So there's a story to all of these instruments, this one is no exception.
I saw this old Couesnon Bb clarinet at a pawn shop that I frequent, the price was too high so I waited and waited (they're the kind of place that won't take offers, which is not common).
Finally the price got down to reality.........and I pulled the trigger.
Just recently I had time to give it a refurbishment along with new leather pads. I was struck by the quality of the wood, which was crack free, the perfection of the tone holes (which can be sometimes bad on an old wood instrument!), and the well wrought key work.
Needless to say when I was done and was able to play test I totally fell in love! I end up selling mostly all the instruments I have here because I have to make a living, and this clarinet was no exception. I put it up for sale but then changed my mind, the more I played it the more I liked it!
The key setup is basic Boehm but the instrument is old enough that it still has the wraparound register key, I would say its pre-1920's. Couesnon didn't mark their models at this point, they were all on the same level, that is professional.
The bore is smallish by modern standards at approx 14.65mm, but this allows for a very sweet centered tone and above average intonation.
I typically try to match the bore of the mouthpiece to the barrel and I had a hard time finding something I liked until I tried an old French mouthpiece that I believe is a Riffault, its marked "France" and G8........the bore is slightly larger than the barrel at 14.75" but in this case the results are excellent...........its close enough that the intonation is fine and the instrument just sings and sings! I look forward to keeping this instrument around for a long long time, pure joy!
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