Uebel Superior Plateau Bb Clarinet - Mopane

The Uebel Superior Plateau clarinet is a rare animal: it's a Bb clarinet with closed keys. Why closed keys? Why not?

Never considered a closed-hole clarinet? You're not alone—about 99.98% of clarinet players play "regular" open-hole clarinets, but think about it this way: if you have 1) little or skinny fingers, 2) an ailment that makes it difficult to feel whether your fingers are covering the holes (like peripheral neuropathy), 3) are a sax player that doesn't want to have to deal with covering open holes with your fingers, or 4) a bass clarinet player who is like the sax player in #3...well, this instrument makes it 1,000,000% easier to play the clarinet (and in some cases it's the ONLY way someone can play it!)

But it's not for everybody. So, if you'd like to order it to see if it's for you, all earspasm instruments come with a 7-day trial. Please read my trial policy before pulling out that credit card. Or, you can stop by the studio and try it yourself!

The gold vs silver keys and posts? Well, it's an aesthetic thing, but some players believe the gold has a mellowing effect on the sound (and it certainly feels different under the fingers). And, gold is definitely a softer metal than silver on the MOHS scale, so with the posts that make contact with the wood being entirely gold plated, I can see how that might be the case.

Resistance: 8/10, Medium-Heavy

The Plateau clarinet, due to its design, feels quite resistant, but never stuffy. It's got a beautiful sound—and in that, it stands alone in the world of Plateau clarinets (let's be honest though: the Plateau world is pretty small, and full of instruments that are 50+ years old).

In general, more resistance in a clarinet design usually keeps the louder dynamic ranges from spreading; the clarinet "holds its core" and focus, but will provide a smaller dynamic range (on both ends, loud and soft) and smaller color palette. A less resistant clarinet typically provides a much wider tonal palette to choose from, but will require more control from the player to control pitch and sound consistency.

When listening for how a clarinet responds to added air pressure and embouchure control, listen to the Weber example (wide dynamic range and color range), then the Berlioz excerpt (wide dynamic range, but narrow color range), and finally the Gershwin excerpt (narrow dynamic range and narrow color range). You will hear how these clarinets respond — for better or worse! — to my input as a clarinet player.

This instrument comes with

• Pochette-style clarinet case and custom leather cover
• Swab, shoulder strap (for case), cork grease, etc.

All earspasm instruments come with a 7-day trial. Please read my trial policy before pulling out that credit card.

A geeky deep-dive into Uebel seasons their wood:

I often joke that Uebel is a wood company that happens to make clarinets. 

Uebel's wood seasoning process is unique among the manufacturers I carry. I toured their wood storage facility, and while I wasn't allowed to take pictures, let me describe it to you. The best comparison is that it's like a big wine cellar, located across the street from their office in Wiesbaden, Germany. Rather than buying billets (square logs) of raw wood, Uebel purchase the wood pre-turned. In other words, they're clarinet-shaped cylinders, with a small hole in the middle (which will become the bore). Then it sits there for 10 years or more, until it's made into a clarinet, so all I saw was stacks and stacks of wood tubes, floor-to-ceiling, just...sitting there. For a decade. 

The cellar is not climate controlled, so each piece of wood is subjected to at least 40 season changes before it's made into a clarinet. Uebel's logic is that letting the wood just naturally season (inside and out — hence the pre-drilled bore hole), if it's going to crack, it'll crack before you get it; if it doesn't crack, it'll be much less likely to crack once you break it in.

As I see it, there's a potential downside to naturally drying the wood: kiln-drying (like Backun, et al) allows you to control the wood's humidity more carefully, because the whole process is actively managed. Naturally air-drying the wood is less scientific, and the moisture content of the wood varies with each piece. That said, the proof is in the pudding: of all the clarinets I sell, Uebel instruments seem to crack less often then others. 

Tariffs: The Gift No One Asked For

As of April, 2025, thanks to new U.S. tariffs on imports from Germany, the cost of these clarinets shot up by about $550. Yeah—I choked on my Schnitzel too. I'm covering half of that increase because I like you (and because we’re not monsters), but unfortunately, the other half is now baked into the price. I hate it, you hate it, yet here we are—bonded by bureaucracy.

FAQ:

Q: What if I'm in New York and want to try it in person?
A: Contact me to set up an appointment, and let's do it!

Q: Does the instrument come with a warranty?
A: Yes, it comes with the standard Uebel 5-year warranty against cracks, and 2 years for mechanical issues. If you ever have any problem with the instrument, I'm your quarterback. I'll take care of the whole process, just let me know you need help, and I'll take it from there.

Q: What happens if it's damaged during shipping?
A: Inspect the package before you sign off at delivery! If there are any issues resulting from shipping, we have taken out an insurance policy to cover damage (and loss). But we need you to document this damage or we can't do anything to help. Please read my trial policy for how to handle this issue, should it arise.

Q: If I decide to return it, do have to pay return shipping costs?
A: Not if you live in the Continental US! Because I want you to find the right instrument for you, and doing so online is harder than doing so in-person, I will cover the return shipping. Please  read my trial policy for trial and return rules.

Q: Do you ship internationally?
A: Yes. You can add your shipping address when checking out to see what the shipping costs will be before taking the plunge. Note that VAT and Customs Duties are not included in this cost.