 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: isaac.green1234
Date: 2015-08-05 23:28
I recently acquired a clarinet that has Nikkan as the label. I was wondering if someone can give me some information about this clarinet.
indigo7400@gmail.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: donald
Date: 2015-08-06 04:31
I believe the clarinets marked "Nikkan" to be identical to the early production Yamaha clarinets- and that they were made in the same workshop/production line. I have been told that "Nikkan" was the predecessor to Yamaha clarinet manufacture, but i don't know how accurate that is. The ones I have played were very good, but one of them had ONE note majorly out of tune (an easy fix in this instance) that suggested that the production line consistency that Yamaha prides itself on hadn't been established
dn
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2015-08-06 20:10
A Google search for "Nikkan clarinet" (without the quotes) yields some interesting links, including a blog post my Sherman Friedland. These links tend to confirm what you heard, Donald, though Friedland states that Yamaha bought out Nikkan in 1970. Actually, since Nikkan Industries still exists, perhaps Yamaha bought out their musical instrument line/division/subsidiary.
Best regards,
jnk
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2015-08-08 02:49
Some things don't add up. The Nikkan Industries on the web mentions nothing about Yamaha or musical instruments. The Yamaha website mentions nothing about Nikkan intruments though there is clearly some connection. I know that some early Yamaha clarinets were produced by Leblanc.
Steve Ocone
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2015-08-08 03:21
Perhaps there is a mixup between Nikkan and Nippon Gakki. Nippon Gakki (Japanese Musical Instrument) was an early imprint of Yamaha.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2015-08-08 15:30
Sherman has been known to have confused things on occasion (and his reference to Nikkan Gakkai in the title of his blog as well as his statement that Yamaha bought out Nikkan in 1970 may be cases in point) but he appears to have handled a number of Nikkan clarinets and if, as I interpret what he wrote, Yamaha bought out Nikkan's clarinet (musical instruments?) line in the 70s, why would Nikkan's website make any reference to musical instruments or Yamaha now?
Initially, I wondered if there was confusion of Nikkan for Nippon too but the same Google search that led to Sherman's blog post also led to a listing for a used Nikkan clarinet (with picture) for sale by Rakuten .
Best regards,
jnk
Post Edited (2015-08-08 15:32)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: donald
Date: 2015-08-08 16:00
Well, while my information was only annecdotal, and passing on what I had been told by others- the others in this instance are repair technicians and instrument makers currently working in Japan so it does seem possible that their information could have some basis. If you like.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2015-08-08 20:23
There was a photo of a full Boehm Nihon Kangakki clarinet posted on here around ten or more years ago - the keywork was near on identical to Buffet, even the arrangement of the articulated C#/G# mechanism and the anchored pillar tabs that sat above the joint surface like the Buffets before the '70s. I think it had a key missing (either the low E/B or low Eb key) and wouldn't be surprised if a donor one from a Buffet full Boehm went straight on with only minor fettling.
It had a fouled anchor logo on it from what I remember and the company name was stamped in Kanji characters (which made me initially think it was Chinese).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
