Klarinet Archive - Posting 000871.txt from 1997/10

From: Douglas Sears <dsears@-----.org>
Subj: Re: Once More With Feeling
Date: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 14:36:33 -0400

On Tue, 21 Oct 1997, Michael Jones wrote:

> Yes, I'm still seeking info re: older Selmers:
>
> What were the features and changes from model to model, that is,
> Was there some specific goal for the Balanced Tone model?
> What were the new goals or what was changed to create the Centered Tone,
> Series 9, Series 9*?
> Which are good jazz/swing instruments? Which had problems?

I recall (dimly) from reading Selmer advertisements in the late '50s
for the Series 9 and 9* that the 9 was intended for classical music
and the 9* was intended for jazz. They said that the 9 had
relatively inflexible pitches, and that the 9* allowed easier
bending of pitches, due to two design features: one was tapered tone
holes, and the other I forget.

Bill Hausmann <bhausman@-----.com> wrote:

> I believe the Series 10 was the first Selmer with a polycylindrical bore,
> which of course suggests that Series 9 instruments are cylindrical.

Not necessarily. According to O. Lee Gibson's book "Clarinet
Acoustics", many clarinets, including many Selmer designs, used a
reverse conical bore in the upper joint. Unfortunately, Gibson
doesn't specifically mention the Series 9.

I love my Series 9 Bb -- anybody want to sell me a Series 9 A?

--Doug

--------------------------
Doug Sears dsears@-----.org/~dsears