Klarinet Archive - Posting 000180.txt from 1999/06

From: CEField@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Pruefer clarinet
Date: Thu, 3 Jun 1999 23:37:20 -0400

G. Pruefer was a clarinet maker in Providence, RI, my place of birth. The
company closed in the early 1960s. I'm not sure why. Their head clarinet
maker is now in his 90s and is arguably the best clarinet repairman in Rhode
Island.

I am told that the company made fishing lures before venturing into clarinet
making. This had something to do with Pruefer's proximity to the Davol Rubber
Co. (Are/were fishing lures made of rubber?) Anyway, many of the Pruefer
clarinets are hard rubber. If the upper joint of your clarinet has a metal
sleeve inside, the instrument is almost certainly hard rubber. Apparently,
rubber was extruded over the metal sleeve. After cooling/hardening, the tube
was drilled for tone holes etc. Some of the bells are plastic. And the
company did produce some wood clarinets which play beautifully. A friend has
one of their Professional wood clarinets and it is a treasure. In general,
Pruefer clarinets are sturdy instruments with very good intonation. I played
on a student model from 4th grade through young adulthood and I have worked
on several Pruefer clarinets since I took up "clarinet first-aid" as a hobby
;-)

Cindy

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