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Student models in the pre-plastic era

Author: karlbonner82
Date: 2010-05-08 10:27

I wonder what student clarinets were like almost a hundred years ago when plastic didn't exist? Was everything really expensive back then or were there low-end wood instruments?

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Re: Student models in the pre-plastic era

Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2010-05-08 10:53

Dunno if there were "Student" Models per se.

For a certain time, metal clarinets were all the rave; I believe they were targeted towards the lower budget clientele, at least the low-end models.

--
Ben

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Re: Student models in the pre-plastic era

Author: kilo
Date: 2010-05-08 11:48

My elementary school band ('50s) was filled with metal clarinets, but I believe tictatux is correct — "student" has replaced "low-end" or "economy" as a marketing term.

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Re: Student models in the pre-plastic era

Author: jasperbay
Date: 2010-05-08 15:59

There have always been "Good, Better, and Best" ( or whatever teminology is in vogue) instruments available as demand dictated. Certainly in the metal clarinet era 60-80 yrs. back this was the case.
100 yrs back, around 1910, hard rubber was available, and sometimes (but not always) sold for a little less, but most survivors I've seen were wood. The 'entry level ' horns were quite often a simpler variation of 'Albert' fingering : the more rings and keys, the higher the cost! Boehm was the most expensive, with the 'pro' models adding a few more 'rings and whistles'. This was hard on the 'students' learning curve, I suppose,but maybe not as bad as you'd imagine.
There were also lower quality wood boehm intruments, usually with an 'off-brand' logo, or no name at all. Nothing really changes all that much over time.

Clark G. Sherwood

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Re: Student models in the pre-plastic era

Author: BobD
Date: 2010-05-08 19:07

Although I wasn't around at the time I am inclined to think that metal clarinets were practically the "norm" at least in the U.S. "Cadet" was Cundy's "student" line I think. And there were some high end metal horns too.

Bob Draznik

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Re: Student models in the pre-plastic era

Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2010-05-08 23:11

I can't vouch for 100 years back but 60 or so years ago the cheaper models were generally made with wood, just with lower grade keywork and design and assembled by lower skilled workers, not put together by craftsmen.
Hard rubber instruments were often the same price as wood or even marginally more expensive and in UK at least aimed mainly at the military band market and not the low end.

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Re: Student models in the pre-plastic era

Author: skygardener
Date: 2010-05-09 01:56

As I understand, before the 1950s, there were not so many different models offered by the same company.
Usually, only one or two of each size of instrument.
Some lower grade instruments were not branded with any logo or serial number. These might be considered "student models" of the time.
Metal clarinets were first made by Adolph Sax and were intended for outdoor uses. I don't think they were ever intended as "students" models, but there may have been some economical productions that were.

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