Klarinet Archive - Posting 000017.txt from 2001/03

From: Bill Hausmann <bhausmann1@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Strange clarinet, finding key/pitch?
Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2001 18:56:19 -0500

At 01:08 PM 3/1/2001 -0500, Eric Mumpower wrote:
>I am looking at a strange clarinet. I was hoping someone here might be able
>to help me identify it?
>
>It is a Buffet Crampon full-boehm system with low Eb key, serial number
>583J, marked "Buffet Crampon & Co. Paris" and, right below that, "BREVETES
>X. X. X. X. Made in France" (I cannot make out exactly what four initials
>follow the "brevetes".)
>
>The body is a single piece, with no tenon between the hands. With the bell
>and barrel removed, the body of this instrument is roughly 47.6 cm (just
>under 18.75 inches) from tip to tip.
>
>When I put a Bb-soprano mouthpiece and bell on it and finger the throat-tone
>F through A, I get notes very close to (perhaps the same as) concert pitches
>E through G#. The pads on this instrument are in poor condition, and it's
>possible that there is a leak somewhere causing a tonal shift.
>
>
>I wonder if perhaps it is a clarinet in B? (Or could it be a low-pitch
>clarinet in C?) Is there a way to correlate my serial number with any of
>this to determine what pitch this instrument is in?
>
>
>Any assistance is much appreciated. Thank you.

The initials are probably S. G. D. A., which I think stand for "Societe
Generale something something" -- fancy French legal wording for company or
corporation, like GmbH in German. The serial number dates to 1896. My
guess is that is it a HIGH pitch Bb.

Bill Hausmann bhausmann1@-----.com
451 Old Orchard Drive http://homepages.go.com/~zoot14/zoot14.html
Essexville, MI 48732 ICQ UIN 4862265

If you have to mic a saxophone, the rest of the band is TOO LOUD!

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