The World's Best Bass Clarinet Swab
The World's Best Bass Clarinet Swab
Bass Clarinet swabs. I think I've tried them all. Silk bass clarinet swabs are way too thin for my liking, and require I pull the swab through the instrument a million times before it looks like it's dry. I've seen (and bought, unfortunately) cotton clarinet and bass clarinet swabs that are just a joke. I've used really nice chamois and microfiber swabs, and they're insanely expensive. I've seen students work with socks attached to shoelaces. No I'm not kidding. As they say in TV infomercials, "There's got to be a better way!"
DO I HAVE TO DO THIS MYSELF? I ASKED.
"Okay," I said to myself. Or rather, I said to myself, "I'll buy the materials and pay my 18 year old daughter who is amazing with a sewing machine to do this." Yes, child labor made these swabs—but they're impeccably sewn (she's really good) by hand. (Well, by hand and machine.)
And, let's talk about the weight for a second. How many of you have seen bass clarinet swabs where the swab was half-way decent, but the pull-weight was too light for the swab, so it just pulled back out the top of the instrument when you let go? I bet a few of you.
So we made this swab with a fantastically soft, thick, absorbent, custom-made Korean microfiber that's 12" x 16" (30cm x 40cm), ruggedly sewn to a thick, 4-foot (1.25m) lace tube — it fits through the entire instrument without taking it apart! — inside which is a 2" (5cm) stainless steel weight.
You will love this swab. I swear.
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Recently received this product of Michael’s child labor program ;-). It lives up to the promise: it does a far better job than the official Buffet Crampon swab. Please thank your kid from me.
It works exactly the way I need it to work!
This bass clarinet swab certainly lives up to it's name. I also purchased the clarinet swab and mouthpiece cloth both, also great. They dried the bore in one go and pulled through easily. They are the best swabs I have ever used including ones I have made myself.
As a swab I agree that this probably is the best swab in the world - I have not tried every swab so I can't really say that it is but it is definitely the best that I have ever used. It would be even better if the cord was at least 4 inches longer. It is not quite long enough to easily use on my Royal bass clarinet without taking it completely apart.
Wipes up the competition!