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Of German system clarinets

Author: Bill
Date: 2025-05-20 01:08

Got my c. 1920s Czechoslovakian full Oehler system back from overhaul today. I'm a neophyte on German clarinets (I suck) but still keenly interested. My two other German clarinets are both Uebels. One from the GDR era but the other from what I understand to be the era when Uebel was involved in the production himself (before 1963, serial #10610).

This Oehler was made by Johann Michl. It's fairly heavy. The overhaul has made it look new. It's a step or two higher in pitch than the (older) Uebel. I was very excited about all the extra keywork, but in a side-by-side play with the Uebel, I didn't sense any really extra facility. Chalumeau A/clarion E doesn't seem to be entirely vented. There's a tendency for the clarion to sound when I'm attempting to play the fundamental (I fault my fingering). I play it with the original accompanying mouthpiece.

I'm as happy as a 7-year-old on Christmas morning. I always wanted one of those German clarinets with all those extra keys! Yet, for whatever reason, I think I'll still be playing my Uebels just as often. Both are such excellent clarinets.

Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)

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Re: Of German system clarinets

Author: ghoulcaster
Date: 2025-05-20 04:41

I have never played a full German setup, but I often wish I had the left pinky F/Bb key when playing French (Selmer, Buffet) and American (Penzel Muller, Conn) Albert systems.

I imagine that key is a lot more useful than the left pinky Eb/Ab key on those clarinets…

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