Anyone else have a C Clarinet ?

[cmelodysax-uk]

Here are pics of two of my three - the missing one is a Holton Beaufort (Albert, almost certainly French in origin) C. I'll probably sell that one, my fingers aren't really made for the 'Albert stretch or my brain for the RH 1&2 finger juxta-positioning......'


No. 1 - my main playing clari, an anonymous wooden 'G Deschamps, Paris' Boehm C - tunes fine with most Bb mouthpieces - notice the Berg Larsen lig, it's an ebonite Berg mouthpiece - I have a handfull of clarinet Bergs, BIG sound ! Deschamps seems to be a French dealer/store name, their instruments were stencils - so my Deschamps clari may well be a Buffet (or similar, it's lovely quality) in sheeps clothing... Very expressive clarinet to play, distinctive tone - the pads are black with bore oil, but seat so well that I'm loth to change them, but they are staring to stick a bit. Image below -



No. 2 - Just for fun, an impractical Besson (London) 1899 Simple System HP C clari. Lovely to play, but just for a doodle at home, it's high pitch... Has a shortened Bb PanAm mouthpiece, playing it with a normal length Bb mouthpiece gets it close to LP, but the intonation is a bit off in places. It had been used quite recently in Canada, I assume for klezmer, there is even a filled pickup hole in the bell ! Nice tho' The Besson historians confirmed that it was made in 1899 in France, and at that time Besson was buying in from Buffet. Image below -

[ukebert]

I have one

It's a forte C Clarinet, made by Omar Henderson of Doctors Products fame. Wooden, silver plated keys, two barrels, each with quite recognisably different sounds.

Sound is versatile, and it plays fairly well in tune with most Bb mouthpieces. The custom Redwine one that I have, that you can buy as an extra to the clarinet, is very good, snaps the tuning into place nicely. It does change the sound, makes it a bit more reedy. I don't mind this as it happens, it fits in well with what I play (which can be almost anything to be fair, but is mainly folk).

The only slight problem is that the break C and B are perpetually 10c flat. Doc Henderson says not to worry, but it annoys me. The C is potentially fixeable, but the B? I'll take it along to a tech if I remember. I haven't played it (or anything) much for a long time, because of travelling and other stuff that gets in the way.

Altogether it is a very good instrument, and more importantly, very very cheap :p

http://www.doctorsprod.com/store/comers ... Product=54

[Gandalfe]

I cheated and bought Suzy a nice new Leblanc Concerto C clarinet last year. Nice sounding, great key works, and fabulous intonation even for a couple of hobbyists like us.

[Mal-2]

The only slight problem is that the break C and B are perpetually 10c flat. Doc Henderson says not to worry, but it annoys me. The C is potentially fixeable, but the B? I'll take it along to a tech if I remember.

I had a problem with my Evette Bb, where low E was a little flat but middle B was more significantly flat. The solution was to ream out the bottom (flare) bore so it flares a little bit sooner -- totally invisible from the outside, and highly effective. Now B is still a shade flat but I couldn't bring it all the way up without making low E go sharp. I have to imagine that bore alterations (properly placed) could take care of C as well as B, but you might end up with low E and F being sharp. And of course, the last tone hole could be enlarged to bring up the C (this is probably what you had in mind), leaving you to correct only the B via the flare.

OR...

It may sound rather barbaric, but a hole drilled in the bell would fix the B/E as well.

[Danial]

C melody,

how much are you going to sell?