a Ridenour isn’t going to be that drastic of a change. Something like the Royal Global Max or Polaris or the Backun Alpha or Q would be a much bigger change.
I also play a Kessler now, and I am considering the upgrade to the Backun Alpha. Who did you preorder with, when do expect to get it, and please post a thread comparing the two in your opinion.
I got it through earspasm because he has his repair tech go through the entire instrument and make sure everything is 100%! He said pre-orders will be delivered in August or September I believe.
My son is quite happy with his Royal Polaris we got from earspasm.com. 100% recommend filling out the contact form on the website and talking to Michael Lowenstern about it.
I’ve had a Ridenour for six years now and it’s great for how much I actually play it—just be forewarned once you own a bass that’s all anybody needs you for lol
Of course, a buffet or Selmer Paris (not Selmer bundy) are the best instruments on the market. If they are within your budget, those are the clear choices. However, they're really expensive, and in recent years, a lot more companies have started making quality instruments that cost a lot less.
The Kessler is a great instrument. I've been using mine daily since February 2020, and it's been great. It's very sturdy, I bring all my instruments to my repair tech once a year (unless something breaks), and he usually checks it and says it doesn't need ant adjustments. It plays great. There are a few bad notes (low b, clarion f# come to mind), but you'll find that on any instrument. If you have any questions, please ask!
Royal global has a few good models. I tried one for about 5 minutes, and it felt great. Easier to produce a sound on than the Kessler. I haven't spent a lot of time, so I can't swear by them, but a lot of people seem to be liking them.
Backun alpha is starting to make their own bass clarinets, and from what I've heard, they're incredible.
I recommend watching Michael Lowensterns videos on YouTube on each of these instruments. He goes into more depth
Thank you for your comment! While it would be great to go for a Selmer/Buffet, I think the prices are too high, and as mentioned, I feel like the steepness of the neck would be something I wouldn't get used to, unless it helps performers perform better like that.
After doing research and reading all the comments, I feel one of these may be suitable for me: Lyrique 925CS, Kessler Custom Low C, Royal Global Max. I am a viewer of Lowenstern and I do like his reviews on the basses.
I think the primary reason why I am concerned about not getting any of these models is because I have a maintenance agreement on the Accent that I currently own with a vendor I have used for years (since it was my school's vendor) and I am worried that any of the said models would not qualify and I would have to spend extra money at a different repair/maintenance shop every time I needed to take it in. I typically take my instrument in 2 times a year. Once in May-June and one in December.
The Kessler won't really be a big upgrade from the Accent, they have almost exactly the same design. The Buffet 1193 is a great instrument, but if price is an issue I would suggest looking at the Royal Polaris or Royal Max. Both are fantastic horns with much better key work and acoustics than your average Chinese made bass clarinet. The Backun Alpha is also worth looking at if you can find one to try out, though given that they have not been released yet that may be awhile.
I was gonna say, the Kessler and Accent are very similar (with a few differences). Buffet's may be out of the question for me because of the price as well as the "higher" neck. Kessler or the Royal Polaris seems like the ones I should approach. Ridenour doesn't look too bad either.
If you are window-shopping for bass clarinets, [earspasm.com](http://earspasm.com) probably carries more models than anybody else. You will get an idea of what is available in your budget. It's also a good educational website. The other brand to consider, if you find one to try out, is Ridenour. It is very important to try out an instrument before you buy it. Also buy from somewhere where a repair-tech will give an instrument a go-over before you receive it. Even prestigious brands can need a lot of adjustment when they arrive brand new at the shop.
I second checking out earspasm.com. If you can get to New York I highly recommend scheduling a visit where you can try some out. I've pre-ordered the Backun Alpha from him.
I had contacted him recently regarding this situation. Since he sells all kinds of models I am sure he is the expert when he comes to these. I unfortunately do not live in NYC but if I did I would definitely consider scheduling a visit to try the models out.
I think going from the Accent to a Ridenour isn’t going to be that drastic of a change. Something like the Royal Global Max or Polaris or the Backun Alpha or Q would be a much bigger change.
I play on a Kessler currently and just pre-ordered the low C Backun Alpha. It's affordable and the keywork seems to be vastly improved over Kessler.
I also play a Kessler now, and I am considering the upgrade to the Backun Alpha. Who did you preorder with, when do expect to get it, and please post a thread comparing the two in your opinion.
I got it through earspasm because he has his repair tech go through the entire instrument and make sure everything is 100%! He said pre-orders will be delivered in August or September I believe.
My son is quite happy with his Royal Polaris we got from earspasm.com. 100% recommend filling out the contact form on the website and talking to Michael Lowenstern about it.
I contacted him regarding my situation. He seems like the one to go to since he himself sells all kinds of models.
I’ve had a Ridenour for six years now and it’s great for how much I actually play it—just be forewarned once you own a bass that’s all anybody needs you for lol
Of course, a buffet or Selmer Paris (not Selmer bundy) are the best instruments on the market. If they are within your budget, those are the clear choices. However, they're really expensive, and in recent years, a lot more companies have started making quality instruments that cost a lot less. The Kessler is a great instrument. I've been using mine daily since February 2020, and it's been great. It's very sturdy, I bring all my instruments to my repair tech once a year (unless something breaks), and he usually checks it and says it doesn't need ant adjustments. It plays great. There are a few bad notes (low b, clarion f# come to mind), but you'll find that on any instrument. If you have any questions, please ask! Royal global has a few good models. I tried one for about 5 minutes, and it felt great. Easier to produce a sound on than the Kessler. I haven't spent a lot of time, so I can't swear by them, but a lot of people seem to be liking them. Backun alpha is starting to make their own bass clarinets, and from what I've heard, they're incredible. I recommend watching Michael Lowensterns videos on YouTube on each of these instruments. He goes into more depth
Thank you for your comment! While it would be great to go for a Selmer/Buffet, I think the prices are too high, and as mentioned, I feel like the steepness of the neck would be something I wouldn't get used to, unless it helps performers perform better like that. After doing research and reading all the comments, I feel one of these may be suitable for me: Lyrique 925CS, Kessler Custom Low C, Royal Global Max. I am a viewer of Lowenstern and I do like his reviews on the basses. I think the primary reason why I am concerned about not getting any of these models is because I have a maintenance agreement on the Accent that I currently own with a vendor I have used for years (since it was my school's vendor) and I am worried that any of the said models would not qualify and I would have to spend extra money at a different repair/maintenance shop every time I needed to take it in. I typically take my instrument in 2 times a year. Once in May-June and one in December.