 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: adejazd
Date: 2021-01-09 03:07
I have a wooden Buescher Aristocrat Clarinet that I received as a gift from an aunt 2010. I played it since then, and I remember my director was impressed with it as he believed it to be very old.
The serial number is 72XXX. I've searched everywhere, and I cannot seem to find others with a 5 digit serial number. The barrel and bell are wooden as well, and they are the originals. On the bell going top down is the buescher logo, the word buescher, usa, aristocrat either painted on or stuck on as a sticker.
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2021-01-09 11:34
The Aristocrat clarinet didn't exist before Selmer USA acquired Buescher in 1963. Buescher serial numbers were at 380,000 by then.
What probably happened is that the first or last digit of the serial number didn't get inscribed or was done so faintly that it cannot be seen now.
If the serial number is actually in the 720,000 range, that would date your clarinet to around 1979.
These are very decent clarinets and are Selmer USA Bundy models, upgraded with inline trill keys and nicer socket rings.
The wooden Aristocrats are not nearly as common as the plastic ones. Your aunt gave you a nice gift 
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Author: MichaelW
Date: 2021-01-09 18:33
I owned a Buescher True Tone 730 metal clarinet N° 256794 from 1930/31 (according to Saxophone.org). From the same source:
https://www.saxophone.org/museum/saxophones/manufacturer/16
I learn that the „Aristocrat“ label (at least for saxophones) was used from about 1932 on.
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2021-01-10 02:01
Quote:
I learn that the „Aristocrat“ label (at least for saxophones) was used from about 1932 on.
The Aristocrat model name was used on Buescher's metal clarinets, but not the wooden and hard rubber ones prior to the Selmer acquisition. I've pored over many pre-Selmer Buescher publications and the non-metal Buescher and Elkhart clarinets are only referenced by model numbers.
This makes some sense as Buescher built their own metal clarinets, but sold non-metal clarinets supplied by other manufacturers.
My model 98 Buescher wooden clarinet, with wraparound register key and a serial number in the 23,000 ragne, is inscribed "The Buescher".
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