The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bear
Date: 2011-05-13 19:38
I have had a B & H Imperial 926 for more than 30 years. It plays beautifully, and wasn't new when it was given to me.
Can anyone help. It hasn't got any serial numbers.
Is there a chance that it slipped through the serial number net, or was there ever a time when numbers were not given...or have I been playing a wonderful sounding fake for the last 30 years?
No-one has ever questioned the fact that it is anything other than a B& H as the markings say.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-05-13 19:50
Does it say 'Made in England' on the back above the thumbrest? The serial number should be just below that.
If you've got some photos that could give some idea of its approximate era.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2011-05-14 16:29
Never seen this to date.
Have occasionally seen B&H instruments with ser no on only one joint which indicates that a cracked joint has been replaced by a new section.
I suppose in theory you could have an instrument that suffered 2 replacement joints, one top and one bottom, but that is extremely unlikely.
Could it have fallen off the back of a factory lorry?? (read truck in USA).!!
As Chris says some close ups might help determine its era.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-05-14 19:45
I've only ever seen B&H clarinets that don't have any logos stamped on them but still carried serial numbers, but none that were missing the serial number altogether unless it had been filed off which will mean removing a fair amount of wood to do that.
Someone I know has an R13 which had a top joint transplant done by B&H - the reason I can tell that is because the top joint serial number is stamped above the speaker tube and with B&H style numbers and stamped fairly deeply but evenly. Buffet serial numbers are stamped just above the lowest tenon on any given joint, the numbers are much finer and more decorative than B&H's number stamps.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Bear
Date: 2011-05-15 16:11
I will try and sort photos. The clarinet is clearly stamped with the B&H logos, but no serial number or evidence of being filed off.
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2011-05-15 19:24
My old Bb 1010 at first glance didn't have any serial numbers, on closer inspection I found the number on the top joint. It was so worn you could hardly read it unless you held it at an angle with good light. Perhaps its the same with yours?
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-05-15 19:36
The old B&H clarinets with the Gothic script logos had the serial numbers stamped on the front under the logo, but you'd see that if it was there.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Bear
Date: 2011-06-01 16:24
The C/F key has a cross hatched pattern on it. I haven't seen this on another clarinet...any ideas?
It has the old logos stamped on it although the one on the top section is very faint.
I have a feeling the serial numbers have been removed...or never quite got to be stamped on....very odd.
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Author: Bear
Date: 2011-06-01 16:24
The C/F key has a cross hatched pattern on it. I haven't seen this on another clarinet...any ideas?
It has the old logos stamped on it although the one on the top section is very faint.
I have a feeling the serial numbers have been removed...or never quite got to be stamped on....very odd.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-06-01 17:00
The cross hatched LH F/C touch was introduced sometime in the early '60s and used right until the end of production. Peter Eaton clarinets also have this feature as their keywork is based on late 1010s.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2011-06-02 06:57
Heh, I used to have that on my old Regent II (yuk! how did I ever learn anything?) Used to call it the Golf Club Key.
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