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How old is my Noblet clarinet?

Hello! I'm new here and have only ever been apart of one other forum in my entire life so I don't exactly know much about forums and how they work. If this isn't the right place for this thread then I'm really sorry, but if it is then that's good. I'm interested in finding out how old this clarinet is and if it is worth paying to have it repaired(i.e. like new pads and re-finished wood). I have taken three pictures of it, one is of the logo/stamp on the upper joint, the next is the serial number that's on the bottom of the upper joint, and third(this may be an irrelevant picture but I don't know) is the thumb key on the lower joint. The thumb key is upside down and I don't know if that is something the previous owner of the clarinet did, or if that's what the company does(not likely I know but still). So I appreciate all the help I can get, and once again I'm sorry if I didn't post in the right spot. If any other pictures need to be taken just let me know and I'll take them and then post them. Thanks again!

Clarinet (1).jpgClarinet (2).jpgClarinet (3).jpg
 
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You might want to take a look at SteveSklar's website. It's got some good info. He also might come over and add his opinion. Based solely on the D. Noblet stamp and serial number, I'd say "old." Like 1940s or older. I'd like to see more pics to do any other identification, tho, so we could see if it has the extra set screws 'n' stuff. My forte's saxophone identification :).

For me, I also can't tell if it's a Bb clarinet or A clarinet without knowing the length of the horn. Also note that the mouthpiece could be worth even more than the horn's worth.

"Refinished wood" isn't something that you'd want. Cleaning and oiling, perhaps. Overhaul? Depends on how much this thing's worth in its current condition. We'd also want to know if there are any bands, pins or (unrepaired or not) cracks.
 
You might want to take a look at SteveSklar's website. It's got some good info. He also might come over and add his opinion. Based solely on the D. Noblet stamp and serial number, I'd say "old." Like 1940s or older. I'd like to see more pics to do any other identification, tho, so we could see if it has the extra set screws 'n' stuff. My forte's saxophone identification :).

For me, I also can't tell if it's a Bb clarinet or A clarinet without knowing the length of the horn. Also note that the mouthpiece could be worth even more than the horn's worth.

"Refinished wood" isn't something that you'd want. Cleaning and oiling, perhaps. Overhaul? Depends on how much this thing's worth in its current condition. We'd also want to know if there are any bands, pins or (unrepaired or not) cracks.

Alright thank you very much and thank you for moving this to the right place. I'll take some pictures soon of the length of the clarinet, the parts separately while in the case, and close-ups of the upper and lower joint. Thanks again!
 
Okay here are some new pictures, one is the barrel and mouthpiece together, one is of the upper and lower joint side-by-side, one is of the clarinet fully put together(to measure the length), and the final is the clarinet in it's case. Here they are: Claarinet (1).jpgClaarinet (2).jpgClaarinet (3).jpgClaarinet (4).jpg

P.S. The purpose of the last picture is to show that the mouthpiece is not the original mouthpiece that came with the clarinet when it was originally made. The mouthpiece in the picture is plastic and has no other markings on it other than a "3" etched into the plastic on the right side. And relating to the third picture of the clarinet as a whole, the clarinet is around 26 and 1/4 - 5/16 inches long. Once again thanks for the help and if you still need more pictures let me know! Thanks!

EDIT: Also what do you mean by bands or pins?
 
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I'm no expert, but I played a similar clarinet through and after college and thought it was quite good.

How much do you have invested in the instrument, and how much is the estimate for the work you are thinking of having done?
 
I'm no expert, but I played a similar clarinet through and after college and thought it was quite good.

How much do you have invested in the instrument, and how much is the estimate for the work you are thinking of having done?

My dad invested less than $25 when he bought it at an estate sale last year, and I got it estimated at a woodwind repair place near where I live and he said it would be approximately a couple hundred dollars to have it overhauled(new pads, wood oil, polished silver, etc.)

So so far I haven't really put it any money or invested anything in it.
 
Which shop? There are a couple very good clarinet techs in MI.

Do you play clarinet?
What are you currently playing on?
 
Which shop? There are a couple very good clarinet techs in MI.

Do you play clarinet?
What are you currently playing on?

I got it checked out at Meridian Winds in Okemos, MI. I don't technically play clarinet, I play bass/contrabass clarinet and both my bass and contrabass are Selmers (owned by my high school cause I can't afford my own).
And I do not own a Bb soprano clarinet.
 
I think it looks pretty much like the first horn on Steve's 'site under the heading "The Earliest 'Modern' Noblets." In other words, a bit older than the Model 40. It's not the other Model 40s that Steve has listed because you don't have the extra screws for the posts and you don't have an additional keycup from the Stubbins models. I'd definitely recommend waiting for Steve or someone more versed in clarinets, but to me, this horn looks like the the ones that sell for under $100 on eBay. Again, the mouthpiece can be worth more than the horn, but I really can't tell much of anything from the description. However, if it's plastic and not hard rubber, that means "student model junk."

Here's a pic of a band on a contrabass clarinet. It's there to hold together a repair. For a nice article on pinning, take a peek here. In a generic sense -- and you can read a good thread here -- you don't want a banded or pinned horn because you can get a horn that can be from a little to a lot out of tune. Now, if you've got a multi-thousand-dollar clarinet, you're probably not going to want to replace it, so you can try the band/pin first. You can even try to get an entire new joint/bell/barrel from the manufacturer.

If you play bass and contrabass clarinets, you technically play clarinet :D. There are an awful lot of pitches of clarinet. I, myself, played Bb bass and Bb contrabass -- and the latter was a low C "paperclip" from Leblanc, the company that owns Noblet.

Anyhow, there is no particular need to get a Bb soprano if you don't mind lugging home either the contra or the bass. I used to. People generally stopped giving me a hard time about it after I smashed them a couple times with the case. However, if you can get the clarinet completely overhauled for around $200 and you don't have any cracks or pins -- I don't see any bands -- that'd be a good deal. However, and I mention this for completeness, if the horn was made before WWII -- a real possibility -- there is a possibility that the horn you have is high pitch. That's an intonation standard. Modern intonation is called "Low Pitch" and that's where concert A=440hz. The only way to test that is either a) play the horn with an electronic tuner and set the tuner to A=440hz. If the majority of the notes are in tune without you having to do a lot of embochure gymnastics, it's a low pitch horn or b) put it next to most any modern clarinet. A high pitch horn will be a bit smaller in ALL dimensions.

The length of the horn, with mouthpiece, you say is around 26.25". There's a bunch of variation in clarinet models, of course, especially with the barrel. Doing a bit of Googling:

Low Pitch:
A: 27.75"
Bb: 26.5"
C: 23.5"


High Pitch:
A: 26.75"
Bb: 25.5"
C: 22.75"

As far as sinking a couple hundred into it? Well, if it's low pitch and the repairs are about $225 or less, I'd say you've got a good deal. Much more than that and I'd think about either trying to trade the horn in or sell it on eBay. A decent Yamaha wooden horn or even a plastic one in outstanding shape is pretty darn cheap on eBay -- just go with a seller with lots of positive feedback and understand you'll probably need at least $100 for adjustment when you get it. Personally, I'd rather have a decent clarinet -- I've had a couple Selmer Signets, a Normandy, a couple Buffet student/intermediate horns (one was the one with the clear body), and a Selmer Centered Tone (old pro horn) -- and a really good mouthpiece.
 
Pete, just so you know, the early D Noblet horns were produces by ex Buffet factory workers in a factory across the road from the Buffet plant, and can be VERY good instruments. That they sell inexpensively is not a reflection on their worth, but on the lack of press about these instruments and the excess of later intermediate and student models on the market.
 
The length of the horn, with mouthpiece, you say is around 26.25". There's a bunch of variation in clarinet models, of course, especially with the barrel. Doing a bit of Googling:

Low Pitch:
A: 27.75"
Bb: 26.5"
C: 23.5"


High Pitch:
A: 26.75"
Bb: 25.5"
C: 22.75"
So depending on the pitch of the clarinet? It could be an A or a normal Bb? Cause if so, I cant play it cause of all the pads that are missing. Also, how can I tell if the mouthpiece is just plastic or hard rubber?


Pete, just so you know, the early D Noblet horns were produces by ex Buffet factory workers in a factory across the road from the Buffet plant, and can be VERY good instruments. That they sell inexpensively is not a reflection on their worth, but on the lack of press about these instruments and the excess of later intermediate and student models on the market.

How early though?
 
Examine all of the joints (front and back) for a stamped "H" or "L" in the wood. It may be indistinct (my old bass has the stamp for the "L" and only the lower portion of the "L" plus a very small portion of the angle and upright are present on the wood.

Also, look for a stamped "A" or "Bb", or the syllables "La" or "Sib". The first indicates an A horn, the second a Bb instrument. Again, this stamp may not be very distinct.
 
Examine all of the joints (front and back) for a stamped "H" or "L" in the wood. It may be indistinct (my old bass has the stamp for the "L" and only the lower portion of the "L" plus a very small portion of the angle and upright are present on the wood.

Also, look for a stamped "A" or "Bb", or the syllables "La" or "Sib". The first indicates an A horn, the second a Bb instrument. Again, this stamp may not be very distinct.

(Probably due to my inexperience with clarinets) I unfortunately couldn't find any such markings, I searched up and down on both the upper and lower joints three times each and could not find a single marking. So I'm just going to assume it's a Bb clarinet.

But is it also a good possibility that even though it's around the same size as a Bb clarinet (This Noblet is 26 and 1/4 inches long), that it could be pitched in A? Cause if so I think that's pretty darn cool.
 
Pete, just so you know, the early D Noblet horns were produces by ex Buffet factory workers in a factory across the road from the Buffet plant, and can be VERY good instruments.
If I get around to it, that's actually a good sidebar question for a new thread: old pro horns vs. new pro, new intermediate or even new student horns. I've seen a couple of posts regarding that. I can also look at prices on eBay and see that the market tends to be leaning a bit that way, too. That's a bit of the reason I mention the $225ish number. I'm also aware of the postings regarding old wooden horns being "blown out," which is another reason for my above comments.

(FWIW, if anyone has a Selmer Series 10 or earlier or a really old Buffet R13 that you think is "blown out," I'd be more than happy to take it off your hands. Heck, I might even pay shipping.)

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KingTim, one of the reasons I mention the measurements I found is because your measurements are very close to a high pitch A or a low pitch Bb horn.

I've played around with a grand total of one high pitch clarinet. Interestingly a C horn. Because of the grime on the horn, the stamp was virtually invisible. It was near the top of the lower joint. I can believe that some horns have no stamp at all, like Dolnet saxophones, or have a stamp under a key, under a tenon cork, etc. In other words, if you don't find a "Low Pitch," "L," or "LP" stamp, that's not a guarantee it's HP or LP.
 
Does anyone out there have a Noblet clarinet that's around the same age as mine that could help me? My current issue is finding out if it's an A or a Bb clarinet. I have looked both joints up and down and can't seem to find any markings whatsoever. So if someone else has a Noblet clarinet that's around the same age as mine, maybe the marking on my clarinet could be in the same spot as on their clarinet. So if anyone has a Noblet clarinet, I'd appreciate the help please!
 
I have one very close. Measure the instrument with the bell and 2 big pieces, from the edge of the bell to the shoulder at the top, but not the portion with the cork on it. I'll look for mine and see if I can remember to measure it.
 
I have one very close. Measure the instrument with the bell and 2 big pieces, from the edge of the bell to the shoulder at the top, but not the portion with the cork on it. I'll look for mine and see if I can remember to measure it.

From the bottom of the bell, to the top of the upper joint(not including the cork), the clarinet is 20 and 5/8 inches long. I hope this helps!
 
Mine measures 20 13/16 with the tape measure hooked on the end of the bell to the shoulder of the upper joint.

Yours may be high pitch.
 
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