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Boosey & Hawkes bass clarinets

Author: Magicbean
Date: 2022-11-01 04:10

Does anyone know anything about what bass models B&H made around 1942?
And anything to be particularly aware of if purchasing one?

I haven’t played the bass befor, fancy having a go and know of a private one for sale. I play an Emperor Bb but any information I can find about the B&H bass models would be helpful.

Thank you.

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Re: Boosey & Hawkes bass clarinets

Author: Chris P
Date: 2022-11-01 05:07

They're the only basses I've seen with an expansion in the lower joint bore below the F#/C# tonehole like soprano clarinets have, when most Boehm system basses maintain a perfectly cylindrical 23mm or thereabouts bore (or as much as 24mm on Leblanc basses) along their entire length from the crook all the way down to the lower joint tenon.

Provided they've been well maintained and not butchered by having dodgy repairs done to them (especially if they were former military band instruments), they should be nice players.

Here's a previous thread about them:
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=364505&t=364505

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

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Re: Boosey & Hawkes bass clarinets

Author: Magicbean
Date: 2022-11-01 12:51

Thanks, Chris.

Did they make different grades of them in 1942? Edgware, Imperial, Emperor etc?

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Re: Boosey & Hawkes bass clarinets

Author: Chris P
Date: 2022-11-01 14:46

The Imperial was the only model bass B&H made and was part of the lineup consisting of Eb, Bb/A (with various keywork options), alto and bass - all pro level instruments.

B&H Regent and "78" basses were plastic Bundy basses, as was the entire range of B&H "78" instruments.

Here's their price list from the '50s - notice they list the 1010s as 'Imperial' instead of the later 'Symphony' (and at some point in time they had both names):
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/download.html/1,4563/b&h_price_list.jpg

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

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Re: Boosey & Hawkes bass clarinets

Author: Magicbean
Date: 2022-11-03 18:10

Thanks Chris,

That's interesting - I'm off to see it on Saturday. I'm keen to avoid something that I can only make stuffy sounds with in the higher registers - I have gather that's one of the major problems with less expensive new instruments along with the build quality. I'm not too sure what to expect from such an old instrument but hopefully it will be OK if the condition is good enough.

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