 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Tankie1rtr
Date: 2023-08-17 15:51
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Hello All.
I have a Beautiful B&H Emperor Clarinet, it looks brand new, the serial number is 324368, could anybody please tell me what year this relates too, and what it is worth, all the springs and pads are in lovely condition.
Thank You
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2023-08-17 21:42
That serial number list is way off the mark like so many others online, including this list which can be ignored for it's absolutely woeful inaccuracy: https://www.musictrader.com/_files/ugd/4a7a71_65bb35c7808541b1a17699eb80d358ba.pdf
Your B&H Emperor (serial no. 324368) is from 1970.
For insurance purposes, insure it as a Buffet E12 or Yamaha YCL-450 as this is an intermediate level clarinet (in essence a B&H Edgware with silver plated keywork). Although the resale value of them isn't all much as most tend to only go for around £250-300.
One significant problem with wooden B&H clarinets is the tenons are undersized compared to their respective sockets and especially the middle tenon which for a fair while, had hardly any tenon ring at the shoulder so the joints would rock like anything. It can be repaired by either replacing the metal tenon ring or shimming it to make it a wider diameter to fit the socket, then remaking the tenon ring at the tenon shoulder to make it longer and also fit the socket well to make it wobble-free.
And that's not just a B&H thing as Buffet Prestige clarinets also suffered from havnig ill-fitting middle tenons and sockets which cause the joints to rock.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2023-08-17 21:48)
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Author: Mr. Mitch
Date: 2023-08-17 22:55
Chris:
I notice that the music trader site does not list Yamaha clarinets. I am having a very difficult time trying to determine the age of my Yamaha CXii with serial number 16247. As an aside, I purchased it on Reverb 2 months ago from Ishabashi music in Japan and am very pleased with it. I wrote to Yamaha but they told me that this serial number is associated with a CS model, which mine is certainly not. I have scoured the internet but cannot find anything helpful on dating this instrument. Any advice?
Mitchell D Benjamin
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2023-08-17 23:27
There's nothing anywhere to be found online relating to Yamaha serial numbers which is a shame as you'd have thought Yamaha would have been on the ball.
All anyone's got to go on is knowing when they bought a brand new Yamaha instrument and its serial number and assuming it was new in stock at the time of purchase, or guessing how many months old it was at the time of purchase given how long it took to ship from Japan and how long it sat around in the shop.
It's all very much a grey area there and from what I gather, their serial numbering system isn't the most comprehensive nor consistent as instruments were given their serial numbers before being finished, although they're not alone there as many makers number the joints when they're being set out with toneholes drilled, bedplaces/countersinks cut, slots milled, pillar holes drilled, etc.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Mr. Mitch
Date: 2023-08-17 23:56
It seems the absence of the availability of such basic information, especially from a large, reputable, international company as Yamaha is intentional. I have no idea what the benefit is to Yamaha to protect this information like it is a state secret.
Mitchell D Benjamin
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