Hello everyone!

I'm looking to buy a Bb clarinet. I'm a bass clarinet player and I don't know anything about straight up clarinets. I found someone selling a Boosey & Hawkes which he says is from the late 1930's (but I think it might be from a couple years later) for $150 (canadian). He doesn't know a lot about clarinets either, but says it plays well and has a beautiful tone. Ah! help! Is this a good deal? If I go look at it what are some of the things I should look for...?? It's a wooden clarinet. Or is there another brand I should look at. So far I've read only good things about boosey & hawkes.

My price range is up to $250 (I've been saving up!)

Oh, also, I'm planning on taking it to Europe this spring... is it a bad idea to take a wooden clarinet on such a climate journey?

thanks!

julia

Oh,ps. He's also selling a modern Severin for $160... would this be better?

The Boosey and Hawkes one should be looked at, if you play bass clarinet already, you will know what to look for in a good instrument ! I have a Buffet Crampon RC which is a beatiful instrument but there are a lot of nice clarinets around, it's such a personal affair, difficult to say which one you SHOULD buy, you should spend time looking around and get one that suits you. As for the 'climate change' in Europe, depends where in Europe, it's a wide spectrum that !! I'm in France and humidity is always a prob !! But if the clarinet is given time to get used to it, it should be ok anywhere, if not buy a plastic one, depends what you're going to do when you get to Europe, if you're going to play in a Philharmonic orchestra or just muck about .................;

Boosey and hawkes clarinet should be okay , don't know much about boosey and hawkes coz i own a Buffet Crampons clarinet. Buffet clarinet has a really nice tone.

are you buying the clarinet on line??you can't really trust internet coz i brought a oboe from ebay was rubbish. The guy that sells the oboe said how the oboe is good quality and wood and all the stuff but when i got it , it wasn't even in a playable condition. So you should be careful. Make you ask him if it has any cracks in it if it's a wood clarinet.

good luck!!

Boosey and Hawkes is a good reliable make of clarinet and yes the older wooden models do tend to make a lovely sound but only if they are in good cond. Ask your guy if his clari has been serviced/overhauled, whether any of the pads are leaking and if it has had repairs before, if so what type of repairs. If you're satisfied with all his answers then go for it! :-D