 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Glen Perchie
Date: 2002-08-29 02:37
Hello:
I have a sweet old wooden clarinet. My parents bought it used in around 1970 for 60 bucks. It may not be the best in the world, but after over thirty years, I still play on it and swear it gets sweeter as the time goes by.
It's a Martin Freres. "Martin Freres" is stamped on the instrument inside of a box with Paris at the bottom. Below that it has the number "1740", and below that, "CONCORDE" On the back, above the register key, it has "*26134"
Can anyone tell me anything about this clarinet? Maybe the rough circa, etc?
Thanks for any help at all!
Glen
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-08-29 03:19
Glen Perchie wrote:
> It's a Martin Freres.
Click that "Search link" above and type in the name. Plenty of info already posted.
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Author: William
Date: 2002-08-29 14:45
Listen, one more time, to the words of the great Duke Ellington--"If it sounds good, it is good." Do your research, but the bottom line should be how it sounds, not its history or "if it's good."
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-08-29 16:07
Glen - you say,
"...after over thirty years, I still play on it and swear it gets sweeter as the time goes by."
William's comment is right on target.
If your question is, 'should I have the instrument serviced'?, or whatever... sure. Properly maintained, it should be good for another thirty years
Where I live there are several Model A Fords around town. I doubt that anything except perhaps the frame and some of the body is original but they still purr like new.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-08-29 17:12
William wrote:
>
> Listen, one more time, to the words of the great Duke
> Ellington--"If it sounds good, it is good." Do your research,
> but the bottom line should be how it sounds, not its history or
> "if it's good."
I don't think that's entirely true. A total piece of mechanical **** might sound good - for a day, a week, a month, then it's unrepairable. It's less simplistic than just "sounds good".
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-08-29 23:21
Mark - it's amazing how you always manage to rain on parades.
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Author: Glen Perchie
Date: 2002-08-30 03:22
Thank you all the technical information and for validating my feelings. Mark, you raise a good point about a total piece of mechanical**** sounding good only for a short while; however, if this had been the case, there's no way I could have fallen in love with it over the past 30 years!
It just has the right feel and creamy sound. Ooooooh yah!
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2002-08-30 03:50
Glen Perchie wrote:
>
> Mark, you raise a good point about a
> total piece of mechanical**** sounding good only for a short
> while; however, if this had been the case, there's no way I
> could have fallen in love with it over the past 30 years!
I didn't mean to infer that your instrument has those problems; rather, an instrument has to be evaluated over a number of important points, sound being an important one, but intonation, mechanical quality, etc. all factor in.
However, if we're looking at "what <b>you</b> sound like", not the instrument, then I agree with the Duke.
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Author: Bob
Date: 2002-08-30 11:50
Reminds me of this quote, "I have my great grandfather's axe but have replaced the head and handle."
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