Klarinet Archive - Posting 000881.txt from 1998/05

From: Ed Maurey <edsshop@-----.ca>
Subj: [kl] Old Selmer B Flat
Date: Fri, 15 May 1998 12:20:44 -0400

Graeme,
Your old Selmer was made in 1950. It's a "Balanced Tone" and considered
to be one of the best instruments Selmer ever made. It's a big bored
instrument: .590". No tone holes are undercut. The keys are not plated
with anything. The're solid nickel silver, the same material under
today's various platings.
Of course, it plays well! Big bored clarinets are great to play.
Get a good mouthpiece-man to enlarge your mouthpiece to match the
top diameter of its barrel. It will help your throat tones' intonation,
lower blowing resistance and generally improve the tone.
You're probably one of the majority of today's clarinetists who have
never played anything but small bored horns [Buffet R 13's or their many
imitators]. Before 1950 Big bored clarinets were the norm. They had a
big, rich, chocolatey tone. Fashions change and the last big bored
Selmers were shipped in the early 80's [Series 9] . Leblanc still makes
it LL [.582] with undercut tone holes.
Who knows, maybe big bores will come back. Personally, I'm rather
bored with the same old R 13 sound. Its so damned sweet and fruity.
But, worst of all it's so ubiquitous!!!
Good luck, Graeme.
Ed Maurey
Millville, New Brunswick, Canada

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