Klarinet Archive - Posting 000477.txt from 1999/01

From: TOM RIDENOUR <klarinet@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Leblanc Corp/T.Ridenour/Selmer Signature
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1999 21:06:04 -0500

>Tom Ridenour wrote re Tom Ridenour:
>
><<<< In looking at the responses to my request I feel I have no other
>alternative than to log on and respond, as it is not having the effect I
>hoped for.>>>>
>
>Uh, Tom--sorry, didn't mean my meandering to be a "response." More like
>"gossip." I surely didn't mean to overstate any animosity between you &
>Leblanc, if any--and was careful to note that I have no personal knowledge
>of any of it. Just a supposition over a bad situation--unfortunately,
>unless the horns can be accounted for, someone will be out some money &
>that's sad.

It's a matter of justice and fairness.
Anyone can say anything any time......but is it just and true?

>
>To the extent I have been spreading foot-in-mouth disease, please accept my
>apologies.
Kevin,
No need to apologize at all, Kevin. I only chose your post because you
mentioned the matter of responsibility, and I did say I agreed with you on
that issue with the qualifications I articulated. No one need say of
speculate anything bad about any one for any reason. That is a waste of
time. I'm just trying to solve a problem, avoid something my family can't
afford, and help Leblanc solve the matter.

>
>Now on to the fun subject--the Selmer Signature. (Incidentally, when I said
>you "endorsed" it, I wasn't suggesting that they paid you--only that you
>liked it. I guess that with all the sports stuff going on, people assume
>that all endorsements are paid; I don't, and didn't mean to imply it.) I
>liked it too; my earlier posting on the subject was an impression pretty
>much in line with yours. I think it's a great horn, but one has to get used
>to the added resistance. Do you know what causes it?

Yes I do, but this is not the place to lay it out. The resistance is what
I call creative resistance; efficient, not stuffy. And what is most
interesting thing is the effects of that resistance (not how it is
created) : more embouchure freedom and relaxation, increased endurance,
more vibrational freedom for the reed, more center in the sound, more
stability the pitch, more roundness and depth in the shape, and more
efficient use of the player's energy. That's the cool thing.

>
>Have you tried the Signature in A? My Bb Buffet is fine by me; I think that
>I'll keep it forever.

Yes I have; several. No undertoning whatsoever, and a beautiful, rich tone
color. I just sold one to a professional in Georgia that was gorgeous.
Everyone to date who has purchased Signatures from me had been delighted
with it/them. But this is not the place to discuss that. The "A" is
really fine. This thing I like most is the beauty of the tone and no
undertoning "grunt" tendency of upper clarion pitches!

My A, OTOH, is very stuffy and not particularly in
>tune. A succession of fine repair people have assured me that the
>stuffiness is NOT the result of a leaky pad or something that can be fixed
>w/o bore work, so I am thinking about replacement. (Besides, it's really
>old). I don't know that a Signature A would be a happy companion to the
>Buffet R-13 Bb that I will continue to use, though, so I'm leaning towards
>another Buffet (a Festival, if I can get my bride to allow me to cough up
>that much cash). Any ideas/comments, folks?
>
>kjf
My opinion is that you would become quickly dissatisfied with the color,
response and depth of your Bb.
Also, the ratio spread of the left hand 12ths inherent in the R-13 is not
there in the Signature or Leblanc product. This could cause voicing
problems regarding tuning if they were mixed and matched with the R-13;
since they don't need the adjustments common to R-13's in the upper
clarion, and don't have flat left hand chalameau thumb F's or dull E's.
Of course, mixing them is not an impossible adjustment, it's just
something else to think about.......but of course, so it the undertoning of
the upper clarion ;-)
tom

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