Klarinet Archive - Posting 000013.txt from 2008/12

From: kurtheisig@-----.net
Subj: Re: [kl] USA Selmer Rep & RALPH MORGAN
Date: Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:09:09 -0500


Ron,

There is a fellow named Jason in Atascadero, Calif
who worked for Selmer. He is very good with crack repair, I am told, and he worked on the Selmer lines. I am sorry I can't remember his last name at the moment. I think he works in a music store there, and it is unlikely there are 2 stores in Atascadero!!

There is also Craig Bender at the Flutery in Eugene Oregon. Craig, like myself was very close to Ralph Morgan, Selmer's senior tech in that period and may well have some ideas on that.

I am sure I have some of that info in notes I took from Ralph, but am not all unpacked from my last move.

Ralph spent year's unloading what he knew about the Selmer instruments and the great makers of the past, such as Robert, to Craig and myself. Ralph was also the Selmer historian.

He wanted to give me his designs for the 10G, (there were 2 versions-the right one and the wrong one, so to speak) but I was not partial to that instrument, preferring the 9*, and I think he gave that info to a fellow in Toronto? Ralph had wanted to mentor one of my apprentices and myself in a custom clarinet making company making HIS version of the 10G as he and Gigliotti had designed it.

Someday, I will sit down and write out many of the stories he told about Selmer. There were lots of interesting ones. Some will stay as they are, rather quiet.

Anyway, if you send the instrument to Craig, I think you will be happy with the results.

Someone on the list a year and a half ago had wished that Ralph had passed on what he knew. He did. Eric at the Morgan company has the mouthpiece information. There are at least 4 of us he passed the info on to.

Another thing mourned was that he had only done mouthpieces.....

Well, as Ralph used to say so often..."I'm a not-a gonna say!"

Ralph designed many things! Over time that will come out. Some is safe to say now. Ralph and I were working on an entire line of musical instruments when he passed away. In our 25 years together we discussed MANY designs. We designed a contra bass clarinet mouthpiece together, for instance. We had tried to put together a factory and a deal to build the Claude Gordon trumpets too. Ralph agreed that the first thing was that Claude was to be very well respected financially--VERY well. Ralph could really give respect where respect was due.

For hours at a time he would tell me things about the old makers. Secret techniques and who stole what! I used to "sit at his feet" while he told of how the industry and the schools got away from what they once knew. I suppose a lot of that was as I would point out things that seemed lost and he would bring out the history, so that now they are not lost.

So many times I did not have paper and pen handy when he talked of the old timers at Selmer. Most of the stories were very complimentary of a great group of executives with a vision that was without equal in the history of the industry. There was one real foul-up in 1957, that he never could understand. In his early years with them it was a closely held company with lots of direction and understanding of the needs of the school band director. This was much in line with the thinking and direction Charlie Conn had given the industry in 1911. Ralph felt that the industry "going on the big board" was the death knell. Once it was stock holders and CEO's and got away from executives that were MUSIC oriented, the industry was doomed. For example, look at Europe today. Where are the great Boosey & Hawkes low brasses?

Ralph's father was the senior tech at Conn, and Ralph personally knew the Buescher family well.

Another note on your Series 10 problem. It is unlikely that anyone that was with Selmer after 1980 will be much use. Most of the knowledgeable guys left by 1980, I believe. Jason will know more about that, as he was on the lines.

Kurt

Message-----
>From: Ronald Coleman <ron.coleman@-----.com>
>Sent: Dec 3, 2008 6:30 AM
>To: klarinet@-----.org
>Subject: [kl] USA Selmer Rep
>
>Can anyone put me in touch with a Selmer tech rep (in the USA) familiar with
>the Series 10 Bflat soprano clarinets? We are having an odd intonation
>problem with a Series 10 instrument and I would like to start by speaking
>with an experienced Selmer technician. A search on Selmer's website was of
>no help. Thanks, Ron
>
>ron.coleman@-----.com
>
>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------
>

------------------------------------------------------------------