The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Bill
Date: 2005-12-17 14:19
Attachment: key.jpg (72k)
Attachment: thumb.jpg (58k)
I just got my E. J. Albert (Boehm, not Albert, system) clarinet back from John Butler's shop. It had not been playable before repadding.
I haven't played anything with a tone quality like this one. I have an older Selmer (1931) and Buffet (1936) also, but there is little comparison (re: sound). The clarinet I've played that is the closest to this E. J. Albert is Selmer L6911, which had a sort of "Improved Albert" keywork scheme. L6911 had the kind of keywork you sometimes see in photos of Jimmy Noone's clarinet. Below the right hand were three pad cups in a row. How I regret selling it.
Anyway, the E. J. Albert is a Boehm, but it plays like that old Albert Selmer. At first, it's a bit kazoo-like. After my ears started getting used to it I'd describe it as very light, sweet, and "constrained." It's in perfect physical condition and made to professional standards. The G# is bizarrely enlongated and the register key "cuts in" to the thumb ring. (See photos.)
I'm still trying to decide on a mouthpiece to use with it, and I've tried a Selmer table HS*, an old Selmer HS** crystal (I think from before the "Clarion" designation), and a Selmer table HS**. Still working on this. The bore of the barrel appears "offset" or not centered within the barrel, so matching a mouthpiece to it visually is a challenge
Oh well - I'm excited. Something new (or old) and different.
Bill..
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2005-12-17 14:35
I've worked on an old covered hole Boehm system J Albert clarinet - the throat G vent was set towards the G# touch for better venting, and it had the humungous G# touch, that's so it can be used with finger 2 as well - some Italian clarinets had this, but it'sa throwback to Albert systems that have the long G# touch.
But the quality of the wood on the one I saw was impeccable! Very dense, close grained and the grain was dead straight - possibly the time when the best timber was axe split rather than saw cut, so no wavy or funny angled grain that could leave end grain in the bore.
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