It was my grampa's, and he got it about 50 years ago and hasn't been re-padded since the 70s. All of the pads looked fine, but once I started playing it regularly it started falling apart....
Boosey & Hawkes isn't a brand that most people know about. They have heard of Buffet Leblanc and Selmer but don't know much about anyone outside of the top three. An older B&H Emporer could be a wonderful instrument but most people would be suspicious of it since it isn't one of the brands they are familiar with. Chances are your clarinet will have a larger bore than most modern clarinets making it a little harder to play and sound different than modern clarinets. B&H clarinets also have a reputation among professionals for poor intonation. Your horn might have wonderful intonation but this perception could hurt your instrument's resale value.
A couple hundred dollars. The instrument could have other problems as well. Cracks could require pinning or flush banding. A technician should be able to tell you what it will take to get your clarinet in top condition. Is this a professional like instrument like a Buffet R-13 or Leblanc LL? If it is a low end horn than it may not be worth fixing.
It all depends on where you go. A few years ago I got mine re-padded for around $80 through my school.
It is a Boosey and Hawkes. It's actually made of wood and was made in England.
Dang...that's a bit more expensive than I thought...
