 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Amber
Date: 2000-03-31 23:29
Hi!!
I need help to settle a bet. My old clarinet has no brand or maker name on it what so ever. It is the greatest puzzle at my school and the debate goes on. Some say it is an old Buffet, some insist it is a selmer, others are saying it is a really really old bundy. The bets have been going on for 2 years now and still no one can say for sure what it is. I bought it at a swap met for $58, so the owner is long gone.
It is plastic, but looks a lot like wood. The serial number is 4001 on all the pieces and now, just today, I found some more letters, nearly worn away. As far as I can tell, it is ELKHART. So what is it? What is the story? How old is it? Is it a priceless collectable or another generic brand? Thank you for any help you can give, I am sure the one who wins the bet( and the money) will be very grateful too!!:o)
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-03-31 23:48
Amber, there have been lots of instrument makers. Elkhart was a major instrument manufacturing center at one time and there were lots of generic brands made there.
Buffets say Buffet on them. Selmers would say Selmer or Bundy on them or both. So you can be pretty sure that it is not one of them. Besides, I don't think Buffet ever had any manufacturing set up in Elkhart although I think the Selmer Bundy might be made there but as I said they would have Selmer or Bundy marked on them.
It probably isn't even one of the better known US makers as they also would have a makers mark on them. So this pretty much eliminates outfits like Conn or their student subsidiary Pan American. All these instruments were marked with one or the other of these names.
So the best bet is indeed one of the many generic brands that have been made and sold and there really is no way to tell who made it.
And as a plastic instrument with no maker's mark, that means that is a student grade horn. Definitely not a priceless collectable.
However if it sounds good and plays in tune, I wouldn't worry about its history.
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Author: Lelia
Date: 2000-04-01 01:02
Elkhart was one of Buescher's student brand names. The Buescher headquarters and main factory was located in Elkhart, INdiana. The company founder, Gus Buescher, got his start in the late 1900s working for Conn, also based in Elkhart. I'm not sure how long Buescher used that name, but I think the Elkhart must have been a fairly popular student instrument, as I see Elkharts for sale at flea markets and antiques shops fairly often. The saxes seem more common than the clarinets. Selmer bought out Buescher several decades ago. I believe Elkharts are not especially sought after by musicians today. I've never bought one, but the ones I see for sale (always in unrestored, unplayable condition, in need of a full overhaul) usually have price tags under $100, sometimes as little as $30-40. A music store would no doubt recondition them and sell them for more. When I buy used instruments, I consider the cost of a professional overhaul as part of the "real world" price.
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Author: J. Butler
Date: 2000-04-01 01:35
Buescher (properly pronounced Bisher I've been told) did use the "Elkhart" label, especially on saxophones. Some of them even had a engraved elk on the bell. I think some of these saxes play really well. I don't think I've ever seen and "Elkhart" clarinet though.
J. Butler
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Author: Amber
Date: 2000-04-01 02:09
Thanks for the Info. I'll wait and see what others say, but it looks like the two guy who guessed Buescher will win the bet and the money. I' ll wait a day or two to tell him. He is going to love yo ugys and the other 50 are going to hate you!!( mockingly) I am glad I didn't place a bet. I have never heard of Buescher before.Thanks once more
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Author: J. Butler
Date: 2000-04-01 02:49
BTW Selmer bought out Buescher in the early 60's. I believe the date was either 1963 or 1964. If your clarinet is a Buescher "Elkhart" it was manufactured before this date.
J. Butler
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-04-02 02:48
I have an old Elkhart silver clarinet that plays quite nice, and with some tweeking, in tune. In addition to the the elk logo, they also used a large heart surrounding the name. However there were other makers in the town of Elkhart too. If "Elkhart" is in real small letters, and no obvious brand name, it may have been made by one of these other companies as a generic model for someone else like "Harry's Music Store" for instance. Sometimes local music stores supplied the local schools with instruments like this in contract purchases.
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