 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2010-11-18 04:02
Is anybody familiar with the "Clinton" clarinet? I have one in need of a repad, and I'm trying to find out if it's worth the cost and effort. It's at least 20 years old, possibly much more. It's a BFlat soprano in highly polished wood, keywork looks good and is probably nickel-silver and it has metal endcaps on the tenons. Serial number is 8978, surmounted by an 8. My first impression are that it looks good.
Tony F.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2010-11-18 04:29
On closer inspection I found a "Made in Czechoslovakia" stamp on the bell, and it looks a bit like an old Kohlert I played some years back. Would there be a connection here?
Tony F.
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Author: Ian White
Date: 2010-11-18 09:13
That serial method is used (or was) by Amati on their bassoons - the single one being the year indicator I believe. Maybe it was used on their clarinets as well.
Post Edited (2010-11-18 09:15)
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2010-11-18 19:46
If it's a Clinton system clarinet then I suspect it's a lot more than 20 years old. This system and a related Clinton Boehm were quite common in the first half of the last century but I don't believe many would have been made after WW2.
It's possible the Czechs continued for a bit longer than the main producing areas but not much I would think.
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2010-11-18 21:09
Unless there is some marking elsewhere on the clarinet I wouldn't take the bell marking as being definitive - bells have a habit of wandering to other horns, kind of like barrels!
I agree with Norman, if it's a Clinton it's much older than 20 years. Amati has made in recent times many horns with keywork ranging from a basic simple system to a full oehler and just about anything in between. Some of these would look quite silmilar to a Clinton model.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2010-11-19 07:10
Thanks for your comments. I had a good look around it. With a good clean and oil it comes up very well, and with a decent mouthpiece it sounds wonderful. It doesn't appear to be a Clinton system, or any variation on standard Boehm, just a normal Boehm system. Smallish bore, and a very sweet tone. Great intonation, and holds tune to within about 5 cents throughout the range. Looks like a find.
Tony F.
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Author: jasperbay
Date: 2010-11-19 22:17
I'd say the odds are very good that it was made by Kohlert. Several other made in Czechoslovakia clarinets with various brands have been mentioned here over the years, and all were believed to be Kohlert made. Very nice clarinets in my experience.
Clark G. Sherwood
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2014-10-06 07:24
Hi Barry,
Unfortunately (for you, anyway) I sold it on a couple of years back. The new owner was very pleased with it. I played it for a year or so and then moved on to an Imperial.
Tony F.
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Author: SallyMcKinnon
Date: 2020-04-25 09:07
I also have a Clinton clarinet .. well parts of one anyway! You asked for some photos from a previous thread so here are some of the clarinet I have. The barrel joint is definitely not part of the original clarinet. Any information anyone has on it would be great.
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