 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: patbrack
Date: 2014-11-23 03:38
I was trying to research information on my clarinet.
I got it in the 7th grade and was wondering about the value and/or history of it. I think the serial number is 540913. One of the things I am also wondering is if it is made of wood or plastic. Can anyone help me with this?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2014-11-23 04:32
Whether wood or plastic should become obvious if you look at the ends of the tenons or inside ends of the sockets (you may have to clean any crud off first).
Wood will exhibit a characteristic end grain pattern whereas plastic will be smooth and shiny.
You can also make a small scratch on surface of an inconspicious area and see result. Plastic will leave a very smooth groove even "across" the grain.
Value - probably bewteen $50 - $200 depends on condition.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ursa
Date: 2014-11-23 09:23
If your Bundy is plastic and doesn't say "577" or "Mazzeo Model" on it, it's a Bundy 1400. These were introduced in 1948 and are still being made today as the Selmer 1400B. More than a million of these clarinets have been made.
The only major changes that I have noted since its 1948 introduction:
1. The body material has changed from PVC to ABS resin
2. The body finish is now brushed satin "woodgrain"; the earlier Bundys are smooth and glossy
3. The shape of the throat G# key has changed
4. The current 1400B has a trim ring on the bell flare; the earlier Bundys have ringless bells
The Bundy 1400 was the first plastic clarinet to considered a complete success. Plastic clarinets did exist before the Bundy 1400, but they tended to be expensive, and many were made of very brittle body materials that were subject to breakage. The Bundy solved these problems.
The use of metal clarinets by beginning students was phased out in large part by the success of the Bundy 1400.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BobD
Date: 2014-11-25 00:18
Ursa: It is my impression that the first (earliest?) Bundy Bb Sops were made from Resonite and that Resonite was not pvc. What it really was is difficult to determine exactly but it seems to have been a thermoset phenolic type.
Bob Draznik
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2014-11-25 02:17
I concur with Bob, old Bundies (as well as Vitos) were made of comparably brittle bakelite-like material.
--
Ben
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ursa
Date: 2014-11-25 07:33
Bob and Ben, I haven't seen an early Bundy 1400 such as you're describing but it's certainly possible they changed the body material from an early composite to PVC and then to ABS over the ensuing decades. I have a Normandy 11, made in the early 1950s, that is made out of some sort of plastic that is so brittle, the lower broke in half across a tone hole just sitting in its case. It wouldn't surprise me to find a really old Bundy made out of something similar.
Trade adverts have called the Bundy material Resonite through at least the 1980s. Vito has called their plastics Reso-Tone even though it was also changed to ABS at some point.
At any rate, the Bundy 1400 Resonite I have in studio has a serial number in the 300,000 range and it appears to be made of PVC. The Selmer 1400B clarinets that I've examined are ABS. And, for the record, I prefer the response and timbre of the PVC instruments.
Post Edited (2014-11-25 07:53)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-11-25 14:16
I've never seen PVC Bundys - only the older Bakelite and ABS ones (under the "Resonite" name).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ursa
Date: 2014-11-25 19:14
Now I'm curious as to how the early Bakelite Bundy plays compared to the later Resonite models...
Were there early Selmer Signets made out of Bakelite, too?
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: BobD
Date: 2014-11-25 19:26
Ursa: "Reso-Tone" was not a material. You can check out the court case between Selmer and LeBlanc for details on that. I am curious as to how you can tell the difference between PVC and ABS, or are you simply quoting advertising copy?
Bob Draznik
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Ursa
Date: 2014-11-25 20:53
Bob: If you'll re-read my post above, I stated that Reso-Tone refers to more than one kind of plastic. It was and is just a marketing term, not a specific material.
I've had an exchange of ideas with a technician regarding body materials and they have pointed out the switchover from PVC and earlier types of plastics to the ABS which is in common use today. Perhaps they're not 100% correct regarding the identity of the materials, and, if so, I apologize for passing along incorrect information.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2014-11-26 04:03
PVC is a fairly dense plastic compared to ABS resin which is fairly low density.
The old Bundy Resonite (read that as Bakelite) bassoons weighed an absolute ton in comparison to their maple counterparts, so I feel sorry for any kid that had to learn on one of them. They had some weight saving hollows (like sinuses, but were completely open) but they were still heavy nevertheless.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Grandpaul
Date: 2014-11-27 13:52
I had a Selmer Bundy that was bought new in 1952 & I remember the material it was made as being called Ebonite, a shiny black w/silver keys.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Jeroen
Date: 2014-11-27 16:34
I have an E flat Bundy Resonite. The material is 'brushed', not shiny and very hard. Since I own this Eefer I am looking for a Bb version too. However I never found one with the same quality of material. All the ones I have seen seem to have 'softer' material and are very shiny finish. Still in the market for a Bundy with the hard Resonite material (if ever made...)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
