anyone know where to find somewhere to buy an A FLAT sopranino clarinet?

Question

i know they're rare and hard to make. i've found websites of places in italy and germany that claim to make them, but they don't seem to have any catalog/price list/shop online options. any insight would be great. thanks!

Answer 1

They aren't made by many companies at all and are very rare. L. A. Ripamonti in Italy makes two models of the Ab piccolo clarinet AND they make a G piccolo clarinet.

The reason you can't find a price is that these tend to be especially made instruments and not production/factory instruments. They don't really make it until you order it.

The reason that you find them in Italy and Germany/Austria is that these are the only places that have a demand. The instrument was used in military music of Italy and in the folk music of Vienna. This means that you have to be careful to get a Boehm system and not Oehler if that makes a difference to you.

It's incredibly hard to play and to play in tune - there is no such thing as a student level Ab piccolo clarinet, they're intended for professionals and priced accordingly.

The last time I heard a price on one of these, it was $5000. You may have to email a maker to get a recent price quote.

Ripamonti has theirs online at http://www.laripamonti.com//ecommerce/index.php?cPath=71&osCsid=f5d645ff0a83053705cf86ff2012032b
for only €2100 (USD $3,085).

Answer 2

A Flat Clarinet

Answer 3

Piccolo Clarinet

Answer 4

Sopranino Clarinet in A-flat –

the following is a description of the instrumen. From the site "The Clarinet Family" (http://hem.passagen.se/eriahl/clarinet.htm).

This member is called A-flat sopranino and is the only surviving member of the piccolo group. It is mostly used in military bands in the continental Europe and in Australia. You will also find parts written for it in some clarinet choir music. LeBlanc makes the A-flat in the Boehm key system and I heard that Ripamonti in Italy makes them in both Müller and Boehm key systems. The picture to the right shows a Schwenk & Seggelke with the Oehler (Deutsch) key system.

Here are the links for the pictures of the instrument:

http://hem.passagen.se/eriahl/images/Sopranino.jpg
http://hem.passagen.se/eriahl/images/Ab_Schwenk.jpg

It is pitched a minor seventh higher than the Bb soprano clarinet. Its lowest note, E, is concert Middle C, the same as most flutes.
They are rare but can be found in used instrument shops in Europe. Ripamonti, Leblanc, Orsi were manufacturing the instruments at one time.

From a post:
"The least expensive Ab I have been able to find is one that is $5,000 American dollars. I am afraid that there is no Ab out there worth much less than that."