 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: ekimmai
Date: 2011-08-15 11:57
A friend of mine has come into possession of an old Hawkes & Son clarinet which needs a lot of work doing on it to make it playable (corks, pads etc all gone) though the wood looks in good condition. There is no indication to the model of the instrument nor any visible serial number, so does that suggest this was a bottom of the range model at the time of production?
Is there any point in this friend (who has no interest in playing) having the instrument repaired to sell? I already have 2 instruments and no need for a third. Obviously with the instrument unplayable in its current state I have little hope of knowing whether it would ever play well.
Thanks in advance
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-08-15 12:19
The other thing that will influence whether it's worth repairing or not is if it's High Pitch (452Hz), and that can only be determined if it's playable to an extent.
I presume it's a simple or Albert system, so as most keys are closed standing, it can be made playable to an extent by taping over the toneholes under the closed standing pads to get a basic scale. The tenons can be wrapped with masking tape or plumbers tape (PTFE tape) so they seal in the sockets (PTFE tape is better as it's non-stick and compresses, but if using masking tape, don't use too much or you might have trouble taking it apart).
Then play a C (xxx|ooo) and check it with a tuner or another (and newer) clarinet to see if the pitch is the same or different. If the pitch is sharper on the Hawkes&Sons, then it's High Pitch. They made both high and low pitch (439 or 440Hz) instruments at the same time - high pitch were mostly used in military bands, though some may be marked HP or LP to determine the pitch.
You can't alter a high pitch instrument to low pitch by using a longer barrel as this throws the intonation out, flattening the LH and throat notes far more than the RH notes.
A lot of the old Boosey&Co. and Hawkes&Sons instruments were never stamped with the maker's mark and you'll also find some B&H instruments (eg. some Edgware clarinets from the '50s) carrying no makers mark either, but the old Hawkes&Sons and Boosey&Co. band instruments went up in price according to how much keywork they had fitted to them, so a 13 key clarinet with rings for RH fingers 2 and 3 only will be the least expensive clarinet. They made them in both wood and also ebonite for the tropical regions of the outposts of the then British Empire.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2011-08-15 19:23
I say sell it as is--unrestored. One could restore the instrument and run the risk of selling it for less than the investment in repairs.
Since neither you nor your friend is interested in playing the instrument, there isn't even the possibility of recovering the repair investment by having the use and enjoyment of the instrument. Sell it now and take a sure profit.
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Author: Lelia Loban ★2017
Date: 2011-08-16 12:51
Ursa wrote,
>>I say sell it as is--unrestored. One could restore the instrument and run the risk of selling it for less than the investment in repairs.
>>
I agree! As one of those squalid old cockroaches who can't pass up a flea market or a juntiques store, I'm far more likely to buy an unrestored clarinet than a restored one. I want to restore old things to original condition, or even leave them alone in completely original condition, not pimp them out or modernize them. Therefore I'm leery of anything that's already been messed with, unless I know and trust the person who messed with it. Also, it's almost always cheaper for me to do the restoration (or pay to have it done, if it's out of my league) than to buy a restored instrument.
Different story with modern clarinets, of course. I'm always delighted to find a modern clarinet in playing condition. Also might be a different story if you sell online. I wouldn't know about that because I need to see something "in person" before I decide whether 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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