 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: klarisa
Date: 2005-10-07 13:44
Hello,
I just got a clarinet in my hands:
On the bell it got a stamp that says:
CAMBRIDGE
THE BRITISH
BAND INSTRUMENT Co LTD
On the upper part only a number
179354M
On the lower part the same number whithout the M
and MADE IN ENGLAND
No markings on the tenon
Anyone seen a clarinet like this one before or has anyone more information about these clarinets or the compagny?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-10-07 13:56
Sounds like it could be a Boosey & Hawkes made clarinet, but without seeing it I can't be sure.
Are there any other distinctive markings or keywork?
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Author: rogerb40uk
Date: 2005-10-07 15:38
ISTR(very vaguely!) that B&H made a clarinet called The Cambridge, sometime around the Fifties, when I first became interested in the instrument.Chris P wrote:
> Sounds like it could be a Boosey & Hawkes made clarinet, but
> without seeing it I can't be sure.
>
Best regards
Roger
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-10-07 15:52
The serial number is of that era, sounds like it could be similar to an 'Edgware' or Series 2-20.
I know B&H did a 'Westminster' series of instruments from the fifties as well, but I think these were their mid-level brass instruments.
Is the 'M' on the top joint stamped in a slightly different manner to the serial number - is it at a slight angle compared to the numbers, or stamped slightly deeper or shallower than the numbers?
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2009-10-31 14:28
Hi, just came across your post re the Cambridge clarinet. I also have one, it appears to be a B & H stencil. I bought mine in a junk shop for $27 Australian, repadded and recorked it and I've used it as a second instrument ever since. It plays like a dream and is a very good outdoor backup for my B & H Emperor. Keywork is high quality, as is the general build. It had the usual B & H problem of fat keys, but a little judicious work with a dremel grinder and some polishing fixed that up. If you've still got it, it's a keeper.
Tony F.
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2009-11-01 13:06
BBIC was a part of B&H before the great dissolution. I believe it still exists as a private company making brass instruments, but not clarinets. In the B&H days they made a range of student/intermediae instruments called "Cambridge". I'm inclined to believe that your horn was actually made by B&H rather than some offshore maker because of the serial number which fits right in with B&H numbers for 1977. Any chance you can post a picture or two?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-11-01 14:10
179354 isn't from the '70s - it's from the late '50s as by the '70s the serial numbers were in the 300000s to low 500000s.
LMI (London Musical Instruments) continued to make brass instruments after the B&H group and later on 'The Music Group' had collapsed.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2009-11-01 14:13)
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2009-11-02 11:48
I guess it depends which serial number list you are using, i know there are two or three out there; the list i used was from the NC clarinet collection at U of Arkansas. Looking at another list which could have dated it to the fifties it looked like B&H would have had to make many thousands more clarinets in that one year than they had ever done before. Can you point me to the list you have which is obviously neither of these, it would certainly be of great interest...Thanks Chris
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2009-11-02 11:57
Chris P: I'd forgotten about clarinet perfection - i assume that's the one you're looking at. You're right - late fifties it is!
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Author: clancy
Date: 2009-11-02 12:29
I have the correct B & H serial number lists - if that is a Boosey made clarinet it dates to 1959.
Most of the B & H serial number charts floating around, including the one on this site are incorrect....sadly the legit list hasnt been circulated properly.
R Wodkowski
www.ramonwodkowski.com
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-11-02 12:50
The Clarinet Perfection list (Steve Sklar's site) is the most accurate one to be found online now since B&H pulled the defintive one, though there are some gaps that need filling.
Though it would be good to have the correct list made public - no pressure, Clancy!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-11-02 18:00
The only thing to do with the gaps in the list is to take a rough guess - average out the difference between the two existing numbers to get an idea of the year.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: clancy
Date: 2009-11-02 20:31
What gaps do you refer to? My list has no gaps.
Steve has the old incomplete list but also published the one I gave him somewhere on the site.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-11-02 21:05
On this list there are some gaps (eg .between 1960 and 1966) http://www.clarinetperfection.com/clsnBH.htm
Though now you mentioned the other list I remember it - and there was a period where serial numbers were wrongly stamped as well.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: clancy
Date: 2009-11-02 21:16
Chris email me via my website and I will send you the correct list. That list you linked is very out of date and incorrect.
R Wodkowski
www.ramonwodkowski.com
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