 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Brent
Date: 2001-03-14 07:27
What are peoples feelings on Clarinets outside the big 4; Selmer, Buffet, Leblanc, and Yamaha. What are the best "off" brands, the diamonds in the rough. The iconoclast in me attracts me to these alternate brands.
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Author: Daniel Bouwmeester
Date: 2001-03-14 13:09
No one ever talk about German clarinets.
I am not a German clarinet player, but I know some people that play them. From what I know, these clarinets are technolgically much more advanced than the standard french Boehm system. But are very expensive (upto 10'000 $).
The woodwind dealer I go to copies key systems from German clarinets and puts them onto french clarinets.
I will not mention any manufacturers because I don't know anything about these instruments. What I know, is that most of the luthiers design their instrument not industrially but artisanally and use techniques transmitted from father to son, in the same way as violin manufacturers.
The german school is an extremely influencial school for clarinet, and most of the clarinet repertoire has been written for this type of playing.
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Author: Dave Spiegelthal
Date: 2001-03-14 15:14
I assume you're asking about current makers of new instruments? In the used market, there were quite a few excellent clarinet manufacturers who either are no longer in existence, or have been absorbed into other companies, or no longer make clarinets. Some of the 'extinct' clarinets, if you go back a few decades, were often quite excellent. A few examples might be: R. Malerne, Penzel-Mueller, Boosey & Hawkes, Prueffer, Couesnon, Jean Cartier, Marigaux (SML), Kohlert, Thibouville Freres, Edmond Chedeville, Moennig Bros., etc. etc. There is much joy to be had in unearthing some of these old gems, restoring them, and discovering that they play as well as any of the "Big 4" clarinets that cost thousands of dollars new!
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Author: Alexandra Becker
Date: 2001-03-14 16:20
Has anyone ever heard of an N.R.Amelotte? It was made in France, and is SILVER!!!! I have it in my posession, and am completely bewildered!!!! I've never seen one like this...can anyone help?
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2001-03-14 20:09
Have to praise Dave again. I just got through practicing on my Robert Malerne he restored for me and boy did I enjoy it. Didn't cost me an arm and a leg either!!.
Bob A
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Author: Fred
Date: 2001-03-14 20:54
I have a King Marigaux (Marigaux marketed by King - I think sometime in the 70's) that is absolutely remarkable. Very clear throat tones, great intonation, and very nice keywork (feels different from my R-13 though). A first rate pro horn by any measurement you want to apply (except name recognition).
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-03-14 22:07
Alexandra Becker wrote:
>
> Has anyone ever heard of an N.R.Amelotte? It was made in
> France, and is SILVER!!!! I have it in my posession, and am
> completely bewildered!!!! I've never seen one like this...can
> anyone help?
For the 1st half of the 1900s, metal clarinets in student grades were made by the ton and there were many manufacturers, most of whom are no longer in business. There were a few intermediate ones made and even fewer professional ones made.
Are you sure it is silver? Most of the metal clarinets were nickel plating over a cheaper base metal. Silver *plating* was used on a few intermediate and pro models. The only silver clarinet that I have ever heard of was one made by Haynes. These latter are extremely rare.
Odds are that the one you have is a student model but unfortunately I am not familiar with that brand and can't say for sure.
One clue as to whether yours is nickel or silver plating is the color of the tarnish. Nickel alloys tarnish in shades of brown while silver alloys tarnish in shades of gray or even black.
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Author: Brent
Date: 2001-03-14 22:45
Thanks for all the opinions. I really love fixing up these old off brand horns and finding out what they are made of. I am just starting on an old Jean Cartier A clarinet. And as mentioned in an earlier thread I am having a Schreiber professionally rehabed. I also own a great no name rosewood natural wood tone WW II era clarinet. It has just about the most fluid action I've ever felt on a clarinet.The tone is a bit brittle for my taste however.
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Author: Corey
Date: 2001-03-15 00:03
Boosey & hawkes is the Mother company of buffet-crampon and others like:Besson(brass),Schreiber(bassoons and german clarinets and many more
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Author: graham
Date: 2001-03-15 11:39
Talking of older clarinets, if you can get your hands on a pair of Martels (marked Hawkes & Sons Excelsior Sonorous Class, with star shapes above and below the name) and they play in tune, then you have probably hit a winner. Those who like the sound of Kell and either Draper should know that they played on Martels, as did Thurston before switching to 1010s in the 1930s. These instruments are pre WW 1.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2001-03-16 14:32
Here in little New Zealand my list of brand names of clarinet I have worked on currently includes 115 names, many of them older makes like those listed above.
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Author: Alexandra Becker
Date: 2001-03-16 14:35
Thank you so much for your helpful hints! I think you are right, that it is silver plated...thanks again...
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