 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: GinnysB
Date: 2012-01-08 04:32
I have been playing clarinet since I was 10 years old. My husband purchased for me some clarinets to have along with my old Bundy growing up. For the life of me I can not find any information on them.
1. Is black/wood with a single name stamped on it "Touraine" (which I know is French but beyond that I have no clue) It still plays beautifully.
2. Is silver or nickel and is engraved "Robertson Proffessional" Made in the USA (help?)
3. Looked like a clarinet at first but I have come to learn it is an Albert system jazz clarinet. When my husband purchased the metal one the guy at the antique store through this in the sale thinking since it was missing keys it was broken when in fact we know now that is not the case. This one is old and wood and needs some recorking to play.
So if anyone can give me info on #1 or #2 clarinets I'd be forever grateful, as I am going to have them all recorked and ready for playing, with two young daughters now growing into young women and wanting to play. Thank you in advance
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GinnysB
Date: 2012-01-08 18:31
a few pics coming your way thanks!
Post Edited (2012-01-08 18:45)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: alto gether
Date: 2012-01-08 19:46
A minor oops on your behalf. It doesn't seem to be the custom to actually post pictures to this bb, since many people skim through it and pics can take a long time to load. Put them up somewhere linkable and post a message with a link. Not your fault: if anybody complains, blame ttt.
About the clarinets: If the Albert system is any good and fixable, some jazz player may want it. Don't give it to your daughters - for far less than the price of fixing the Albert, you can buy a nice used student clarinet that will suit them much better in school. The Touraine must be a stencil clarinet, made by some good, bad, or indifferent manufacturer and stamped with some distributor's brand name. It looks nice, but again may cost more to fix than it's worth. I'd like to hear someone else's opinion on the Robertson - metal horns are out of fashion but some were very good.
Zeke Hoskin
Bb: student Buffet, Selmer HS* mouthpiece, Rovner lig, Legere 2 1/4
Alto: Holton, Yamaha 4C, Rovner, Vandoren 2
Contra Alto: Bundy, haven't settled on reeds yet
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2012-01-08 20:25
The problem with "worth fixing" is that "worth" is an immensely flexible term. "Value when owning" is usually higher than the "value when selling".
Where "street credibility" aka "brand pressure" comes into play, no off-brand instrument is worth fixing, as it simply has the "wrong" logo. We all know that this is rubbish and that there are a lot of fine "other make" instruments around, but for a kid with the average self-esteem (and the average bully in the classroom) this can be too much of a burden.
Otherwise, only a (bare minimum) service can hint at the potential an instrument has once it is fully refurbished. I'm in the try-to-salvage camp, and many old clunkers I've "done" proved to be satisfying (some even outstanding), while there were some that were simply duds - you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
In that light, I'd try the wooden Touraine, but the Metal Robertson is more of a novelty item, or to be used in bad weather or for special occasions, not as an everyday instrument. Albert-style instruments are best left to sax doublers (due to their similarity in operation) or collectors.
In a nutshell - if you want your daughters to enjoy learning the clarinet, find them a good Vito or thereabouts. If you plan to use them for yourself, start with the Touraine, unless you're planning to learn to service the clarinet yourself, in which case the metal one or the Albert might be easier.
Commercially speaking, none is worth very much if you ever plan to sell them.
Just my two ยข - I am sure there are other opinions around.
--
Ben
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: GinnysB
Date: 2012-01-08 21:13
Thank you both for your input, I have many clarinets and both of these clarinets in question work wonderfully. I was considering have them re-corked given their age and signs of wear. I was considering them for use and didn't want to let my kids etc take them off to school if they were of extreme value as a beginners instrument. Thank you in advance again
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
