 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2010-12-12 01:36
The other day I bought an old Albert sytem clarinet for $10. I wasn't insterested in the instrument itself but wanted the 54mm barrel to replace the cracked one from my P-M Albert. After examining the instrument more closely I discovered that not only did it have the dreaded pot-metal keys but it also didn't have any rod screws. Instead of rod screws small brass rods had been pressed into place. Seems to me like this was intended to be a throw-away clarinet. I was a little curious if anyone else might have seen an instrument like this before.
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Author: jasperbay
Date: 2010-12-12 03:56
Early, low end Alberts commonly used pins, usually with a little bent end, instead if screws. Pretty often, these clarinets (understandably?)had no maker's marks. While the keys may look like pot-metal after all these years, they usually turn out to be some kind of nickel-silver. Kind of fun to play these old horns, if you've got the time to repad them. They had rough lives though, often had broken keys, etc., and not really worth fixing up.
Clark G. Sherwood
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2010-12-12 04:38
Interesting. I'd never seen a horn with pins instead of screws before. I agree that it's not worth fixing up and I really only wanted the barrel anyways. The keys are definitely pot metal as I tried to solder one of the left pinky levers that was broken and it started melting almost immediately. Kind of a shame that the keywork is such junk as the wood used in the instrument is really nice and has very tight grain.
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Author: jasperbay
Date: 2010-12-12 13:58
Sounds like you are correst about the 'pot metal' keys! If they melt quickly, like pewter, or tin, thats what they are. Kind of relegates the horn to lamp-grade, all right.
I sacrificed a similar horn for pieces of grenadilla, used to repair holes,chips, wide cracks,etc. Also useful for making grenadilla 'dust' to strengthen superglue crack repair.
Clark G. Sherwood
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2010-12-12 18:09
>> Didn't it smell like mold and mildew??? <<
I think you mean: Did it smell like mold or mildew???
:)
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Author: alanporter
Date: 2010-12-12 18:16
I have an Ernst Reidl clarinet in C which has pins with one bent end in place of screws. I has eleven keys and no rings, and requires a lot of work on the embouchure to play in tune with itself.
tiaroa@shaw.ca
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2010-12-13 11:06
Push-fit pins instead of the more familliar rod screws are a throwback to when keys were first mounted in slots cut into turned wooden rings on Renaissance and Baroque woodwind bodies, though have still been used until fairly recently on lever keys on some German system bassoons (even from high-end makers).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2010-12-13 11:21)
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