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 Boosey & Hawkes Imperial 926 in ebonite
Author: tyleman 
Date:   2021-01-23 20:01

Does anyone play this who can give an opinion? I've read some good things but I'm not sure I want to pay 400+ euros for one. I've had problems with wooden clarinets cracking so I'm going the hard rubber route now.
TIA

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 Re: Boosey & Hawkes Imperial 926 in ebonite
Author: Chris P 
Date:   2021-01-24 00:28

If you like B&H clarinets, then you'll probably also like these. I've seen them in Eb, Bb and A (as well as ebonite versions of Imperial flutes, oboes and bassoons and also 1010 clarinets), mostly from the '50s with nickel plated keys as they're not affected by the sulphur content of the ebonite like silver plated keys are.

I measured the bore on a 1950s one back in 2006 and it was over 15mm at the middle tenon - probably nearer to a 1010 bore (15.2mm).

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010

The opinions I express are my own.

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 Re: Boosey & Hawkes Imperial 926 in ebonite
Author: Tony F 
Date:   2021-01-24 08:46

I have ebonite and wood examples of the B & H 926, Emperor and Edgware. Personally I prefer the hard rubber instruments to the wood. For me, they have a warmer tone, and of course you eliminate the problems of cracking. They are more stable in pitch than wood. On the minus side they can discolour with age, although this is easily remedied. I've never had problems with storing rubber instruments in hot areas but I have heard others say that they have. It gets pretty warm where I live, so if it was a real problem I'm sure I would have come across it by now. You won't normally find silver keys on a rubber instrument, so if you have a problem with nickel be aware of this.

Tony F.

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 Re: Boosey & Hawkes Imperial 926 in ebonite
Author: TomS 
Date:   2021-01-25 00:08

Tom Ridenour still offers several excellent and reasonably priced clarinets in hard rubber. He claims that rubber more stable and more consistent, and actually has a quality of sound that equals or exceeds Blackwood and some exotic hardwoods, such a Honduran Rosewood.

I've a couple of his clarinets for over 7 years, and have had no problems with the key work or material and the original pads held up very well. By contrast, my R13s were serviced many times more/year than Tom's instruments. A few months ago, I sold the Buffets ... and this was my 3rd R13s since 1981.

I think that Brad Behn has made some comments about building and offering a hard-rubber instrument.

I wish the Yamaha CSVR and Selmer Signature were available in rubber.

Tom

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 Re: Boosey & Hawkes Imperial 926 in ebonite
Author: ACCA 
Date:   2021-01-25 17:57

Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious but most commercial mouthpieces will have tuning issues with B&H 926 and (especially) 1010 due to larger bores. So you will probably have to find a vintage B&H or similar, or go custom with a Pillinger or something. (although I know someone who jut uses a B45 and lips everything into tune!- and sounds pretty good doing it!)

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 Re: Boosey & Hawkes Imperial 926 in ebonite
Author: JTJC 
Date:   2021-01-25 21:17

There’s an article on the Peter Eaton website where Peter says how Roy Jowitt (co-principal of the London Symphony Orchestra, along with Jack Brymer) for many years used a 1010 mouthpiece on his 926 A clarinet. Jowitt always played a 1010 Bb with the 926 A until moving to an Eaton pair, so he must have just changed mouthpiece when switching to the A. The 926 had a barrel of the correct length though. Eaton suggests this arrangement wouldn’t have been a problem for a talented player like Roy.

The article is predominantly about De Peyer’s clarinets and mouthpieces though.

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 Re: Boosey & Hawkes Imperial 926 in ebonite
Author: Chris P 
Date:   2021-01-25 22:42

The majority of 926 clarinets built after the '50s have the same bore size as the narrower bore B&H clarinets (Regent, Edgware, Emperor and Imperial 926 and their equivalents) and can use any French style mouthpiece as opposed to the 1010 which normally uses a 1010 specific (or Eaton Elite) mouthpiece.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010

The opinions I express are my own.

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 Re: Boosey & Hawkes Imperial 926 in ebonite
Author: JTJC 
Date:   2021-01-26 00:27

Yep, that’s the theory, but apparently Roy must have made it work. From what Peter Eaton says, it was only in 1985 that he swopped the mixed 1010 Bb/926 A pair for a pair of Eaton Elites. He’d been principal of the London Symphony from 1968, until 1990.

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 Re: Boosey & Hawkes Imperial 926 in ebonite
Author: Tony F 
Date:   2021-01-26 02:26

Both of my 926's tune well with standard French-style mouthpieces. For my 1010 I have a B&H 1010 mouthpiece and a Selmer mouthpiece modified for 1010 by Ed Pillinger. The Selmer works best.

Tony F.

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 Re: Boosey & Hawkes Imperial 926 in ebonite
Author: Gordon D 
Date:   2021-01-27 02:39

A Selmer Centered Tone is not so different in bore from a 1010.

I realise the CT mouthpiece is probably conical and the 1010 mouthpiece definitely cylindrical; but I wonder (given all the non-standard pairings mentioned above) whether anyone had ever paired one of them with its opposite-number clarinet – and what was the result.



Post Edited (2021-01-27 03:01)

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 Re: Boosey & Hawkes Imperial 926 in ebonite
Author: Chris P 
Date:   2021-01-27 03:13

I had a 1010 player try my CT with his 1010 mouthpiece - it sounded really stuffy and resistant with that combination.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010

The opinions I express are my own.

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 Re: Boosey & Hawkes Imperial 926 in ebonite
Author: Gordon D 
Date:   2021-01-29 00:45

Cheers, Chris P

I wonder if the converse is true...

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 Re: Boosey & Hawkes Imperial 926 in ebonite
Author: JTJC 
Date:   2021-01-29 16:43

I’ve a pair of B40s mouthpieces and a pair of D’Adarrio Evolutions and one of each pair has be bored to 1010 by Peter Eaton. I don’t find either the standard French or the 1010 become stuffy when played on the other/wrong type of instrument. Maybe I’m not that sensitive or have learnt to adapt. Intonation is, of course, affected.

When I swop instruments I can find there is a period of adjustment. It’s possible that in ChrisP’s example the player was over compensating when going to the CT with his usual 1010 mouthpiece/reed combination, especially if it was a quick try.

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 Re: Boosey & Hawkes Imperial 926 in ebonite
Author: Penelope Fox 
Date:   2022-01-04 23:31

If anyone has a spare wooden Imperial Eb barrel and wants to sell it, I am looking for one to replace similar which has gone missing. Thanks.

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