Klarinet Archive - Posting 000521.txt from 1998/11

From: Jack Kissinger <kissingerjn@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: [kl] Is this bass clarinet a rip-off?
Date: Sat, 14 Nov 1998 15:42:41 -0500

For some reason, I didn't get Ed White's original message. From the picture I
get from eBay, it's hard to tell whether the metal is tarnished or not -- the
picture is so blurry. In any case, the starting bid of $1,500 for this bass
clarinet is IMHO too high to warrant serious consideration, regardless of the
instrument's condition. This bass clarinet was almost certainly made for Linton
(who, according to their current owner never made wooden clarinets) by Robert
Malerne. Since Linton stopped selling clarinets in 1972, it has to be at least
26 years old, probably more. Hard to imagine that an instrument was almost
never played in all that time (unless, of course, it was a real dog). Roger
Garrett sold a Linton bass on eBay awhile back. I don't remember what he got
for it but it has to have been less than half the starting bid on this one. As
I recall, Roger's had sterling silver keys (I don't know about the bell or
neck). Malerne clarinets are not bad horns. Some of Malerne's labor was
probably moonlighting workers from the other factories. Malerne's factory was in
the same district outside Paris as Buffet, Selmer and others. SML Strasser,
Marigaux, Lemaire purchased the factory around 1984. I have a Bb Malerne and
an Eb Linton, both decent instruments but, at best step-up models. IMHO, the
seller would be doing pretty well (at least on eBay) to realize $600.

The Leblanc looks to be a nice instrument and, at $699, has already passed its
reserve price so it will sell. With 2+ days to go on the auction, however, I
think it will probably go for quite a bit more than the current bid. (A perhaps
comparable Selmer Series 9 bass clarinet brought around $1,200 a while back if
my memory serves -- and BTW, I thought memory was the second thing to go ;^). )
But $1,500 for a Malerne/Linton is a fuzzy picture? I don't think so.

Edward Evans wrote:

> I noticed that there is also a Leblanc there for $610...that might be a
> better deal....it looked to be from a dealer so you might get a better idea
> of the horn.....I'd check it out if I were you
>
> At 01:17 AM 11/14/98 -0500, you wrote:
> >In a message dated 11/13/98 10:36:54 PM Central Standard Time,
> >ewwhite@-----.edu writes:
> >
> ><< From: ewwhite@-----.edu (Edmund William White)
> > Reply-to: klarinet@-----.org
> > To: klarinet@-----.org
> >
> > http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=41487980
> >
> > >>
> >Hardly used my ............!
> >
> >I seem to see tarnished keys everywhere. Maybe just my eyes going. They say
> >the eyes are the SECOND thing to go......

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