 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: wardrice
Date: 2011-03-18 14:45
I recently purchased an old Boosey & Hawkes Edgware Bb clarinet.
The serial number has an N before the number. I have seen no reference
to a letter in front of the serial # on a B&H. Is it to indicate the month?
or does it mean if I can get my son to play the note N natural on this clarinet
money will fall out of it.
Just curious....and crossing my fingers.
clarinet parent
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-03-18 16:09
I think it was some instruments from the '50s that had the N prefix - N1xxxxx - though not sure why. The important bit is the 5- or 6-figure number which you can find the year of manufacture from when looking up an accurate serial number list:
http://www.clarinetperfection.com/clsnBH.htm
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2011-03-18 16:10)
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Author: Joseph Brenner, Jr.
Date: 2011-03-18 18:20
My B&H,model 8-10, has an "N" prefix; it's a capital "N" that is at an angle relative to the number. My clarinet's birth was late 1950's.
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2011-03-18 19:21
I have seen just a few with this N prefix over the years and actually own such a one myself, a 1953 Emperor. My Emperor has an experimental linkage between C#/G# and LH ring 2 mechanism that provides a good Bb (xoo C# ooo) and allows a useful Ab-Bb trill amongst other things.
Never understood why this was never put into full production.
So I suspect that the N signifies something "non-standard" about the instrument. Check it over carefully to see if you can spot anything unusual.
l
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2011-03-18 20:13
I had/have a fair number of B&H clarinets with a serial number starting with an "N" -- I would go with Chris P's assessment.
By the way, I've been trying to play an N-natural on my clarinets for decades and have so fair failed to produce that note. It must be a very difficult one.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2011-03-18 22:14
Dave -
N-Natural is enharmonic with Z#, which any beginner can play. ![[tongue]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie6.gif)
Ken Shaw
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