Uebel Universal "U" Barrel (Bb/A Clarinet)

Developed with Uebel's long-time co-conspirator, Ricard Morales of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Universal Barrel is a one-size-fits-both-A-and-Bb-clarinet product. A lot of manufacturers are doing this now, and I love it. (Because I have always disliked swapping my mouthpiece during concerts, since the reed inevitably gets janked, and I have to realign it. With a single barrel, I can just swap the barrel and the reed is blissfully undisturbed.)

It's also "Universal" since it works on most clarinet makes, not just Uebel. (Selmer: sorry, you've been left out again because your barrels are not standard sizes.)

Two woods: grenadilla and mopane. Grenadilla is a focused and a little brighter; mopane is warmer and richer, especially at a distance. (If you want to go deep into wood types, read this post.) Neither is the right answer in the abstract — it depends on what your instrument and your playing already bring. If you're not sure which way to go, drop me an email before you order. It's a two-minute conversation.

Standard or Reverse Taper — what's the difference?

The bore of barrel isn't usually just a cylindrical tube — it has a shape. In a standard taper, the bore gets slightly narrower as you move from the mouthpiece end toward the top joint. The reverse taper flips that: narrower at the mouthpiece end, wider where the barrel meets the instrument.

So what? The standing wave inside a clarinet bounces back and forth along the bore. When it hits a choke point — where the bore gets narrower — it reflects back with more intensity. Move that choke point, and you're changing where and how that reflection happens, which affects the sound, the response, and the pitch in different parts of the range. A lot of players find the reverse taper opens up the throat tones and makes the break feel a little smoother. Your mileage, as always, will vary.

Lengths run from 62mm to 68mm, and we currently carry 64mm, 65mm and 66mm There's a sterling silver "U" inlaid at the top (very nice), and a gold-plated version if you want to go full fancy. (Does the metal make a difference? You probably already know my opinion on the matter...)

Wanna try it?

Order it and see what you think! If you hate the barrel, return it and pay only shipping + credit card transaction fee (3%) — not a bad way to spend 10 bucks!