Klarinet Archive - Posting 000031.txt from 1996/05

From: Steve Prescott <mipresc@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Questionable Eb
Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 11:28:21 -0400

Ed Lacy wrote, regarding Eb clarinet:
>
>Kohlert is a very well known manufacturer among bassoonists. Your
>instrument must have been made prior to 1918, because Kohlert was in that
>part of the world known as Czechoslavakia from that time on. During the
>1920's and 30's, Kohlert was thought of as the second leading bassoon
>manufacturer in the world. If a bassoonist couldn't afford a Heckel,
>they tried to get a Kohlert. The firm went out of business in the late
>1930's or '40's I think, primarily because of some very unsound business
>decisions. As it was explained to me, the firm agreed to supply a
>certain number of bassoons per year, for a period of 10 years, to an
>American importer, at no change in price! Then, due to extremely high
>rates of inflation, they were unable to keep up with their production.
>
>The current successor to Kohlert is Moosmann, who are making bassoons in
>Germany today. BTW, there was a recent thread on the flute list about a
>wooden flute made by Kohlert.
>
>For more thorough and documented information about the company, see "The
>New Langwill Index: A Dictionary of Musical Wind-Instrument Makers and
>Inventors," by William Waterhouse (London, 1993).
>
>Ed Lacy

Ed,

If this Eb clarinet was made before 1918 it's probably high pitch.
Also, I've worked on Czeck instruments before; the workmanship isn't very
good.

By the way, doesn't Kohlert make plumbing fixtures? ...I see the bassoon
connection here but not the clarinet! ...Oh, I remember, it's Kohler that
makes plumbing fixtures!

Steve.

Steve Prescott
Instrument Rep.Tech./ Clarinetist
Indiana State University
mipresc@-----.edu