 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2015-05-27 09:25
I've completed repadding the full-Boehm Selmer Series 9 that I referred to in another post. Took a while to get everything as it should be (I think), but now it sounds great. Unfortunately it plays almost a semitone flat throughout the entire range. The barrel that was with it is 66.5mm and marked as being for a Selmer 9. I found a barrel in my junk box which measures 63mm, and with this it sounds good and tunes surprisingly well. Can anybody suggest a possible cause or explanation for this? What is the standard length barrel for a full-Boehm Series 9?
Thanks in advance.
Tony F.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2015-05-27 16:00
Series 9s will normally have a 66.5-67mm barrel but a 64.5-65mm or 62.5-63mm can be used should you need to. I personally use a 67mm barrel with all my Selmers as anything shorter than that makes them too sharp for me. But please don't shorten the 67mm barrel as they're very hard to come by - I'll willingly swap your 67mm for a 65mm if you want.
Similarly with B&H clarinets - it's all down to your chops and the type of mouthpiece you use.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Ralph
Date: 2015-05-27 18:34
There's another issue that may be in play. I've bought several Series 9 barrels and there is a disparity in bore dimensions in the barrels I own. No two are the same. Consensus of people I've asked is the bore ID should have a reverse taper. However, I own a Series 9* and the original barrel that came with the instrument has so little taper it could be considered conical. Best thing to do is what you've done is experiment and find the barrel that works the best.
Ralph
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2015-05-27 18:35
I'm beginning to suspect that Cyclopathic may be right. This clarinet is 28 inches or 71 Cm long with the mouthpiece. What should the length of a full-Boehm series 9 be? The lower section is obviously longer to acommodate the extra keywork and pads, but after my normal Bb this is like playing a telegraph pole.
Tony F.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2015-05-27 19:14
Here are the assembled lengths of Series 9 full Boehm Bb and A clarinets (in mm, without mouthpieces):
Bb - 638mm
A - 672mm
With a mouthpiece (Selmer D) fitted, add 73mm to the lengths.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2015-05-27 19:21
Standard length Series 9* clarinets (to low E) with a 67mm barrel and no mouthpiece fitted measure:
Bb - 598mm
A - 634mm
Again, add 73mm to that for the total length including mouthpiece.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2015-05-27 19:29
Many thanks, Chris. 638mm it is. So, I have an out-of-tune Bb. I'll investigate further, but if I come back to the same place I may take you up on your offer of a barrel swap. Thanks for your post, Ralph. I'll check out the taper on mine.
Tony F.
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Author: ClaV
Date: 2015-05-28 05:21
If it helps, my Selmer 9 62.5mm barrel has some moderate taper (ca. 0.12 mm) and a wider bore.
At the same time, LA9 65 mm barrel has no taper and a narrower bore, very close to R13 one.
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Author: Jeroen
Date: 2015-05-29 15:32
Also note that these clarinets were designed for the Selmer mouthpieces like HS*. These Selmer mpcs tend to play higher than many regular modern mpcs.
Secondly I find these instruments very sensitive for correct pad heights. Pads should be as open as possible for proper venting and pitch.
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