Klarinet Archive - Posting 000626.txt from 1996/03

From: OLIVER SEELY <oliver@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Penzel-Mueller E-flat
Date: Sun, 24 Mar 1996 23:00:22 -0500

Hi Mitch,
I thought that I was the only one in the world who still
owned a Penzel Mueller clarinet (Bb). I was 10 years old
(1951) when my Dad bought it for me from a jazz clarinetist for $90.
I've always cherished it, but I DO remember my friends getting
brand new Selmer Centered Tones and I kept blowing into my
P.-M. When my son took up the clarinet
we went in 50-50 to get him a Buffet R13. Then he went off
to other things and gave it to me. I play his now most of the
time but from time to time I "tire" of it and pick up the
P.-M. which still plays just fine. I would go so far as to say
that in terms of tone I'm not sure that I could tell the
difference if I were blindfolded. The clarinetist from
whom Dad bought it had a short barrel and until my teacher
had me buy a longer one I had always to pull it out 3-4
millimeters.

A couple of Christmases ago my daughter bought me a Korg tuner.
I took it and the P.-M. with me to Paris for my sabbatical leave.
I spent many evenings playing long tones and watching the tuner
and bending my tones up and down. As far as I could tell
in comparison with the Buffet when I came home the differences are not
worth discussion.

Hope this helps.

Oliver