B+H Imperial Class A

Steve A · Posted: Fri May 17, 2013 1:25 pm Post subject: B+H Imperial Class A

Hi all,

I'm going to try out a Boosey and Hawkes Imperial Class A (serial 129XXX) cornet tomorrow as a prospective instrument for one of my students. I don't have much experience with these instruments - can anyone give me some pointers on what to look for and/or look out for?

Thanks!

EDIT - if this helps/is relevant, it's not the shepherd's crook style.

Louise Finch · Posted: Sat May 18, 2013 1:59 am Post subject:

Hi

I have never heard of the Imperial Class A, only the Imperial (I have a late 1960s Imperial)

Presumably this is a very old instrument.

I am not sure whether it is relevant to a non shepherds crook model, but the shepherds crook mode Imperial, has a high pitch and low pitch version, as brass bands (was it only brass bands that played in high pitch?) changed from high pitch to low pitch A=440 (I'm very sorry I can't remember the date or the frequency of A with the high pitch).

If it is a high pitch conversion, depending on how well it has been converted, intonation can be a little interesting.

All the best

Lou
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Steve A · Posted: Sat May 18, 2013 6:49 am Post subject:

Thanks! I'll be sure to check it with a tuner.

FrankM · Posted: Sat May 18, 2013 7:56 am Post subject:

The serial number seems to date it to 1927. Boosey joined with Hawkes in 1934. So there's your first mystery. The B&H serial numbers start around 145000. Class 'A' is a designation more usualy associated with Besson. I don't think Imperial instruments existed pre 2nd WW so the earliest ones dating to late 1940's would have a serial number starting around 168000. If you buy the instrument I'd be interested to see some pictures.

Best wishes, Frank

Louise Finch · Posted: Sat May 18, 2013 10:37 am Post subject:

ChopsGone · Heavyweight Member Joined: 20 Dec 2008 Posts: 1793

"Class A" was used by Boosey prior to the merger with Hawkes (which I believe was more like 1930). They also produced a second line, "Class B", which were reportedly not assembled on the same line as the best instruments. But it is likely to be an early instrument, and because the British brass bands persisted with HP instruments long after most of the rest of the Western world had switched to a=440, it definitely should be checked with a tuner. Some instruments were, of course, made with extra slides or other provisions for changing between HP and LP.
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Bob Stevenson · Posted: Sat May 18, 2013 12:47 pm Post subject:

The Boosey Co. combined with Hawkes & Son in 1934. The serial number is a Boosey number for late 1927 to early 1928. That type of instrument was almost certainly made for export to the USA so is unlikely to be in high pitch,......it sould be marked 'LP'. British military bands changed to low, or 'orchestral' pitch in 1930, but brass bands did not change until immediately after WWII, and then took some 10+ years to do so. Most if not all British made instruments of this general era, ie, between the wars, are marked with a pitch legend.

GordonH · Posted: Sun May 19, 2013 11:53 pm Post subject:

CharlesM · New Member Joined: 19 May 2019 Posts: 1

Andy Del · Posted: Tue May 21, 2019 12:51 pm Post subject:

Back to it bering an instrument for a prospective student... no it is not. Giving a kid a tight blowing, (usually) clunky, heavy old cornet with no possibility of adjusting intonation will most likely not end up well.

Get them a more modern and acceptable playing instrument to start on.

cheers

Andy
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