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Many thanks to Marcus W for letting me review this interesting instrument!
The top joint is marked Bb LP. Many older clarinets are marked just B.
Serial #4731
Barrel: non-original. Testing with 65.6mm Vito barrel.
Bore LH joint top: 14.4mm
Bore LH joint at bottom: 14.5mm
Intonation results taken when playing loud and not lipping. See how to interpret these results on the Model Comparison Page.
For this test, I used a 65.6mm Vito barrel, pulled 1.6mm and 1.8mm at the center tenon.
Intonation summary: Very poor. I have heard some people say this was a good brand, and it has a couple of extra key features. But this is not really usable except for beginners. The combination of very sharp in the upper chalumeau and low in the upper clarion is especially noticeable. And nothing can be done to fix this.
But see the Chris' response below!
Key work quality: Good, for when this was made.
This clarinet is most appropriate for: Beginners. Be aware that some A. Robert clarinets must be better than this one. So don't throw away A Robert clarinets based on this one.
Condition issues noted: The clarinet has been banded twice in the upper LH joint and it is missing a barrel.
Reader Response:
Hi, Phil - I've been doing intonation tests on some of my clarinets, and I was surprised to find one of the best for intonation was a vintage A. Robert, especially since the one you tested was given a "poor" rating. That said, I just wanted you to know that at least ONE A. Robert has excellent intonation in the lower and middle registers (I don't play in the upper register generally). Also, a metal Guy Renne Paris I bought awhile back also had excellent intonation, fwiw.
Many thanks for your great work. Your site is a treasure trove of information. Cheers, Chris Tyle
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