 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2011-03-09 10:06
Does anybody know anything about the Besson Westminster clarinet? I've just bought one on a well-known site, and it seems to be a B&H lookalike. I also have a "British Band Instruments" Cambridge, and the keywork is identical, high quality nickel-silver. The Cambridge is a resin clarinet without tenon caps and the Westminster is good quality grenadilla with tenon caps. Both have the extended lower r/h trill key and the knurled l/h pinkey. Overall the instrument is in fine shape and with a clean and oil will be fit for service. Overall quality, fit and finish are on a par with my Emperor, and pitch and intonation are good.
Tony F.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-03-09 11:05
It's exactly the same instrument as an Edgware and probably has a metal bell ring.
If it has the elongated side Eb/Bb touch (the 'Reginald Kell' key) then it's probably from the mid-'60s (I'm guessing the serial number is somewhere in the 200000s) as that's when these keys were widely used. They went back to the usual golf club style key.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2011-03-10 13:50
Many thanks, Chris. You're in the ball park with the serial number, it's 221xxx. The bell is plain, similar to the Emperor bell. I gave it a wash and brushup this afternoon andunder the grime it was pretty well as new. I used it tonight. Plays like a dream.
Tony F.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-03-10 20:10
It's probably from around 1964-65 (taking into account B&H had merged all their instrument serial numbers from BBb basses right up to flutes in a single numbering system) - my 2-20 was 234701 which was 1965 going by B&H's official list.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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