Klarinet Archive - Posting 000599.txt from 2001/10

From: Rhea Jacobs <rhea-j@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Tropical Woods - progress report
Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2001 12:56:42 -0400

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!

I also play an old Selmer Centered Tone clarinet, whose sound I like a lot. (Not to mention that I'm emotionally attached to it; it was the "serious" instrument my parents sacrificed to give me when my teacher told them that I was ready for
one and deserved one.) When I started playing again last year, however, I found that the original barrel had shrunk to the point that no mouthpiece except the one I'd used as a kid (which no longer works for me) would fit it.

I've tried several replacement barrels, but all cause various terrible intonation problems, to the point that I'm using my other clarinet (a 10-year-old R-13 which I don't like as well as the Selmer) for band and ensemble playing.

I've considered having the socket of the old barrel worked on to accommodate newer mouthpieces, but I don't know whether the shrinkage would also affect intonation so that it would be better to find a new un-tapered barrel.

If Walter or anyone else has advice on this, I'd appreciate it. If you think the rest of the list would be interested, please post it to the list; otherwise, just reply to me.

Thanks,
Rhea Jacobs
rhea-j@-----.net

GrabnerWG@-----.com wrote:

>
>
> Here's something I learned on Tuesday.
>
> A client brought over an old Selmer 15 mm "Centered Tone" clarinet.
>
> It is a lovely instrument, and I enjoyed testing it.
>
> In our explorations, we tried several "reverse taper" barrels on this instrument.
>
> Boy, did they NOT work. Really screwed up the intonation. The best barrel was a shorter than normal 15 mm cylindrically bored barrel.
>
> Any taper caused HAVOC.
>
> Learn something every day.
>

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