 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: CJ
Date: 2000-09-14 04:09
I received a metal clarinet as a gift. It's says:
The Regent
Ohio Band
Instrument C2
Cleveland
O
on the bell and the #45741 engraved on it. I'm not a great clarinet player by anyone's standards but this instrument plays nicely- it has a beautiful sound and is in excellent condition. It isn't at all the lemon that metal clarinets seem to have the reputation of being on this BB. Anyone out there that can let me know the history or any info on what I have?
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Author: Nate Zeien
Date: 2000-09-14 04:35
CJ, I can't give you any history, but I do have a few words about with dealing with metal clarinets. First, hang on to that horn! A good metal clarinet isn't too easy to find. Most of them ARE lemons, but there are a few good ones out there. I myself own two, one is a very nice horn, the other is, not quite a lemon, but pretty close. If you ever have pads replaced, make sure that you request leather pads. Sometimes the tone holes are not perfectly flat, and leather pads seat better. They last quite a bit longer, too. There are a few notes that aren't quite well in tune on pretty much all metal clarinets. The most obvious example would be the throat tones, these are usually flat - you can lip these up, so they are in tune. Another thing, when playing in a group (If they will let you with a metal clarinet) ALWAYS tune. If you don't, you will probably regret it. Once you get it in tune it won't be to bad. I myself, and a very few others, actually like my metal clarinet. I usually play it in a couple of community bands and polka bands. When the guy next to me is playing a metal clarinet using rico 2's and sipping beer, that leaves a bit to be desired, though. I use my R-13 for most other things, these require a little more professionality. A lot of people do have bad views about metal clarinets, but there are arguments that metal has a better tone than plastic. I have to agree with this. Don't let this stop you from enjoying your metal clarinet :-) -- Nate Zeien
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Author: Willie
Date: 2000-09-14 05:13
I don't have any experience with that make, but I do agree with Nate. I have three now. the first is very good, I play it a lot. The second LOOKS great (gold laquer with silver keys) but is lacking in tone but sounds fair. The third is truly what should be nailed to the corner of the house for a lightning rod. Also try different MPs and reeds on it. Some will sound better and some may effect tuning better. Adjusting key/pad heigth can help too. Print out the tuning sheets found here on sneezy and sit down with a good tuner. Play all the notes one at a time and mark the sheet. Experiment with different combos (reed, lig, Mp,Etc).
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Author: Docb17
Date: 2000-09-14 13:18
I LOVE MY METAL! and I thought I was the only freak around here... I bought one and that ONE turned out to be good enough for me to handle all around. I must admit I like the feel of Leblancs much much more but this metal is pretty good for me. Like nate said, throat tones, that's a nice lil problem but I don't really mind that much. My setup sounds super on this horn. I think that it's very easy to be able to get these things to sound good. You have to work at it sometimes of course.
Dave
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-09-14 16:21
It is not the material that they are made of that matters but how well they were designed in the first place and the quality of manufacture. Most were student grade. Just like today's plastic horns, there were some good makers and makers who turned out tons of junk. Again, like today's plastics, they got an undeserved bad reputation due to the junk makers.
I have two metal horns. Both really need new pads but I can play them as is. The Noblet metal (France) is very nice. The Baronet (Italy) has a good sound but the tuning is horrid.
Due to the numbers of Regent, Ohio Band Instrument, metal clarinets that crop up on eBay, I would estimate that these were made for the student and/or marching band trade. However I have no information on their general quality.
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Author: J. Butler
Date: 2000-09-14 16:56
The Ohio Band Instrument Co was located in Elkhart and Eastlake, Ohio. A rather obscure company known as "King Musical Instruments".
J. Butler
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Author: J. Butler
Date: 2000-09-14 17:00
Correction: I didn't mean to post Elhart, I meant to post Cleveland. I do know my geography and that Elkhart is in Indiana.
J. Butler
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-09-14 18:25
Wern't Ohio, H N White and King the same Cleveland music inst. maker over the years?? Maybe bought out by Conn, and now "amalgamated" as U M I??? Don
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Author: J. Butler
Date: 2000-09-14 22:40
Yes, Don. I was being a little snooty I guess in the first post and do apologize. But did you know that Steinway Musical Instruments has bought UMI? It happened last month. So now Selmer, King, Conn, Artley, and Armstrong are owned by the same parent company now. I would like for the Conn division bring out some "new" saxes from some of the older designs they manufactured in the "good ole days".
J. Butler
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Author: Lelia
Date: 2000-09-14 23:30
I have some old catalogues that sort out the relationships. The parent company was H. N. White, named after the founder. "King" was originally a premium, pro-quality line of instruments under the H. N. White brand name. "Cleveland" (named after the location of the White factory) was a student brand, used so that the company could keep the H. N. White logo associated only with the more expensive lines. "Ohio" was yet another student brand name spun off by White. Just to confuse matters, after White's widow sold the company, the new owner started using the former pro model name, "King," as a brand name for student quality instruments under different model names. At the same time, "Cleveland" became a model name under the King brand, even though "Cleveland" had previously been a brand name with its own model names.
Wake up. There will be a quiz later. ;-)
The "Regent" model name has been manufactured under the Cleveland brand, the Ohio brand *and* the later King brand! At a flea market, I've also seen a metal Regent with no name on it other than "Regent." In all cases, I believe "Regent" was a student quality instrument.
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Author: joevacc
Date: 2000-09-15 04:01
Lelia Wrote: Wake up. There will be a quiz later. ;-)
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accaaahhhhhmmm a QUIZ????!!! What quiz!!!!!!? Cleveland White is in Ohio for the Regent??? Is that what you said???! accaaahhhhhmmm... I'm awake now but can you write that again but slower this time? And by the way, what and when are the Regent???
;~) jv
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2000-09-15 13:37
Isn't it surprising what cooperation can do in assembling about 100 years of a specific clarinet history? I regard this as one of the great values of our FINE BBoard, Mark. Don
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Author: CJ
Date: 2000-09-16 20:44
Wow! You folks are amazing! Thanks for all the info and input. The advice about tuning and throat tones has already made a difference for me and I plan to continue working on it.
By the way, any 1980-1984 IAA alum out there? Wondering what Frank Kowalsky is up to these days.
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Author: lib
Date: 2021-11-15 23:56
I am restoring this exact same clarinet just because it is beautiful (i am not a clarinet player). I found it without mouthpiece and was about to purchase one : there are so many different ones !
Any advise about tip opening, facing length, reeds hardness, brand ? I will definitely try it once the work done, as a full beginner.
Thank you.
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