The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Nick
Date: 2002-03-16 00:59
Can anyone please tell me if King have ever made a Clarinet?
If so, do you have any details?
Thank you
Nick
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Author: Jim
Date: 2002-03-16 02:26
I seem to recall one of my friends in 9th Grade band owning a King Instruments clarinet (that was many years ago so my memory may be "inacurate").
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Author: Fred
Date: 2002-03-16 02:28
Is this a trick question?
I know that King has marketed clarinets under their name - both student and professional clarinets. King Tempos come up on ebay fairly frequently as student grade instruments. In the '70's, King wanted to offer a premium clarinet and entered into an agreement to market SML clarinets under the King name - thus King Marigaux's and King Lemaires are seen from time to time (but not common). The Marigaux was a pro model; the Lemaire an intermediate. It is generally felt that SML does not and has not produced a true student model. In case you are not familiar with their name, they make world-class oboes and made some of the finest saxes in the world before succumbing to the Selmer onslaught.
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Author: jim lande
Date: 2002-03-18 04:50
Some metal "King" clarinets on eBay were marketed by H.N. White, which had the "Silver King" and "American Standard by King Craftsmen" labels. White had no connection with SML.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2002-03-19 03:38
There is an interesting history of the H. N. White company at:
http://www.unitedmusical.com/King/histinfo.htm
Henderson N. White founded the company in Cleveland 1893, working in collaboration with a trombonist named Thomas King. (Hence the "King" line.) White ran the company until his death in 1940, at which time, his wife took it over and ran it for another 25 years. After she retired (in 1965), it appears that the company was sold and merged, etc. several times. Since 1985, King instruments are marketed by United Musical Instruments. It may be that, technically, the H. N. White Company had no connection with Marigaux. (There is no reference to H. N. White anywhere on my King Marigaux Alto Clarinet.) As near as I have been able to tell, King Marigaux instruments date from the 60's and 70's, so Mrs. White may have sold out before the connection occurred but, if that is the case, is was an early successor to H. N. White Co. that imported the SML instruments.
Marigaux instruments are SML professional models. I can never keep the two straight but I believe it is correct that the Lemaire was an intermediate model clarinet. If that is the case, then the Strasser was the student model clarinet but it may be the other way around.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2002-03-19 13:52
Fred, SML did make some student clarinets under the "Strasser" name. You're correct that "Lemaire" was intermediate and "Marigaux" professional.
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Author: Chris
Date: 2002-05-13 01:49
What exactly is a King Tempo Clarinet. Are they wood or plastic and how is the sound quality? I am looking for another clarinet. I can't afford a lot but I do want quality. I need to know what is a good named clarinet for professional use. I also need to know what price range a the name brand should be. Thanks
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