Klarinet Archive - Posting 000826.txt from 2002/10

From: "Willie Kercher" <res1b1nc@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Help? - Interesting Selmer
Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2002 16:14:45 -0500

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stewart & Lynda Milton" <srmilton@-----.com>
Subject: [kl] Help? - Interesting Selmer

As you said the keys are black, so I assume they just need some
polishing. The body however would be a thing of beauty if it is unstained
rosewood. But, I suspect it is just dried out. Take a drop of bore oil on a
scrap cloth and rub it in to the wood and mose likely it will turn black
again. I've found a few like this that had been in storage for years.
Willie

> 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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