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Interesting Clarinet

Author: corks&pads
Date: 2006-03-01 23:29

Sometimes I get sufficiently curious about something that it's worth a few bucks to me to find out more about it. Such was the case when I recently lobbed a few bucks at an Ebay Bb clarinet that seemed to be a "no name" brand.

In the photo, it looked like blanched-out grenadilla--much in need of oil. When it arrived today, I found it to be bakelite. Nothing special, maybe, but kinda neat anyway. Different, at least.

Even more interesting is that it has some features found on pretty decent instruments. At least some (haven't looked closely yet) of the lower joint's tone holes are undercut. The bore of the lower joint is pronouncedly conical. The area beneath the "crow's foot" is cut away, very much like on the Buffet R-13. The keys appear to be nickle-plate on brass, and they are rather similar to those on the older style Buffet.

The markings clearly indicate that it was made under the Gautrot patents, and it appears that it was made by Gautrot Aine'. I'm really surprised at how good the condition is--when I opened the case and saw it was bakelite, I assumed there would be cracks and chips, but I haven't found any ... yet.

[Edited later additions: There's no serial number, but I found some very faint markings on it that appear to say Bb, with _ P underneath that. I'm pretty sure that it says LP, but it could be HP. Info from an archives search dates the LP marking to the mid-1930s, or before, so it would be early bakelite (if it's indeed bakelite). Other archives postings suggest that this may be hard rubber. They talk of a browninsh green color. This has no green tint. It's almost exactly the color of a Hershey's milk chocolate bar.]

Is anyone here familiar with either Gautrot Aine' or bakelite clarinets? I'm really curious how this one sounds and may have to bump one of my other elderly horns from their spot on the restoration list.

Post Edited (2006-03-01 23:50)

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