The model number for them was 68N, and from what I was able to find when I looked into them previously, they were introduced in 1950.

Quote from: 350 Rocket on February 02, 2019, 06:10:13 PM

In what aspect is the "poor quality" of student-level metal clarinets considered to be? Build quality? Tone? Intonation?

Sort of like how modern cheap Chinese plastic clarinets are no good.

Physically they appear to be a perfectly sound clarinet. However, build quality is poor, and quality control is poor. The same is probably the case with the metal clarinets - these were churned out by the hundreds of thousands, and were not made to as near a standard as your typical hand-finished higher-end clarinet.

That puzzles me then... the "cheapest" non-parts-instrument metal clarinet I have is a mid- to late-'50s American Standard, H.N. White's student model. While it's hard to know how "original" something this old is, as it sits now the build quality is generally quite good - superior to most Bundy Resonites. Keywork is plenty sturdy and I can't find any real examples of corner-cutting save for some finishing marks on the keys - which, for a student-level instrument, has no impact on it in my opinion. In terms of playability I'd say you could put it in a school band room amongst Vitos and Bundys and Yamahas and not be at a disadvantage.

However, I once looked at a Cavalier (Conn's budget brand) 92N and found it utterly appalling in terms of quality. It was part of a batch of instruments liquidated by the Minneapolis school district which might've been an indicator of a hard life, but the Silva-Bet and Pedler I bought from that batch had held up respectably over decades of wear.

They built tens of thousands of Cavaliers, so if they really were all that cheaply made then I can see where the reputation comes from given Conn's position at the time.

Continental Colonial instruments were Pan-American (Conn) stencils.

What's the serial number?

We now have a pre-serial number list date stake.

Vito Reso-Tone 3 serial number 14445 (model 14) was sold on 9/7/1966 in Lansing Michigan.  Certificate of Warranty, Receipt etc. below.

Watching serial numbers for the past couple years, Vito's are all over the board.  I've seen 4 numbers, 5 numbers, 6 numbers, 4 numbers and a letter (A through J, no I yet),  5 numbers and a letter (so far, only A, only Reso-tone 3's and Stubbins) , and the ever popular letter and 5 numbers.

Thank you! That data point helps confirm my conjecture.

Four numbers and a letter is what I see on the original Vito (and on altos, basses, & contras). Leblanc did use the letter I, but it's only a straight line with no serifs, making it look enough like the numeral 1 that it's not easy to notice unless you're looking for it.

Most of the metal Premiere models have an identical stamping on the bell. The earliest one I've seen had a slightly more ornate engraved pattern, but the same nomenclature. The metal Premiere was introduced in February/March 1928.

Thanks for the info.
Do you think the seller is purposefully trying to scam potential buyers? If so, I can report the item to eBay for fraud.
It would be good if others could as well to add fuel to the case.

Well... that's a bit of an issue. The seller is a music store and repair shop that is notorious for building "parts-bin" instruments and then being evasive about their true nature. The likelihood of this being intentionally misrepresented is quite high. But without any legally defensible way to prove it (and even posting their name is fraught with risk) all you can really do is send out the warning for the most flagrant instances, like this one. Besides, I've heard that eBay doesn't pay much heed to reported items.

Scam alert!

I stumbled across this little hack job this evening. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Silver-King-Clarinet-Sterling-Silver-Bell/273035801999

This is a 1950s American Standard student-model clarinet with an earlier Silver King bell grafted on, being passed off as a genuine Silver King.