 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jimmy
Date: 2004-01-27 19:49
A friend of mine showed me a clarinet that he has and wanted to know something, or anything, about it. So I have no idea what it is so I am posting it here. He has no clue when, where, or how he got it.
I would really like any info on the company that made it, when it was made, what quality is it, and what system it is.
here is the imprint of the company
Walker
Musical <-------could be music, or musica
Milwaukee
Serial number - 800
It is an older system for sure. here is a discription
three trill keys for right hand or upper joint (right side)
the throat tone keys for Bb, A, G#, are like a standard boehm
only two rings, one the bottom 2 holes of the bottom joint
two tear drop buttons for low notes operated by left hand
2 mecanisms for low notes operated by left hand, one is really long and
straight, and the other is two long rods that meet in the middle,
like what bassons have for pads that are far away.
it is in horable condition, needs all new pads and springs and such. the wood it in great shape though.
oh, and the case is a vertical cylender that you put one joint on one side and one joint on the other. I don't know wether or not it is the origonal case. (probably not)
Thanks in advance or any info!
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2004-01-27 21:33
Jimmy: This beast may be a late Mueller clarinet. Starting about 1825, the two right hand "spectacle" rings came into use, but upper rings were rare before the 1850s. I would suspect it has only two right side ("trill") keys, and the throat G# key has no screw above the A key, unlike a Boehm Clarinet. If it has only four large pads near the bottom, it does NOT have the "patent C#" mechanism, which uses one more large hole for a total of five.
If that's all correct, this Clarinet is of a system that was built on into the twentieth century, but very few after about the 1880s. And yes, there were much more flexible fingering systems in use long before then, but some players of the older instruments had a hard time giving them up.
The instrument is probably thoroughly undistinguished (if for no other reason, because of its name) and may not at all be worth repairing. However, some people think the ancient wood may be just fine if it looks good. Not falling apart, that is.
If it's all there and doesn't look like a basket case, the only way to tell if this may be a useful item is to fit it all together, using plumber's nylon tape as necessary to seal the tenons (don't use too much, or you may overstress it and crack a socket). Plug tone holes any way practical -- small flat pieces cut from an old bicycle inner tube may be useful -- and see how it sounds. Intonation may be surprising, as some of those old things -- with fewer holes than we see nowadays -- were acoustically pretty good. In 1954 Rendall said that E. Albert's Clarinets (ca. 1870) had the best intonation of any Clarinets ever made.
There is likely no one who could identify the actual builder except by careful examination (which probably would not do it, anyway).
Regards,
John
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Author: Dee
Date: 2004-01-27 22:14
This could also be an Albert system clarinet if the 3 side trill key description is correct. The case would be what some call a "military" case.
Is there anything like "LP" or "HP" or "Low Pitch" or "High Pitch" anywhere on the instrument?
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2004-01-27 22:39
Sorry, the three side keys somehow got past me. But AFAIK, although some Alberts may have had no LH rings, all of them had Patent C#, And agreed, the military case is not at all unusual for those pieces.
Regards,
John
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Author: Dee
Date: 2004-01-28 00:31
The description is sketchy enough that it is not clear whether the patent C# mechanism is on the instrument. So I'm still betting Albert myself. I've seen some that had no left hand rings. If you study those Albert system horns that do have left hand rings, they really don't interact in anyway. I.e. they don't create any alternate fingering possibilities. They just seem to allow the actuation of a small adjacent pad that improves the intonation of the particular note being played.
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2004-01-28 04:27
Dee, I do not disagree with that. But the best of E. Albert had LH rings, although I do believe Albert made some earlier ones without. The LH rings were one feature that made their intonation so good.
And no, the description so far says nothing about Patent C#. I hope we may find out whether it has four or five large pads on the lower joint. I agree, if it has five, it's an Albert (or close enough to call it that). Without, it really doesn't qualify -- not to me, anyway.
Regards,
John
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Author: Jimmy
Date: 2004-01-29 19:08
Thanks to all who have posted so far!
here is some more info:
There are five larg pads on the lower joint, two on the right side, three on the left
this makes a total of six pads on the lower joint, the sixth being the alternate fingering for B/F# that is between the two bottom holes that have the only two rings on them.
also, you were correct, the is no screw through the G# key that crosses over the A key at the top of the top joint.
hope this helps, Also I double checked and all of the information in the post is correct.
Jimmy
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2004-01-29 19:54
Jimmy, I believe Dee is correct, and what you have there is an early-style Albert system Clarinet. The likely value in its present condition is maybe 10 or 20 bux on a good day. But you never know, someone who used to lives in Wisconsin might think it looks just like one his grandpappy used to play, and a much better offer might be made. Not to hold one's breath, though.
Of course, call it "Vintage," or "Antique," maybe "Rare," and some eBay buyer might go berserk over it. Again, keep breathing.
Regards,
John
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Author: Jimmy
Date: 2004-01-29 21:50
Actually I am going to restor it.
Who knows? Maby it will soud bad, but maby it wont.
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Author: Jimmy
Date: 2004-01-30 13:05
one more thing:
It does say LP, on the barrel
There is a B underneath it
Why does it say LP for Low Pitch?
Thanks,
Jimmy
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2004-01-30 15:17
Up until some time after World War I, many bands played at "High Pitch," about a quarter-step higher than A=440. In those days, many instruments were marked "HP" or "LP" so anyone could tell them apart just by looking. Low Pitch Clarinets are (or should be) tuned to A=440 and thus can be played with modern instruments.
Regards,
John
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