 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Imperial Zeppelin
Date: 2006-09-23 11:26
Learned colleagues: We have an old family metal clarinet that has been dismissed sight unseen by "knowledgeable" people as "not worthy" of anything. One of my winter projects is to use it to build a lamp for my daughter for a Xmas present. However, I've been reading here and at "Sax On The Web" and there are some fans of metal clarinets, especially for jazz, so I'm rethinking my plans.
OK, it's a Belmar, 1-piece Bb, serial number AB1675. Do I go ahead with lamp plans or do I have it overhauled (pads in great shape, it might even still be playable) and surprise my daughter Xmas morning with a new clarinet for jazz instead of a new lamp?
Thanks,
Zep
Post Edited (2006-09-23 11:34)
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2006-09-23 14:42
Well...when the pads look great, why don't you just give it a try? And it's not even what others might tell you about "worthy" brands - either you like its sound or you don't.
Besides I'd never ever touch a hobbyist-made (*) metal clarinet lamp, not even with oven mittens and a ten foot pole.
Besides II a black-and-silver lamp looks better
Besides III there's hardly an instrument worth to be converted into a lamp. Better place it into a frame for over the mantlepiece, instead of that fish or moose head.
(Evil remark - in a jazz combo purity of sound and intonation don't matter all that much. <hides behind screen>)
(*) I didn't mean anyone specific in here, don't get me wrong.
--
Ben
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Author: jim lande
Date: 2006-09-24 04:02
The Belmar was a student model. I don't know who actually made it, although I believe that they were marked made in U.S., which narrows it down to a dozen or so firms.
My impression is that the better made student metal clarinets are roughly comperable to better made current student models -- such as a Bundy. If your daughter currently is playing a student model, then she may not notice much difference in sound. If she is playing a pro horn, then probably the Belmar will seem a little harder to play, will not sound in tune as well and may have a few notes that are not as clear as others. Still, it might be a great instrument for marching band, camping trips, etc.
(Similarly, some pro metal clarinets approach current pro models in quality. Again, not much difference in sound, at least to my ears.)
You can't tell whether pads are good by looking and some very old pads work well briefly and then fail. Get someone qualified to check out the horn before giving it as a present.
Metal clarinets make poor lamps because they tarnish quickly when left out. You could keep it in a case and only assemble it when you needed light. (Not a bad solution, since many people think metal clarinets make particularly ugly lamps.)
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2006-09-25 11:35
No personal experience with Belmar clarinets, but I've avoided going into a local craft store because it displays a clarinet lamp in the window. I figure any store with a decoration that tacky doesn't sell anything I want to buy.
Lelia
http://www.scoreexchange.com/profiles/Lelia_Loban
To hear the audio, click on the "Scorch Plug-In" box above the score.
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