 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2013-07-23 20:18
Greetings,
A few weeks ago I aquired a frank holton wooden bass clarinet. It has a serial number of 947. It has an automatic double register key but the lower register vent is also used to play Bb and its about a quater inch wide! had no idea that the frank holton company even made bass clarinets. I am asking if anyone knows anything about this clarinet. I also would like to know if its a pro clarinet or not.
Thanks
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2013-07-24 01:06
Frank Holton & Co., before its acquisition by LeBlanc USA, made its own woodwind instruments but is primarily known for the fine brasswinds it produced. While Holton saxophones achieved some popularity in the early- to mid-20th century, their clarinets are reputed to be generally mediocre. A notable exception is the series of metal clarinets made for the US Armed Forces service bands which are said to be quite good.
Generally speaking, a Frank Holton instrument not also labeled Collegiate is a semi-pro or pro-level instrument. Holton didn't make many intermediate instruments.
After the LeBlanc acquisition, Holton clarinets were badge-engineered Vitos. Adding somewhat to the confusion, LeBlanc revived the old Frank Holton & Co. logo for use on some Holton harmony clarinets.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2013-07-24 18:19
Photos, please!
I'm wondering if what you have is actually a single-register vent instrument with the large lower tonehole serving only as a throat Bb vent, a la Leblanc products. Pardon me for making assumptions, your old wood Holton may in fact be a true double-register vent design. If it is, there will be a second bridge key and associated linkage coming up from the lower joint to operate the upper vent from clarion E upward (or, much more rarely on basses though common on alto clarinets, some additional linkage only on the upper joint to make the register vent switch at the clarion G).
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2013-07-25 19:48
Im having trouble posting pictures right now so ill try again later. but the bass clarinet does have two register keys as it has the extension that extends down to the d key. The second register key is also on the neck, a feature i've never seen on a single register bass.
BTW has anybody had trouble moving from a single register key bass to a double key one? I find that I am having trouble playing D and D# without squeaking on the first try and cant decide if it is me or the clarinet.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2013-07-25 20:16
For now your verbal description confirms that you indeed have a true automatic double-register-vent bass clarinet. Your previous description of it having a very large tonehole for the lower vent which doubles as the throat Bb vent is reminiscent of the Robert Malerne instruments, so I'm eager to see the photos and look for any other "Malerne-like" design features (since Malerne made a huge number of 'stencil' bass and alto clarinets for an amazing number of other companies/brands).
As for the response issue, sounds like your mechanism is maladjusted. The double vent system, if properly designed and adjusted correctly, should make transitions between registers seamless and response very smooth through the entire clarion -- in other words, it should work better and more easily than on a single-vent design.
Also, be careful when you write single (or double) register KEY(s) rather than single or double VENT(s) --- many pre-1930s basses (such as my H. Bettoney) have separate manual KEYS for their double register VENTS; that is, your thumb has to slide over to operate an independent linkage for the upper vent. Such instruments do require a bit of retraining and practice to get used to, but they have advantages in simplicity and reliability over modern automatic double-vent (single-KEY) systems.
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2013-07-25 20:52
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HOLTON-WOOD-BASS-CLARINET-/251285177077?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a81c382f5
heres the clarinet before I restored it. The pictures arent great but you can see the mechanism.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2013-07-25 21:07
Not quite enough detail on the register mechanism for me to be sure, but it's definitely not Malerne -- it looks very much like a Leblanc-Paris or Noblet mechanism, but there are no views showing the 'alleged' second bridge key and associated mechanism coming up from the lower joint, nor can I tell if the register vent on the neck is actually the second vent of a two-vent system, or the sole vent for a single-vent system.
I recall seeing this instrument on eVilBay and not bidding on it, partly because of my doubts about the mechanism design.
So....need more photos!
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