 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: fuglen
Date: 2005-01-09 15:33
I have just got this clarinet, and i wonder if anyone on the forum have information about this type of instrument. It is a F. Arthur Uebel Bb clarinet with full Boehm system exept for the low Eb. The bore of the clarinet is very narrow. It came with 2 original F. A. Uebel mouthpieces. One in wood meant for german type string ligature and with a german style facing. The other mpcs. is in ebonite with a similar facing but it uses a french ligature. It also has two barrels.
The keys are silverplated and the wood seems to be excelent.
I all ready know a lot about Uebel, who is known to be an excelent craftsman from Markneukirchen in the Vogtlands of Germany (formerly East Germany). But i dont have a clue about this particular type of instrument. The Uebel company produces only German clarinets (Oehler system) in their present production.
The serial munber is 821-45063. (Made in GDR).
Im very interested in knowing when this instrument was made and who these instruments were made for. (western or eastern export maybe ?).
I would also like to hear from other clarinettists who have played this type of clarinet.
www.peterfuglsang.com
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Author: donald
Date: 2005-01-09 19:37
KBB music here in NZ imported and sold a pair of these in the early 1980s, i was quite inexperienced when i played on them (1983?) and so won't comment on quality etc They were very competitively priced compared to the Buffet/Selmer/Leblanc instruments at that time.
i've often wondered who they were sold to- they would certainly stand out in any section as they were tuned to A=445.
good luck with your new instruments (from your email address, i don't think high pitch would be a problem)
donald
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2005-01-09 19:56
We have discussed F B cls, their pro's and con's, numerous times, an archives Search will answer most of your ?'s. I have a G Pruefer [single-body !] 3-added keys [no low Eb] and 3 F B's, 2 Selmers and a Penzel-Mueller the latters with all 4 add'ns, and have posted on them earlier. Yes, the Uebel should be V G, am unfamiliar with German cls, tho. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: fuglen
Date: 2005-01-09 20:04
Thank you Donald
My Uebel clarinet is also a little high pitched. However, if I use the long barrel and the original mouthpiece it seems to work allright. A=445 is also a problem here in Demark where we play A=442. Did the clarinet you tried also have pin screws (holding the regular screws in place) ? It is interesting that you tried an Uebel boehm in New Zealand. I was starting to think that these Uebels were only exported to Russia and other eastern european countries.
www.peterfuglsang.com
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Author: hannah
Date: 2006-05-15 13:23
hi, iv reciently been given a pair of f.arthur uebel clarinets in a black leather case, have been told they were expensive and are atleast 30 years old but other then that i know nothing. I have looked about on the net but there doesnt seem to be much info on them, especialial not a pair. If there is any information out there about them, their age, and the value of them etc id appriciate the help on where to look. thanks xx
hannah
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Author: joannew
Date: 2006-05-16 08:11
I have an alto by F A Uebel that sounds very similar to what you describe, narrow bore with original Uebel basset horn mouthpiece, silver keywork, little pin screws in all the key posts. The pitch is a little high, but can come down to 442 with the crook pulled out (maybe a spacer would help to stabilise it a bit).
Mine is also stamped "made in GDR", which puts it after 1949, and the case is stamped Ruddal Carte (it was bought in England), which puts it before 1955, when they merged with Boosey. The serial number starts with a 921, so must be a bit later than yours, if they used the same numbering scheme for different models.
Joanne
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Author: Malcolm Martland
Date: 2006-05-16 10:29
I have an FA Uebel Eb Boehm clarinet "serial number" 881-751347and made in DDR. It is built to a very high standard. I wrote to the factory for details. Frank Koenig of Ja Musik (frank.koenig@ja-musik.com) kindly responded to my letter.
I was informed that Boehm clarinet production ceased in 1989 and German system clarinet production ceased in 2005. My clarinet was made in 1975 and is model 811 Serial number 751347. So Fuglen's full Boehm appears to be model 821 and Joannew's model must be 921. The latter part of the serial number is the clue to the year of manufacture.
In contrast to the high pitch instruments described above, my Eb clarinet plays slightly flat until warmed up when it approximates to A=440 but definitely no sharper. The mouthpiece (P. Strach) is also shorter than regular Eb mouthpieces. I've been trying to get a shorter barrel but those I have bought so far (Buffet and Backun) have too wide a tenon socket. I am a little reluctant to take Frank Koenig's advice and have the current barrel professionally shortened until all other sources are exhausted.
Just my bit of info.
Malcolm
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Author: k_leister
Date: 2006-05-16 21:46
F. Arthur Uebel is a student of Oskar Oehler. Oehler has three "main" students, F. A. Uebel, Ludwig Warschewski und Todt (not sure about the last one.)
F. Arthur Uebel clarinets made before the 60's, for oehler system at least, are very highly regarded. They are probably worth about 4000euros per set.
It was said that there was a decline of quality after F. Arthur Uebel died in the early 60's. When Herbert Wurlitzer started to gain popularity in the late 60's, thanks to the precise intonation of Wurlitzer clarinets, Uebel, Warschewski and Oehler clarinets slowly disappeared in German orchestra.
F. Arthur Uebel is a relative of G. Rudolf Uebel who makes Oehler system, modified Oehler and Boehm system clarinets. Since F. Arthur Uebel was the mainstream German clarinet makers before the 60's, I guess the Boehm system was made in the 70's when they tried to expand their market to compensate for the loss of its Oehler clarinet production. That's a guess.
F. Arthur Uebel Oehler clarinets tend to suffer from intonation problem in its low register and higher register: the lows too low (flat), the highs too high (sharp). (In contrast to H. Wurlitzer: the lows too low and the highs are too low as well) Is that a problem on the Boehm version as well?
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Author: Vytas
Date: 2006-05-18 00:57
fuglen,
I've played a professional F. Arthur Uebel Bb Boehm clarinet during 1974-75. It didn't have the same sound quality as pro Buffet or Selmer but it was probably the best thing after the French horns in Europe. You could find many of these clarinets played in major symphony orchestras throughout most of the Europe.
Uebel never made a student clarinet in full Boehm or with the silverplated keys. Their student line clarinets were terrible especially in the 70's.
You have a pretty good professional clarinet. Enjoy!
Vytas Krass
Professional clarinet technician
Custom clarinet mouthpiece maker
Former professional clarinet player
Post Edited (2006-05-18 01:13)
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Author: Hansdenijs
Date: 2006-05-19 14:57
Roughly spoken the original F.A. Uebel soloist model clarinets in Oehler system (till serialnumber 17900, till 1963) are of top quality (quality and tuning) and still highly appreciated in Germany with second hand prices from 4000 - 6000 euros.
The clarinets made afterwards (in DDR times, other serial number system as described in the other postings) are - sorry for the owners- of mediocre quality and not used professionally. For owners with serialnumbers 7600- 17900 i can give youy the year of building.
Hans
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Author: k_leister
Date: 2006-05-20 09:06
Hi Hans,
I would like to know when my Uebel clarinets were made. how can I contact you?
Many thanks.
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Author: hansklarinet
Date: 2011-06-21 11:42
antwoord aan hansdenijs
ooit was ik in mark neukirchen.daar wisten ze alleen te vertellen dat mijn oehlerklarinet van voor 1961 was.
serienummer 16858
jij weet,van welk jaar mijn instrument is?
wil ik graag van je horen.
ik speel nog steeds uitsluitend op dit instrument.
idd die nieuwere heb ik ook.brandhout.
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Author: andic65
Date: 2012-07-09 23:06
Hi,
Could you please advise me how to contact hansdesjarnis? I have a serial number and would greatly appreciate knowing the year my FA Uebel Bass Clairnet was manufactured.
Thanks so much
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