 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: marsheng
Date: 2020-05-22 02:40
Attachment: LaFleur.JPG (23k)
Here is a photo of the item for sale. Still a newbe with respect to Clarinets, is this a old fingering/pad option or another key ?
Is it worth acquiring ?
Cheers Wallace
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: fbjacobo
Date: 2020-05-22 05:38
What you seem to have here is a full Boehm clarinet. I can't see all the keys so I don't know for sure. There's nothing particularly wrong with them. They never really caught on for various reasons - the major one PROBABLY that musical instrument makers are notoriously conservative and don't like to change. Since there was no general clamor for full Boehm instruments among the rank and file players, they weren't going to invest in new tooling, etc.
That said, the issue is whether a LaFleur clarinet was very good to start with. The fact that it is (I assume) a full Boehm clarinet, speaks good things about the brand and the quality of the horn, as that kind of keywork wasn't cheap or easy to acquire, so it would probably be a professional level instrument. I've never heard of the company (which doesn't really mean much, now that I mention it), but it is probably a 1950's-70's vintage instrument. As instrument design has come a long way since then, unless you really need that articulated G#/C# fingering (and unless it is really a bargain), I would look for a modern horn. However, it should be a good enough instrument that it would be worth putting the money into overhauling it, if that's what it needs.
THIS IS ALL SIGHT UNSEEN SPECULATION. You need to ask a good repair person whether it is (or can easily be) a playable instument.
Sheesh, talk about a long answer to a short question...
CASE CLOSED Musical Instrument Case Repair Service
Jacobowitz/Larkin Duo
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Tony F
Date: 2020-05-22 08:56
LaFleur was a label used by Boosey and Hawkes. Yours has the articulated C# key. It doesn't appear to have the alternate Eb/Ab key, so I'd hesitate to call it a full-Boehm. The LaFleur was pretty well equivalent to the B & H Edgware, Emperor or Imperial. Generally very well made, quality keywork and very good wood. They share the tuning issues of B & H instruments but are quite good. Those B & H instruments were good professional instruments in their day.
Tony F.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2020-05-22 10:32
Full Boehms are clarinets that have the LH forked Eb/Bb mechanism, articulated C#/G#m LH Ab/Eb lever and most importantly, they descend to low Eb - 20 keys, 7 rings in total. Clarinets that don't meet all those requirements aren't full Boehms.
This is a regular clarinet with the addition of the forked Eb/Bb mechanism (ring key for LH3) and articulated C#/G# mechansim making it an 18 key, 7 ring Boehm system.
Lafleur were a decent maker in their time, but later clarinets imported by B&H were mostly Amati stencils after B&H bought the Lafleur name and used it for their imported range of student level instruments from Czechoslovakia (B&H had the longest association with Amati), East Germany (B&S), France (Malerne) and Italy (Prestini or Orsi) - possibly Taiwan (Jupiter)
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2020-05-22 16:04)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: marsheng
Date: 2020-05-22 14:38
Attachment: Clarinet.JPG (47k)
Is this not a Oehler option ?
It is around $100 and I'm starting to to my own repairs so not worried about the condition.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: marsheng
Date: 2020-05-22 14:42
It has made in England and from the web it could be made before 1930.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2020-05-22 16:22
Oehler systems are an entirely different thing - they've evolved from the 5 key clarinets of the Classical-era whereas Boehm systems were a new design from back in the middle of the 1800s (Klose-Buffet system, but got the nickname Boehm system because of the main action ventings and ring keys).
While 5 key, simple/Albert and German and Oehler systems do use an upper register forked Bb, they have a different layout of the toneholes which make that possible, even on ones without any ring keys on the top joint.
Boehm systems need to add the extra ring for LH3 to close the E/B vent as that's only closed by the LH2 ring key and LH3 has a plain tonehole - there's too much venting on a regular Boehm system to allow the forked fingering to work without the extra ring key for LH3 fitted as LH2 controls two toneholes instead of the one. LH2 has its own chimney (where Eb/Bb issues from) and the small vent tonehole immediately above it (for E/B) controlled by the ring key. Non-Boehms have a single tonehole for LH2 for E/B to issue directly from and closing LH3 will flatten it enough in the upper register to give a forked Bb.
You'll only see the differences by putting a simple/Albert system and a Boehm system side-by-side - most of the main action toneholes are in different places apart from the D/A tonehole (LH3) and the A/E tonehole (RH3).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: marsheng
Date: 2020-05-22 18:33
Forgive my ignorance, is the fingering the same as a modern clarinet? If not what do I look for to find one ?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2020-05-22 19:11
The fingering is exactly the same as any Boehm system clarinet, plus some extras/alternatives that can't be done as easily on a regular 17 key, 6 ring Boehm system:
Forked Eb/Bb (xox|ooo) which is in tune in both registers (unlike long Bb xoo|xoo which is only in tune as an upper register A#/Bb and sharp as a D#/Eb). Useful for C-Eb or G-Bb tremolos and arpeggios with those intervals as you only lift off or trill LH2 while LH3 remains held down instead of using the side Eb/Bb key.
Articulated C#/G# which allows you to hold the C#/G# key down and do a B-C# or upper F#-G# trill by trilling with RH2. Or any interval with a RH note and C#/Db, upper G#/Ab and altissimo F.
The extra 'sliver' key for RH2 is for a low register C-Db, upper register G-Ab and altissimo E-F trill.
For altissimo Bb, play that as upper register C but with the left thumb off the thumb hole (but still holding the speaker key down) - the usual fingering can't be used as the RH ring keys are holding the C#/G# pad cup closed.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: marsheng
Date: 2020-05-23 03:19
Thanks for the reply. So it looks like a good option to play with. For the money, it is even better.
Thanks Wallace
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2020-05-23 10:26
Attachment: PA170002.JPG (698k)
I just remembered I overhauled a Lafleur A clarinet a few months back - standard 17 key, 6 ring model. While I cleaned the keywork, I didn't polish it as it'll dull down within a very short time and this clarinet will spend most of its time cased up as it belongs to a public school.
The barrel and bell aren't original - the ebonite bell is from a Buisson clarinet.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2020-05-23 10:48)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
