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Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did?

Author: John Peacock
Date: 2017-03-06 01:47

First, bear in mind that there were 3 distinct Howarth models: S1, S2, S3. The last of these wasn't produced for long; it has a bore similar to Buffet in size, whereas S1 and S2 are larger bore (albeit smaller than B+H 1010). I think the S2 is basically an improved S1 (which only carried the Howarth oval logo, not a model name).

For my money, the S2 was the best Howarth model. I was introduced to it by a leading professional who played on S2s: Richard West, who played for many years in the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. He was one of the generation that started on B+H 1010s and switched to Buffets. The view he expressed to me was that the S2 gave him back some of the power and projection in the sound that he missed with his Buffets; he found the tuning not quite as good as Buffet, but easily worth working with for the sake of the sound.

I admired the way Richard sounded, so I sought out a pair of used S2's and was very pleased with them. The tuning is actually generally good albeit with a few ideosyncrasies (e.g. you need to pull the bells out 1mm to stop long B being sharp). And I agree about the sound: a bit less sweet than buffets, but a pure sound that projects well. I now alternate between playing on the S2s and Buffet depending on the repertoire.

The reason they aren't made any more is that they were hand crafted instruments, but people weren't willing to pay the price that this demanded, so Howarths couldn't charge enough to make it pay (although maybe if highly-priced offerings such as the Divine had existed in the past, it might have been easier to find a niche). Chris P used to work for Howarths, and has commented on this issue in other threads.

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Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

ruben

2017-03-05 15:25

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Chris P

2017-03-05 17:20

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Chris P

2017-03-05 17:20

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

dorjepismo

2017-03-05 19:25

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

AAAClarinet

2017-03-05 19:48

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Caroline Smale

2017-03-06 00:55

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

John Peacock

2017-03-06 01:47

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

ruben

2017-03-09 00:32

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Ed

2017-03-06 02:36

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Tony Pay

2017-03-06 03:11

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

ruben

2017-03-06 16:18

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

AB

2020-08-14 03:50

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

ruben

2020-08-14 09:52

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Chris P

2017-03-06 12:04

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

sax panther

2017-03-06 15:41

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Chris P

2017-03-06 17:18

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

dorjepismo

2017-03-06 18:06

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Tony Pay

2017-03-06 22:03

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

clarii2

2017-03-10 00:04

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Chris P

2017-03-10 00:26

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Tony Pay

2017-03-10 22:45

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

ruben

2017-03-11 01:36

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Tony Pay

2017-03-11 02:18

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

donald

2017-03-11 04:42

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

seabreeze

2017-03-11 05:01

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

D Dow

2017-03-12 00:26

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

sax panther

2017-03-14 14:30

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Caroline Smale

2017-03-12 01:57

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

donald

2017-03-12 04:06

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

efsf081

2017-03-12 05:20

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

donald

2017-03-12 10:37

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Chris P

2017-03-12 18:52

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

donald

2017-03-13 00:34

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Chris P

2017-03-13 02:01

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

John Peacock

2017-03-14 03:08

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Tony Pay

2017-03-15 21:36

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

John Peacock

2017-03-16 00:54

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Liquorice

2017-03-16 02:05

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Caroline Smale

2017-03-16 03:49

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

fskelley

2017-03-16 05:12

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

dorjepismo

2017-03-16 07:47

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Tony Pay

2017-03-18 02:03

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

dorjepismo

2017-03-18 06:43

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Tony Pay

2017-03-18 16:03

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

dorjepismo

2017-03-18 21:09

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Geten

2019-08-26 01:12

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

ruben

2019-08-26 14:23

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Geten

2019-08-26 14:43

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

ruben

2019-08-26 18:11

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

John Peacock

2019-08-26 18:35

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Geten

2019-08-26 19:32

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

John Peacock

2019-08-26 20:03

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Tony F

2019-08-26 19:50

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Ed

2020-08-14 15:15

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

AB

2020-08-16 00:58

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

ruben

2020-08-17 13:08

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

AB

2020-08-18 04:24

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Jarmo Hyvakko

2020-08-18 10:02

Re: Why did Howarth discontinue their clarinet line-if they did? new

Chris Sereque

2020-08-27 22:13

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