 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Clarineteer
Date: 2015-09-28 00:40
Attachment: 730.jpg (1576k)
Attachment: 730A.jpg (1138k)
I just finished a total restoration of a Buescher top of the line 730 silver metal Bb clarinet using Ferrees tan kid leather pads on the entire instrument. Plays amazing and in tune. It is in mint condition. It is a keeper. Checkout the photos.
Post Edited (2015-09-28 00:42)
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2015-09-28 01:59
That's beautiful! I bet modern audiences are astonished to hear clarinet sounds coming out of such an instrument. Or maybe they assume it's a MIDI controller.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: modernicus
Date: 2015-09-29 02:41
Stunning! I have a similar one, but mine does not have a model number stamp or elaborate bell engraving?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2015-09-29 03:18
I like the oboe-style pad cup arms.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2015-09-29 22:03
Well done!
Please let us know when you have more for sale.
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Author: saxlite
Date: 2015-10-06 04:46
A question for the "materials make the tone" folks- how does the the tone quality of this metal example compare with what we normally consider a proper grenadilla clarinet tone?
Jerry
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2015-10-06 06:44
I have several metal clarinets. There is nothing distinctly metallic about their tone, in fact they sound pretty good.
Tony F.
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Author: Clarineteer
Date: 2015-10-06 10:01
The only thing that I find different from most wood clarinets is I am able to bend all notes almost a full tone which really allows me to express myself completely while playing jazz. Also the bottom 4 large pads have resonators which help to increase the power and volume. It really is a cannon. Also there is no tenon cork and of course it can't crack. Perfect in every way and it has the WOW factor visually.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2015-10-06 18:37
As metal (talking brass or nickel silver here) is far more dense than grenadilla, there shouldn't be any reason why metal clarinets won't play or sound like their wooden counterparts.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: saxlite
Date: 2015-10-06 23:32
Having an engineering background, I have always felt that it is only the shape of the bore ( including undercutting, etc. ) that determined the tone quality of clarinets. I have played and heard others play on various plastic and metal clarinets whose sound I could not distinguish from grenadilla clarinets. Yet, there is an enormous body of players who swear they can hear the difference even between various wood types, etc. (e.g. cocobolo, rosewood ). I know that a prominent Japanese flute maker once ran a very scientific double-blind test that compared flutes which were identical save for the materials- the test found that the expert flutists tended to still retain their own personal sound independent of the flute's material.
Buffet provides their higher grade clarinets in grenadilla and "Greenline" composite material which seem to give identical tone quality. Tom Ridenour claims hard rubber gives identical results, but offers a wood model for those who still believe "wood is the real thing". I'm convinced that the bore shape is the ONLY important factor. Does anyone know of other scientific proof that the material is a sigificant factor in clarinet tone? Or, have we just collectively agreed that poorly made, non- undercut plastic clarinets cause other man-made materials to be dismissed as incabable of professional quality. ( sorry to have hijacked this thread, but it seemed that we got to discussing the tone quality of metal clarinets...)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2015-10-07 00:18
Surely the density of the material used to make the body from has an effect on the resonance of the overall instrument. This is something that has to be investigated and seems to be overlooked.
I definitely feel my plastic Yamaha YCL-24 doesn't have the same degree of resonance when pushed compared to a Selmer Series 9* when they both are very similar in their construction. Maybe wood has more of a dampening effect on certain overtones and reinforces others as does metal. I don't know, but someone ought to know the answer.
Howarth made their clarinets in blackwood, kingwood, cocobolo and also PVC and possibly delrin, but some people were put off the plastic ones for the simple fact they were plastic even though they cost more for Howarth to make compared to their wooden counterparts. Likewise they made oboes and cors anglais in the same timbers and also in delrin and PVC, but the all plastic cors were more brash and blary in tone compared to the wooden ones or those with a plastic top joint.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2015-10-07 02:21
The whole materials debate is one that will likely never be settled.
Owning ABS, PVC, ebonite, metal-lined ebonite, metal, and wooden instruments, I have concluded that it's the engineering of the instrument that matters most.
The most resonant instrument in my collection with that unmistakable real wood presence and sonic complexity is the Backun Alpha. Backun says it is "made from a proprietary synthetic material chosen for its excellent tonal qualities".
Yes, I own a glorious-sounding metal clarinet--a Pan American Brilliante--and have wished for a metal clarinet built to modern standards. BUT--these instruments are subject to denting, bending, and other damage which can distort bore dimensions and easily ruin a metal clarinet beyond any hope of repair. Handling mishaps that won't seriously damage wooden, plastic, or ebonite instruments can be fatal to metal ones. Sure, they don't crack--but they're hardly a carefree alternative to wood.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2015-10-07 04:56
The only other clarinets I know of that had oboe-like cup arms (that run the full width of the pad cup instead of only half way across) were the early Howarth clarinets from the late '40s and also Josef clarinets.
http://www.josef-oboe.com/en/clarinet-mk11.html
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: saxlite
Date: 2015-10-07 08:37
Interesting article- thanks for posting it, SS. Fox certainly knows his stuff and makes some points for consideration about the texture of the clarinet bore- most clarinetists believe that smoother is better, despite the fact that the bore is frequently interrupted by those annoying tone holes......his largest conclusion is that variances in material seem to be more noticable to the player rather than the listener-a point worth contemplation, indeed!
Jerry
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Author: Clarineteer
Date: 2015-10-07 10:23
I have had many dents in metal clarinets completely removed by an expert named Mr. Larry Frank of Frank Woodwinds in Philadelphia, PA.
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Author: saxlite
Date: 2015-10-07 20:30
I have a Cundy- Bettony Three Star metal clarinet, made in the USA. I made a lamp out of it. Can't shed any light on how it sounds.......
Jerry
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