Best option: come to the shop in Brooklyn. Frankly, a flight to NYC would be cheaper than me sending it to you with our trial fees. Schedule an appointment here! Why would a flight be less expensive? Read on:

To be really frank, this is a really special instrument and it's not something we want to send out a lot. So, we charge more for this trial than we do for other clarinets. If you plan to purchase it, awesomesauce. If you think you're going to return it and are interested in just giving it a blow, it's gonna cost you. (Sorry).

Like all Earspasm instruments, this basset clarinet comes with a 7-day trial, which means you have 7 days from the date of receipt to try the clarinet. If you don't like it, that's fine (my feelings aren't hurt!) — just let me know and I will send you a return label. Box it all up and send it back.

Unlike our soprano clarinets that have a 5% return fee, for this basset clarinet, we keep 6% to cover credit card transaction fees and a round trip back to my technicians to do a reset on the horn. This thing is more complex, hence the extra point on the return fee. So, you'd be looking at about $1,300 to try it, including shipping. I know: that's a lot. Hence my suggestion of trip to NY!

A standard A clarinet goes down to low E. A basset clarinet extends four semitones lower, to written C. Mozart wrote his Clarinet Concerto and Quintet for this extended range—but Stadler's instrument didn't survive, and when the Concerto was finally published in 1801, the editor just moved the impossible notes up an octave. Most performances you've heard are playing the compromise version.

The Backun Lumière (~$13,700) and the Uebel Zenit extension (~$4,800) are both excellent modern basset clarinets with forward projection and contemporary bore designs. They play and sound like 21st-century instruments that happen to go lower. The Seggelke costs more and gives you period acoustic architecture—the Liebesfuß bell, the bent barrels, the tonal conception Mozart was writing for. Neither Backun nor Uebel offers a historical bell option.

I wrote a whole article on this that you should read. But the TL;DR version is: Grenadilla, cocobolo, and mopane do sound different. Grenadilla tends to project more, cocobolo feels warmer behind the horn, and mopane refuses to pick a lane and somehow does both. This Seggelke is mopane—there's a golden quality to the sound, less clinical than grenadilla, more singing.

Yes, it comes with Seggelke's standard warranty — which is to say, he will fix it for the lifetime of the instrument. If you ever have any problems, let me know and I will contact Jochen Seggelke. But be aware: because his instruments are kinda different, we might need to ship it to Germany for any repairs.

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.

In the case of this basset clarinet, yes, you will be responsible for both the shipping-to-you costs, and the return shipping costs. We will provide a label that includes insurance, so you don't have to worry about that!

Yes, but there are no returns for this clarinet if shipped internationally. 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.

Frankly, this is the way. Click to set up an appointment our appointment calendar!