Craftsmanship. Expertise. Innovation. All united and perfected in a master instrument.
Smooth, supple, touching sound. Deeply emotional. Refreshingly versatile.
A masterpiece that opens up new worlds of musical freedom with plenty of room for development.
The warm, harmonious sound of the Solista d’arte will touch you, move you, enthrall you. It will get under your skin.
Solista d’arte – sound redefined.
Flowing, rolling lines… homogeneous, tapering shapes... drop-like keys melting into the keywork... round rather than straight lines... no corners or edges... all curves.
Bionics...
DESIGN 3.8 follows the rules of Mother Nature. A minimalistic approach providing maximum mechanical stability and support where necessary but avoiding weight and mass where possible.
Proportions pleasing to the eye... based on the Golden Ratio, DESIGN 3.8 creates relations that unite form and function. This is the spirit of DESIGN 3.8
Soft, round and harmonious keys... shapes and fingers melting into one... shapes that create a feeling of connection, stability and reliability... flattering forms to love and cherish.
Finest craftsmanship...
These keys have been developed with sophisticated CAD systems and state-of-the-art 3D printing technology. However, the “final touch” is created by hand and with an obsession for detail.
That gives every master instrument its distinctive and real DESIGN 3.8 feel. True to nature. True to the touch.
Just like sound waves... round, flowing, never straight... a continuous flow of concave and convex lines... naturally perfect... perfectly natural.
A well-rounded instrument...
DESIGN 3.8 features a parabolic bore, concave or convex tone holes and tapering radii in the inner bore.
These innovations are based on the principles of fluid mechanics, creating a soft, flexible and vibrant sound. The quest for the perfect sound culminates in DESIGN 3.8
Number of keys: 31
Soft, round and harmonious keys... shapes and fingers melting into one... shapes that create a feeling of connection, stability and reliability... flattering forms to love and cherish.
Finest craftsmanship...
These keys have been developed with sophisticated CAD systems and state-of-the-art 3D printing technology. However, the “final touch” is created by hand and with an obsession for detail.
That gives every master instrument its distinctive and real GEROLD CLARINETS feel. True to nature. True to the touch.
Design 3.8
Design 3.8 is the logical evolution of Design 3. Clarinet keys usually have a pentagonal cross-section, i.e. a rectangular or square shape with a facet (house with roof). Design 3.8. goes even one step further. The previously sharp facet now has an additional facet on top. On the bottom side of the key, a gradient facet is carefully applied by hand. This results in an octagonal cross-section, which reduces the weight of the key while guaranteeing the same stability and reliability. It creates a smooth feel and a subtle visual refinement.
Weight Bb clarinet: approx. 800g
Bionics...
GEROLD CLARINETS follows the rules of Mother Nature. A minimalistic approach providing maximum mechanical stability and support where necessary but avoiding weight and mass where possible.
Density of silver: 50µm
If handled with care, this silver plating can last for an entire clarinet life. Due to the very high silver density, the oscillation of the keywork is cushioned. This strong silver plating also ensures a pleasant and soft clarinet sound.
Basic tuning: 443 Hertz (440 Hertz)
The GEROLD CLARINET is supplied with a basic tone (barrel length 60mm) of 443 Hertz at 21° Celsius, 60% humidity, played with a soloist mouthpiece (Austrian tip), reed density 4-5. (A temperature deviation of 2° Celsius changes the overall tone by 1 hertz!) On request, a basic tuning of 440 Hertz is also available.
Silver-Line
Because it is a pure noble metal, silver is distinguished by very smooth, rounded but nonetheless splendid sound characteristics which are sustainable and rich in harmonics.
Tonal characteristics, which harmonise wonderfully especially with the blackwood of the clarinet. It is all the more astonishing that until now hardly any noble metals were used in the manufacture of clarinets to refine the tone.
All the metals on the blackwood corpus of the clarinet naturally begin to vibrate when you play the clarinet. The property of the metal dictates which frequencies are increased or reduced. This of course means that a very hard metal will reinforce different timbres than a very soft metal, such as silver.
That is also the reason why in the SOLISTA DE ARTE all (covered) corpus rings, tenon rings, the G4 and the duodecimal tube are made from pure silver.
Silver Line... scarcely visible and therefore all the more audible.
Gold-plated pillars
A subtle touch of luxury for your GEROLD CLARINET. Timeless, elegant and a lasting value.
Body rings made out of grenadilla wood with pure silver rings
They pure silver rings under the grenadilla wood body rings are a reliable protection against cracks and damages at all joint connections.
Because it is a pure noble metal, silver is distinguished by very smooth, rounded but nonetheless splendid sound characteristics which are sustainable and rich in harmonics.
Tonal characteristics, which harmonise wonderfully especially with the Blackwood of the clarinet.
In any case, grenadilla wood body rings are a very fine, optical and haptic embellishment for your GEROLD CLARINET.
Optimized rolls at B4 / C#5 and C5 and D#5 keys
A uniform surface of B4 / C#5 and C#4 / G#5, rolls on the very upper part as well as freely levelling rolls at D#5 / Eb5 and C5, in connection with an ergonomical shape, really facilitate sliding!
Water-repellent goat leather pads
Finest goat leather pads with integrated high tech membranes connect the best possible haptic experience with a softer, darker sound and maximum reliability!
+/- adjusting screws made from stainless steel
Simple and precise adjustment due to +/- adjustment screws at all key connections.
Free flat springs
Free, dynamic, sensitive.
A small spacer disc gives the flat spring enough space to move freely and dynamically over its entire length. This small innovation gives your fingers a noticeably livelier as well as sensitively precise key movement.
Needle springs made out of rust-resistant spring steel
Liveliness and durable tension still make spring steel the best choice.
Stainless steel key screws
Should be a matter of course for high-end instruments. Due to their longevity, they reduce service costs and prevent the danger of keywork standstills.
Increased pad places made out of grenadilla wood
Elaborate, elevated grenadilla wood pad places provide for a completely flat surface for they clarinet pads. They improve the clarinet density, avoid disturbing air noises at the air output and optimize the sound quality with regard to resonance, rich harmonics and intonation.
Tone hole drilling concave and convex
What was it again? Concave, convex or the other way round? It doesn't matter since it just has to be round!
The internal hole of a clarinet is mostly cylindrical. On its upper and/or lower end, however, it is conically rejuvenating and/or conically opening.
To reproduce acoustic waves as naturally as possible, these areas will be drilled parabolically, i.e. with a slight radius, for all GEROLD CLARINETS from 2011 onwards.
For our professional models AMADEUS de luxe and VIENNA STYLE, we even go a further step ahead; all tone holes are concavely undercut and/or open convexly towards the outside. Or is it the other way round? Well, that remains our business secret!
The only important and equally fascinating aspect is the fact that these tiny radii ensure a unique softness, smoothness as well as opulence and resonance of the sound.
Asymmetrical tone holes
Vortex, air pressure, flow rate... These physical characteristics directly impact each other in any tone hole. The ideal shape of a tone hole significantly enhances intonation, sound and playing feel. An asymmetrical tone hole optimizes the air flow, reduces various air pressure zones and promotes a homogeneous, stable and free air flow. Differences in intonation and tone between forte and piano can be balanced much more easily with this asymmetrical tone hole.
Silent Stop
Felt cushions, discreetly integrated in the clarinet corpus, absorb the impact noises of the F5 mechanism, the D#5/Eb5 lever key, the C5 and the B4 key.
4 trill keys
Ergonomical design facilitates sliding from Eb4 / Bb5 to F4 / C5. Beautiful shape comes in pair with functionality.
C#5 trill key
A central pressure point on the c#5 trill key avoids one-sided contact of the cushion.
Duodecimal connection
With the aid of the duodecimal connection the upper resonance key of the ring key mechanism and the E4 resonance key are closed by pressing on the speaker key.
The duodecimal connection makes it possible to produce a pure G#6 and a balanced twelfth between E4 and B5.
Forked Bb5 mechanism
In conjunction with the ergonomically designed ring keys the forked Bb5 mechanism is a helpful alternative fingering. This mechanism ensures a very good sound and a tonally pure forked Bb5.
Forked F5 mechanism
F5 keywork - Design and +/- adjustment screws for all key connections are automatically complementing each other.
D#5 / Eb5 lever key
The D#5 / Eb5 lever key allows you a fast change between C5 to D#5 / Eb5 and/or between the small F3 and the small G#3 / Ab3.
F5 / Bb3 lever key
With the F5 lever key, you can not only finger the F5 with your left hand’s little finger, but also have a third alternative for the small Bb3. Especially in very fast fingering combinations, it can help a lot to be independent of forked fingering.
E4 resonance key
This resonance hole has been positioned at the lowest possible edge in order to ensure optimal tuning as well as sound quality for E4 / B5. +/- adjustment screws at all rod connections facilitate accurate readjustments.
E3 / F3 mechanism with adjustable touch piece
The low-pitched e-f keywork allows for a tune and sound correction of the low-pitched e and f tones. With this keywork, you can balance the intonation difference between piano and forte very well. (approx. -5 to -10 cents)
Furthermore, this keywork also improves the sound quality of these two tones. Through the steplessly adjustable pressing mechanism, you can adapt the low-pitched e-f keywork individually to the ergonomical needs of your thumb.
One side distance control
Due to different temperature and humidity levels, the wooden clarinet corpus shrinks or extends. Thanks to this simple structure, sticking or loosening of the keywork is prevented. With this innovation, you will no longer need to worry about “dry” concert halls or trips to countries with other climatic conditions!
Thumb plate made out of grenadilla wood
This grenadilla wood thumb plate (approx. 2 mm thick) provides for a longer distance between your thumb and the fingers of your right hand and therefore ensures a pleasant and relaxed position of your wrist. Especially for smaller hands, this thumb plate has been very helpful. Also tall clarinet players are very comfortable with this grenadilla wood thumb plate. Due to its position close to an oscillation node, this grenadilla wood thumb plate also has a very positive effect on the clarinet's oscillation behaviour. With a personal signature on the thumb plate (optional), you can transform your clarinet into a unique and distinctive instrument!
Easy Slide
Easy sliding where it is most important. Only the key areas for the little fingers are satined very discreetly and accurately with high-quality ceramic sand in a sandblasting process. Due to this microscopic surface architecture (similar to the lotus effect), sliding between these key combinations is substantially facilitated.
Delivery time: sold out
The finest quality straight from the hands of a master. This has been the principle ever since my firm was founded. All GEROLD CLARINETS are finely worked masterpieces - Master instruments which I personally make by hand with great skill to the requirements of each individual customer. Such fascinating musical instruments are not produced in large quantities. They are created with great personal commitment, professionalism and passion. These are values, which are found to perfection in every single GEROLD CLARINET.
