Silver Throat clarinets

[Airflyte]

Excellent work Windy! You have inspired me to dig out my PST from the bottom of my dresser. It was my first clarinet, maybe it should be my first attempt at a restoration.

[DaveLeBlanc]

Excellent work Windy! You have inspired me to dig out my PST from the bottom of my dresser. It was my first clarinet, maybe it should be my first attempt at a restoration.

Do it! Great way to get into the restoration hobby.

[windydankoff]

Airflyte – Your first clarinet was a Pruefer Silver Throat? It's still in your dresser from ... how long ago? Join the cult! Kindly tell your serial number and (to add to the data base) the year it was new, if you know. The PSTs went through some dimensional changes over the years from c.1940 to 60, but the pad diameters stayed constant, according to my 6 specimens of S/N 15K through 45K. Some of the pads are larger than standard clarinets, due to larger tone holes. I can share pad ordering data with you, to help get you started.

The level of corrosion of the nickel-silver keys will be a big factor in the labor involved. If they are dull gray, it is a labor of love to buff them. I found good advice here on The Clarinet Pages, and can pass along what I learned.

What about the mouthpiece ...  an original Pruefer piece?

The mechanical design and build quality are superb.  BTW, I found a superb book on clarinet repair: Clarinet Manual: How to Buy, Set Up and Maintain a Boehm System Clarinet, by Howard. (Amazon) I wish I had studied it long ago. I hope this message inspires you to work on this project!   // Windy

[Airflyte]

Yes Windy, my very first woodwind. I still remember my first tone production on this one 

I think I bought this around 2002 from a local Goodwill for 25 dollars. MP was a Steel Ebonite if I remember correctly.

Serial number is 54564. Barrel looks like plastic while the bell is most likely bakelite. Body is surely HR with the lined upper joint.

Oh and I do have a copy of that book so I guess my excuses for not doing this are few now!

[windydankoff]

What will it take to get 'er honking?

Some of my oldies played right out of the case after decades of storage ... or after a few minutes of work. I've slipped new pads in with poster putty and gotten 'em to play. You don't have to dive head-first into a restoration unless soft parts are crumbling.

[DaveLeBlanc]

Here's one for a very reasonable price:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pruefer-Silver-Throat-Clarinet-Vintage-Musical-Instrument/123111039691?hash=item1ca9fd62cb:g:mx8AAOSwHdVa6fAv

[windydankoff]

Yup. Dave has you pointed to a fine specimen. I contacted the seller who says it’s S/N 44xxx which dates it roughly early 60’s, just before my 45xxx specimen that has less appealing nickel plated keys. This one is the classic hard rubber with unplated German silver keys. Your ticket to the Cult …  almost. It comes with a cheap Goldentone mouthpiece, not the (rare) original. But have faith!

I had stated previously that the only mouthpieces I’ve found that produce the massive tone and vibration of the Pruefer Silver Throat (PST) were two Pruefer originals that came with two of my PSTs. Anything else would sound ordinary. The bore and chamber of these MPs is larger than normal, in keeping with the rest of the horn. Makes sense, no? But they are hard to find and even then you can miss (a third one I have does not do the job). … What to do?

If you are still reading, here is (big) news from the Black Hole:  I developed a radically enlarged BARREL bore, with a reverse taper and an intentional gap at each end. The modified barrel produces the magnificent PST sound using a standard classical MP, with great intonation (for a large-bore horn).

If YOU, a follower of The Clarinet Pages, want a PST, then buy this horn! I will find a way for you to try a “Hyper-Bore” barrel. The alternative is to buy a restored PST from me with the HB barrel. If you want to do that, tell me and I WILL BUY this eBay offering. It looks like it may even play right out of the box, more or less. But PLEASE report back if you buy it! Let's keep it in the family.

Yours?
Windy // Black Hole Clarinets // Imperial Wizard, Cult of the Silver Throat (Santa Fe Chapter)

[mechanic]

Windy,
Have you looked into Boosey and Hawkes mouthpieces?  I have one where the bore goes from about 14.25mm close to the chamber to 15.3mm at the barrel end.
Another option, NEMC B45.  Came with my sons first Vito, and has a 14.95 bore.  It was his favorite until it collided with a trumpet and took a major chunk out of the tip.

[windydankoff]

I was thinking such thoughts, but I'm much happier with barrel modification. With a reamer and a countersink, I can achieve the desired effect consistently, while sticking with standard MPs. It seems that when the dimensions are optimum, the harmonics line up well. Then we get both a rich tone AND good intonation. In this case, through out the horn! I'm amazed at the result I got.

[windydankoff]

Mechanic - I'm using one of my favorite Riffault FRANCE 2V old MPs, this one labelled Vito Melodia. (others are mostly Noblet or Vito.)

I did some research and found people raving about Selmer C85 for large-bore horns, including extra-large bassethorns I got a couple to try, one being very good, but it was disappointing on the Pruefer Silver Throat. So I have been thrilled with the new barrel bore so I (and others) can use our favorite MPs to get that big rich sound.

I have a few more Pruefer Silver Throat clarinets to restore and improve. I sell my horns with a 2-week trial period. 6 so far (5 C clarinets and a PST) and no returns, only ***** praises. I'll go for a review from Phil when he returns.

[windydankoff]

I have some update to this aging thread, and would like to hear from others who love the PST (or not).

Pruefer PST remains my beloved Bb, but I abandoned the groove I had put in the top of the barrel, described in April 9/18 message. I found that it was making my altissimo range difficult. I think my emboucher has improved such that I don't hear its benefit anymore. However, I still find benefit from an oversize barrel bore. My current barrel is reamed out to 15.1mm, and THAT seems to do the job of adapting a normal MP to the large-bore (15mm) horn. Barrel length is 63mm. It's short to compensate for flattening effect of the large bore (as is the entire horn).

Also, the so-called Silver Throat (metal lining in the upper joint) is not German silver as was advertised. It is brass, plated, resembling the german silver (nickel silver) of the keys. I like to ream a slight taper in the top of the UJ, to avoid a step to my barrel bore. It has revealed brass on 3 PSTs. I'm like ... whatever!

[bobphoenix]

The PSTs went through some dimensional changes over the years from c.1940 to 60, but the pad diameters stayed constant, according to my 6 specimens of S/N 15K through 45K. Some of the pads are larger than standard clarinets, due to larger tone holes. I can share pad ordering data with you, to help get you started.

HI, New guy here, who just picked up a PST from a Craigslist ad for $25. I started to fool around with it, but the adhesive on a couple of the pads has come loose (it looks like shellac flakes that were used very sparingly...) 
I want to refurb it for my Granddaughter... So, I ordered a pad replacement kit from Instrument Clinic and they have emailed me back requesting pad sizes (in MM) for this instrument. Do you have those sizes?

BTW here's a pic of my find and the only number on it is 1933.

[DaveLeBlanc]

Hey there, your picture is broken so I can't see it!

However, you've got a great price on that. Can't beat a $25 clarinet.

As for pads, you don't always have standardized sizes across all instruments.

I would do your best estimate with a ruler in mm, and then order up and down each size. You'll end up with a bunch of extras, but if you ever get into doing more then you'll have stock to start with.

[windydankoff]

Dear bobphoenix – Welcome to the group! My advice on pad sizing is to measure with a digital caliper (my $20 one from H Freight is perfectly fine). On the PST, the inside diameters of the pad cups are 9, 10, 15 and 17mm. If in doubt, err on the small side and the glue can take up extra space. I used synthetic pads that can squeeze in a bit. For conventional pads, safest bet may be .5mm smaller.

You can search for clarinetpages topics on using an old electric toothbrush for initial cleaning and polishing of the keys. Saved me a lot of labor. They keys are beautiful, worth the effort to buff then to a sheen.

Your S/N 1933 is unexpected. The company used sequential SNs and my oldest one is 15XXX which was early 40's. Could there be a 5th digit in your number that you didn't see?

[bobphoenix]

Hi, and Thanks!
When I started looking around for information on this unit, I noticed everywhere the serial numbers were 5 digits... that has baffled me also... I can find no other number markings on any of the other parts (beside the upper and lower key barrels.)

My photo is in my Google photos folder so that's perhaps why it won't show... Or, maybe I need to be a longer standing member to show photos?

But here's a shareable link...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/UGW6gPYAPAaQZDNB7