Klarinet Archive - Posting 000795.txt from 2002/10
From: "Stewart & Lynda Milton" <srmilton@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Help? - Interesting Selmer
Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2002 01:19:43 -0500
Hi
New to the list, but not to the clarinet.... been playing 32 years now. I've
always had student instruments, though, so definitely time for a change. I
started hunting the other day for a 'bargain' pro instrument. Here in
England these things are a bit hard to find, but I turned up something I've
never seen before....
The Clarinet in question is a Selmer Series 10, W series, so around 1970.
It's the strangest clarinet I've ever seen, though. The keys are black.... I
assume just tarnished silver.... but the body of the instrument is not black
but a reddish light colour wood. Unfortunately it's in very poor condition,
all the joints are loose, the thumbrest is missing, and the wood looks very
'dry'. It's been stored on a shelf, with no case, since the last owner died
4 years ago... However the keywork looks fine, it has a good Vandoren
mouthpiece, and despite the very leaky condition has the most awesome,
powerful sound of any clarinet I've ever played...
It's going cheap, as it should be, and having spoken to a couple of
instrument repairmen, I'm told that it's easy enough to fix (and not too
expensive, both are quoting in the region of ?100, although neither have
actually seen it - they have the same description as this). They tell me it
will come back to me as good as new.
My feelings are that fixed up, with silver keys against that red wood, it
should make both a stunning sounding and looking instrument.
Does anyone have any comments or experience of similar projects which would
egg me on or put me off? Anyone know much about the 'series 10', and care to
illuminate? Anyone seen a red wood Selmer clarinet before? ....help me
someone, all advice on or off list is welcome!
Thanks in advance,
Stewart Milton,
Chippenham,
Wiltshire,
England
srmilton(AT)btinternet.com
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