Klarinet Archive - Posting 001205.txt from 2000/06

From: "Dee D. Hays" <deehays@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Looking for information on my horn
Date: Tue, 27 Jun 2000 17:14:52 -0400

----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles S. Mims" <charles@-----.net>
Subject: [kl] Looking for information on my horn

> Good morning,
> My name is Charles Mims, and I began playing the clarinet in the early
80's
> when I was a 7th grade band student. I continued to play up until I
> graduated college, but haven't touched the horn in about 9 years. I've
been
> lurking on this list for a week or so and reading through many of the
> archives. What I would like is some information on my horn. It was
passed
> on to my by my aunt who bought it new. (1960's mabye?) It came in a case
> marked Bundy, which of course leads me to believe it was a Bundy unless
the
> music dealer wasn't honest. It was sold as brand new. It is different
from
> most clarinets I've seen because when purchased it came with a resonite
> barrel and bell, but the rest of the horn is wood. There are no brand
> markings on the horn anywhere except for a serial #10255. Because it is
> extremely hard to play (even when in good condition!) I've wondered for
some
> time was the horn really manufactured with the mismatched barrell and
bell.
> The reason I'm asking the question is it needs a complete overhaul, but I
> would like to know what I have before I decide to put that much into it.
> The pads are shot and the corks all need replacing. The springs have
> "sprung".
>
> Charles

As far as I know, Selmer has *always* marked their horns with brand and/or
model. If there are no markings on the clarinet, I highly doubt that it is
a Selmer Bundy or any other model of Selmer. Of course sometimes markings
do wear off, but if you hold it at an angle under good light, you should be
able to see the impressions. Many times you can even read the words if you
look closely enough.

It's possible it might have been a new instrument. I've seen a few listed
as having wood bodies but resonite barrel and/or bell. If your aunt was a
kid in school at the time, it is also possible that some other kid switched
parts with her instrument without her knowledge. With no makers name on it,
there is no way to find out who really made it.

Why do you say it was hard to play even when in good condition. Any
clarinet (good or bad) should be easily played if all the pads seat right.
Some do come with really bad mouthpieces that make it difficult to
impossible to play but that can be cured with a different mouthpiece. It's
also quite common for new horns to have leaky pads from getting out of
alignment during shipping and this makes it difficult to play. With no name
clarinets, the big problems are in tone quality and intonation accuracy.

My own opinion is that since it is a no name instrument, you are better off
buying a new beginner model from one of the major makers (Selmer, Leblanc,
Yamaha, and Buffet), especially since it needs a complete overhaul. The
major mail order dealers sell these beginner models for under $400. Or you
could look at new or used intermediate or professional models. If you go
the latter route, have a knowledgeable clarinet teacher or player help you.
Again stick to the four major makers.

In buying instruments, especially used ones, the name on the case may have
no bearing on the brand of clarinet. The cases can be purchased separately.

Dee Hays

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