Klarinet Archive - Posting 000168.txt from 1995/03

From: David Gilman <dagilman@-----.EDU>
Subj: Alto Clarinet
Date: Mon, 6 Mar 1995 12:25:50 -0500

When I was in my college wind ensemble, we had an old Selmer 9 alto
clarinet. It seemed to play well, but the finger span on it was
ridiculously wide. Does anyone know of an alto clarinet with a more
reasonable finger span? Perhaps one with keys in the same positions as a
bass would help, instead of Bb clarinet position with little side extenders.
Is there such an animal?
Also, is there an alto with a true double octave system as on the
best basses? All I've ever seen is an S-K mechanism (automatic switch
between a throat b'b hole and one register hole for everything above b'b).
Even the old two thumb key system would be preferable to a single register
hole, for both intonation and response.
Plus, does anyone make something like this with silver plating
standard? I know I'm asking for the moon, but I'd really like to know.

David Gilman