The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: xavier.c
Date: 2018-07-08 00:48
I found a clarinet at a thrift shop for only $13, and it's a Buescher 400 (I couldn't find it saying special anywhere) and I wanted to know if it was worth repairing and fixing up. I believe its all original, except for the mouth piece. I'm not primarily a woodwind player, but I thought I'd pick it up for the price. I'd also like to know what the age is on it, and about how much it's worth.
Anything to help me would be great! Thank you!
-Xavier
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2018-07-08 05:07
The Buescher 400 was similar to the Selmer Signet, which was sold as an advanced student/intermediate instrument. The playability can vary widely, but a good one can be a pleasure to play. As long as the wood and keywork are complete and undamaged you got a bargain. Certainly worth fixing up.
Tony F.
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2018-07-09 11:13
If your Buescher 400 is undamaged and repairable, you have purchased a fine introductory wooden clarinet at a bargain price. Well done!
By today's standards, these are decent student-level wooden instruments.
Since the clarinet isn't your principal instrument, the 400 would be well worth fixing up to use as your first wooden clarinet. If you discover you love the clarinet and want to get serious about it, this would be up to the task for the first year or two of classical study.
If I'm not mistaken, the Buescher 400 came equipped with a hard rubber Brilhart Nilo Hovey mouthpiece. I wouldn't recommend any Brilhart mouthpiece to someone new to the clarinet.
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Author: xavier.c
Date: 2018-07-09 11:28
Thank you! I'm glad to see it not wasted I'm going to take it to my local instrument shop and see how much it'll run me. I don't see any bends or sticky keys so I hope it's all good.
It has a belmote with it, but I don't know the specific model of mouthpiece.
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2018-07-09 23:31
The Belmonte mouthpiece should be replaced right away. The Fobes Debut is a very nice mouthpiece to get started with.
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