 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: EMully
Date: 2011-12-08 02:37
Hi,
One of my friends recently came across a very old wooden bass clarinet in their basement, and gave it to me. I have been looking all over the internet, trying to hopefully get some idea of what it is worth; so I was wondering if anyone on here could help!
I'm only in high school band, and I've been playing this instrument for a few months now. It has a great tone to it, but it needs some tuning up. It's been in my friend's basement for a very long time, it used to belong to her grandfather. I was wondering if it would even be worth putting any money into it to get it fixed.
On the stamp, it says that it is a Pruefer Super Artist Model with a serial number 1009.
Does anybody have any idea what it could be worth? Thank you!
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Author: Ursa
Date: 2011-12-08 03:14
Wow, what a nice friend you have!
Pruefer was a reputable American maker of clarinets. If you like the tone and response of the Pruefer bass, by all means get the instrument restored.
A Pruefer bass in good playing condition should easily be worth at least $500.
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2011-12-08 14:09
We've been through this drill before.....
Please post photos of your bass clarinet and we might be able to identify it.
Odds are it's a 'stencil' made by another manufacturer. Of all the American instrument makers I'm aware of, only Conn and Pedler made bespoke bass clarinets, and Conn's was only up to (or maybe through) WWII -- after that they sold 'stencils' made by Malerne in Paris. I've only seen one bass clarinet labeled Penzel-Mueller, for example, and that was a French-made stencil instrument. The Pedler basses are quite distinctive (and not very good, in my opinion), nor are they worth a whole lot of money. Most of the ones I've seen were beat to death and needed more restoration work than could be justified for the end result.
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Author: EMully
Date: 2011-12-09 18:16
Thanks for your responses;
I'm sorry I didn't attach pictures the first time, I am new to this website. Here are some pictures-
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q83/icklejuice322/IMG_3366.jpg
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q83/icklejuice322/IMG_3386.jpg
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q83/icklejuice322/IMG_3379.jpg
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q83/icklejuice322/IMG_3369.jpg
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q83/icklejuice322/IMG_3376.jpg
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q83/icklejuice322/IMG_3403.jpg
Post Edited (2011-12-09 18:34)
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2011-12-09 18:46
Hmmm...I'm pretty sure it's of French manufacture (does it say "France" or "Made in France" or "Paris" anywhere?), as it appears identical (including the register mechanism) to a bass clarinet I had years ago which was labeled "M. Lacroix". Might or might not be an earlier Malerne product, as your instrument has some of the typical Malerne features (e.g. shape of the stack keys), but is lacking features of later Malernes (e.g. doubled low E/B toneholes, squared-off r.h. trill keys, wire guard over bell key, and single register vent). Sorry I can't positively identify it, but it definitely looks français to moi.
Nice-looking bass, you should definitely get it fixed up!
I need friends like yours. ![[toast]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smiley15.gif)
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Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2011-12-10 01:08
David Spiegelthal wrote:
> The Pedler basses are quite distinctive (and not very good, in my opinion)
Ouch. I guess I have to agree though. Even though my Pedler bass has the double register key and nice silver plating you would expect to find on a professional instrument it probably doesn't play any better than your typical student/intermediate instrument.
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