 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: jmsa
Date: 2012-07-07 18:54
Attachment: Selmer Alto 001.jpg (1340k)
I luckily have just acquired a factory fresh unused Selmer Series 9 Alto clarinet serial number T59XX which indicates the year of manufacture being 1964. It came from an estate sale and was played maybe twice. It came with the original Selmer C** mouthpiece, ligature and cap, Selmer music lyre that is very unique looking and an original Selmer neck strap. It has the original bladder pads except for a cork pad on the register key and a leather pad with a resonator on the low Eb key. I had to put a new cork on the neck because I used acetone to remove the oil based cork grease so the I could substitute Doctors products elm bark. All pads sealed perfectly however three pads on the lower joint touch keys had the edges eaten away by the usual bugs. The nickel plating is factory fresh as well as the key corks and felts. Most amazing player. Sound is velvety and the pitch is right on the money. I previously had a 1959 Buffet Radio Model alto that Mike Hammer overhaulled which I sold a few years ago and this Selmer is superior to the Buffet in every way. Check out the picture.
jmsa
Post Edited (2012-07-07 18:57)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-07-07 19:05
That's incredible! The logo is so bright it burnt my retinas!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: jmsa
Date: 2012-07-07 19:09
Any idea what the original selling price was in 1964? Just curious.
jmsa
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Author: jmsa
Date: 2012-07-07 19:31
Thanks very much. After reading I learned that the adjustment on the neck is also for tuning. i thought it was to move the position of the mouthpiece only.
jmsa
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-07-07 19:35
Gorgeous. Did the estate have anything else?
Kal Opperman said that Selmer Series 9 alto clarinets were the best ever made. He owned two for use in his clarinet choir.
Selmer mouthpieces were often uneven Yours will probably benefit from a session with a refacer.
Ken Shaw
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Author: jmsa
Date: 2012-07-07 19:42
That was the only instrument in the estate. I am using a Gigliotti Maestro alto mouthpiece that is a perfect match. What can you tell me about the Selmer C** mouthpiece?
jmsa
Post Edited (2012-07-07 19:43)
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-07-07 21:03
jmsa -
The Selmer C** mouthpiece is longer and more open than usual. See the table at http://www.mouthpieceexpress.com/specshub/viewspecs2.php.
Selmer mouthpieces are made of top quality material. Unlike most other brands, they are drilled out of solid hard rubber http://clarkwfobes.wordpress.com/. The late Everett Matson loved to work on them and made many great players.
However, there are two serious problems. The first is that the facings were put on by a machine with a diamond-tipped scriber that cut across the rails, leaving a slightly dull looking finish. If the lay on your mouthpiece looks dull, that's good. If it is polished to a mirror finish, that's bad. See http://test.woodwind.org/oboe/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=349102&t=349102.
Second, Selmer's mouthpiece machinery has gotten badly out of adjustment over the years. It's worthwhile for them to refurbish the ones for Bb mouthpieces, but the other sizes sell so slowly that Selmer can't recover the investment to make them. I got Selmer C* bass, contra-alto and contrabass mouthpieces several years ago and took them to Everett Matson and Kalmen Opperman for adjustment. The told me that the mouthpieces were unplayable as delivered, and they had to do extensive surgery to make them work.
I got a fine alto mouthpiece from Roger Garrett, and there are excellent ones from Walter Grabner and Clark Fobes.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Merlin_Williams
Date: 2012-07-07 21:26
I'd agree with Opperman's opinion re: Series 9 Altos. If you have to have an alto, that's the one to get.
I used a Hite alto clarinet mouthpiece when I owned my alto. I keep in just in case.
If I were shopping for a piece now, I'd probably try a Grabner first.
Jupiter Canada Artist/Clinician
Stratford Shakespeare Festival musician
Woodwind Doubling Channel Creator on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/WoodwindDoubling
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Author: jmsa
Date: 2012-07-07 21:50
Thanks Ken for your valuable info. The mouthpiece is not polished on the rails which is good. It does not play very well as is. I am using a #2 Rico Reserve alto sax reed.
jmsa
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Author: jmsa
Date: 2012-07-08 06:56
Ken, after giving it much thought I have decided to send the selmer C** mouthpiece to my good friend and mouthpiece expert Mr. Brad Behn for refacing. Thanks again for influencing my decision. I was going to sell it.
jmsa
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