Author: SpiritTalker
Date: 2014-10-13 22:42
So I have this metal clarinet I purchased many years ago and it's been living in the garage in it's stinky little case, forgotten and ignored. Now that I've been afflicted the "clarinet collecting disease" I remembered the pitiful thing's existence and dug it out.
Much to my surprise, it's a beautiful King American Standard with the rather low serial of 73xx, which dates it roughly 1927/28, ish. Not just any ole horn, either, as it has a lacquered brass body and silver (yet to be determined if silver or nickel) keys and is in decent condition. Amazingly, the case contains a presumably original King "B" mouthpiece, screw-in lyre, and CASE KEY neatly pinned to the lid. Stinky, yes, but still in nice shape, the case.
The pads are a bit deteriorated and I haven't even attempted to play it. The body has some scratches...minor bell ding...nothing major. Should shine up pretty decently. No clue how it will play (my guess is not that great) and I'm not sure if it even will in it's current condition. It will be a fun project though!
I have combed over the forums and can't find much about brass bodied clarinets. Are they really that rare? I'm a little surprised they'd A)go to the trouble to make it that pretty for a student model and B)that they even lacquer a clarinet that early (year-wise), and a student model, at that.
I'm sure the "gold" won't make it sound any better but she sure will be a gorgeous conversation piece! And a *really* complete one at that. Are brass Kings an oddity, do you think?
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The Clarinet BBoard
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