 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: bradfordlloyd
Date: 2013-04-14 03:15
Attachment: dolnet photo.jpg (122k)
Out of curiosity (and a surprisingly low price) I picked up a Dolnet clarinet from that auction site...it's a beautifully made horn that is apparently NOT a stencil, but from a French small-batch manufacturer (who has been getting positive recognition for their high quality, but also lesser known saxophones).
I had the Dolnet clarinet refurbished by an expert, and have had a few weeks to play it. It is a truly nice horn! In fact, it has become the back-up to my vintage Buffet R-13 because it has wonderful tone, intonation, and feel.
These horns may be a "best kept secret"....anyone else know anything about these or played one?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-04-14 13:14
It looks a lot like a Malerne stencil, unless they sourced numerous parts from Malerne and built them in house.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2013-04-14 17:27
Use the search function to find "Dolnet" (without the quotes). In addition to the box for the "Clarinet Bulletin Board" also check the box for the "Klarinet Mailing List Archives." You should get 37 hits, some of which give some history about the company and comments on the quality of its instruments. In one of the first few hits, Mark Charette gives information from the New Langwill Index. (This info is at the bottom of the thread. In an earlier post, Mark says that the company is not in Langwill but then he apparently found it, perhaps in a newer edition.)
Neither the bridge mechanism nor the top key on the lower joint look like Malerne to me.
Best regards,
jnk
Post Edited (2013-04-14 17:30)
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Author: bradfordlloyd
Date: 2013-04-15 03:05
Attachment: DOLNETmantesusine2.jpg (138k)
Yes, of course there's no way to be sure, I guess, that Dolnet made their own clarinets. But there are some clues......(see photo attached, and note the clarinet bodies in front to the gentleman on the right)
Also, I don't think that this is a Malerne due to a few key characteristics (a couple that Jack noted) despite the posts, which are quite large at the bottom and do resemble those used by Malerne.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2013-04-15 14:07
I have one too. I'm fairly sure these were bespoke clarinets and not stencils (for example, mine has the doubled F/C toneholes as used on professional bass clarinets -- I don't believe Malerne made any clarinets like that. Plus the keycups are sort of a unique shape.)
Mine plays well too, but in overhauling it I noticed that the metal of the keywork was pretty soft, so it's a rather fragile instrument.
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Author: Bill
Date: 2013-04-16 03:38
Have seen Dolnet mpcs for auction. They were Ched 'Qualite Superieure' blanks.
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
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Author: bradfordlloyd
Date: 2013-04-17 17:01
David -- I hadn't noticed the soft keywork, but I'll check it out. One can never be too careful.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who has found these to be nice horns! I'm not surprised that they came with nice mouthpieces, mine, unfortunately, came without a mouthpiece, but works great with a Fobes San Francisco.
Thanks to all for their comments and input!
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Author: MichaelW
Date: 2014-02-18 17:40
I just acquired a Dolnet for little money in an auction. It looks plain compared with yours, not silver plated but apparently German silver, and has the same engraving though without gold inlay: "Dolnet DLP Paris". I hope it will be as fine as yours when I’ve replaced the pads.Does anybody know what "DLP" means?
(And special greetings to Schaumburg/IL. Our neighbor county is Schaumburg, just round the corner from where we live near Hannover, Germany. An ancestor of today’s Alexander Prince of Schaumburg- Lippe was the employer of the “Bückeburg Bach”, Johann Christoph Friedrich, third son of Johann Sebastian Bach).
Post Edited (2014-02-18 22:42)
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Author: gkern
Date: 2014-02-18 18:56
Jack - your comment about the doubled F/C toneholes caught my eye, as I have a Couesnon Monopole with the 2 F/C holes. Any similarity there, and maybe a Couesnon stencil?
Gary K
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Author: gkern
Date: 2014-02-18 23:57
Attachment: 3 keys.jpg (61k)
Attachment: lower perspective.jpg (59k)
Jack - your comment about the doubled F/C toneholes caught my eye, as I have a Couesnon Monopole with the 2 F/C holes. Any similarity there, and maybe a Couesnon stencil?
Gary K
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2014-02-18 19:00
Every Dolnet clarinet I've seen is stamped "DLP", I believe it stands for "Dolnet Lefevre Pigis", the full name of the company.
Google is your friend.........
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