 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: bwilber
Date: 2006-05-24 11:39
I can't find anything on the search option so thought I would ask if anyone knows what great old handmade clarinets to look for on Ebay? Were they all handmade years ago before the modern robots? I am thinking of ones like the really expensive handmade clarinets that some of these companies make where they only make 3 or 4 a month and so they are really "handmade" and that's why they cost so much. Thanks for any help.
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Author: Synonymous Botch
Date: 2006-05-24 21:57
Lots of the Thibouville-Lamy instruments had beautiful construction.
Dave Spiegelthal had a particularly nice one with Full-Boehm regalia.
I look for the metal lined sockets, and other "Value Added" touches that required additional assembly time.
The one feature that most impresses me about my Boosey Imperials is the tapering of through rods in the lower stack. It must have added considerable time to modify those little parts.
While they were made in larger numbers, the Selmer Series 9 is a gem.
Just about every assembly step approached perfection (say what you will about the design) - the execution was near flawless.
I'm fairly sure the Couesnon monopole was made with some machining steps on a modern lathe, but it's a superior instrument.
Lastly, the 1970's issue Marigaux clarinets are tremendous players, although I suspect some Computer Numerical Control was involved in their process.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2006-05-24 22:49
Fine comments, SB, a few of the described "non US" insts. deserve recognition as being well and inovativily made as GREATS. From what I've seen/owned/played, the Selmers [CT's, perhaps the 10's S and G's, incl. my alto and bass] and the pro Leblancs of the 50-90's [like my L 7] also deserve recognition here. I believe most of these cls profited from TLC from their makers, well beyond the usual "make them and sell them" marketing concepts. Just thots re"handmade" and "finished". Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: bwilber
Date: 2006-05-27 11:39
Thank you Synonymous Batch and Don for your help. I do own a Monopole and I agree about the workmanship. It is really beautiful. Now I will more understand why those particular clarinets go for quite a bit on Ebay too, even though they may be quite old. Thanks again for your help. Bonnie
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-05-27 12:38
The old Cabart (pre-Loree takeover) clarinets are a work of art - all metal lined sockets etc. and played beautifully once restored. I think they have a hedgehog on their logo (well, it looks like a hedgehog to me) with a #, natural and b as well.
Anyone have any thoughts on Lucian Bassi clarinets? I overhauled one of these years ago and was totally gobsmacked by it's tone and playability.
And then there's Jacques Albert clarinets.
Definitely the Couesnon and Selmer clarinets up to and including the Series 9 - though the K-series through to the U-series Series 9 clarinets seem to be their finest in m opinion - I have an A-series Series 9 Bb (full Boehm) and I don't consider the workmanship on this one to be anywhere near as good as it was in comparison to those made up until the late '60s to early '70s.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2006-05-27 22:32
For anyone interested in pursuing this thread, I just posted some thots on my thread "Early cl w: Stubbins. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: jazzman
Date: 2006-07-10 12:49
hi chris
I have just been fortunate to get hold of a lucian bassi clarinet its not quite finished yet the sound is brill they are from a town close to me some of the local guys remember mr j. howarth who was the sole agents for the clarinet from his shop in Blackpool uk One thing i need to ask you is.
The clarinet main body is wood but on this one the bell is not was that the same with the one you did it does say lucain bassi on the bell.
Ron
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Author: Malcolm Martland
Date: 2006-07-10 15:47
Hi Chris P
I have a Lucien Bassi - Superieure - Bb plateau key clarinet I bought a few years ago. I've done a bit of minor work on the keys but the comlete repad is next. The key mechanism is one of the better plateau types - similar to my pro-Malerne Bb plateau. The top joint and bell are marked Lucien Bassi but the lower joint has no formal markings - only some unusual workers marks underneath the keywork. Both the Malerne and the Lucien Bassi bodies are longer than the regular Bb by about 0.8 cms and use a short barrel.
Maybe it is time I should finally get the Lucien Bassi finished.
Malcolm
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-07-10 15:59
Ron, I can't remember if the bell of the Lucien Bassi I worked on had any markings on it, but that's not to say it didn't have any at all.
But another feature was all the screws that held the side and trill keys, the LH levers and other short rod screws all had a larger diameter head than the rest of the rod.
I remember the way it played clearly - the whole instrument seemed to resonate, and the tone was sweet and full, and projected well. It was a difficult one to value as I felt it played much better than a lot of (high production) pro clarinets made today.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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