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 Vintage Selmer clarinet
Author: Ed 
Date:   2025-04-08 20:08

I saw this instrument listed recently. It has a serial number beginning with an N, which would seem to make it from the early 50s, but I don't see any model designation

Any thought on what it is and how it might be as a player?

https://images.craigslist.org/00g0g_drB0ifOdwV4_0CI0t2_1200x900.jpg



Post Edited (2025-04-08 20:09)

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 Re: Vintage Selmer clarinet
Author: Chris P 
Date:   2025-04-08 20:28

That's most likely a Balanced Tone and they're lovely players. I've never encountered a dud Selmer from this era or the later Centered Tones and you won't be disappointed with it once it's been fully restored.

Don't skimp on the rebuild regardless what the purchase price is as these are professional level clarinets - the price you bought it for isn't relevant of its quality and should never be a determining factor on how much you're prepared to spend on having it brought back to top playing condition.

If you don't happen to like it, then there's always someone out there who does. These clarinets aren't only for Jazz as Selmer only made the one model clarinet to suit all until the Series 9 and Series 9* counterpart (with a smaller bore and undercut toneholes).

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010

The opinions I express are my own.

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 Re: Vintage Selmer clarinet
Author: Bill 
Date:   2025-04-11 21:14

Many N series Selmers didn't have model names. Some were super-early Centered Tones.

Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)


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 Re: Vintage Selmer clarinet
Author: Chris P 
Date:   2025-04-11 23:40

BTs were never marked with any model name - the Model 55 in between the early and late BT had "55" engraved on it (or maybe not). Centered Tones (and Series 9s) didn't always have the model name engraved on them, but they're still easily identifiable by the speaker bush (including its location) and the keywork.

Some late BTs still had a flat spring for the C#/G# key instead of a needle spring and most BTs had a single piece throat A touchpiece and cup arm (late N series BT and CT onwards have a separate throat A touchpiece soldered to the cup arm).

BT had the two part speaker bush with the large diameter threaded and domed outer cup with two dimples in it for removal/refitting (with something like an M13 screw thread) and a push-fit speaker tube in either nickel silver or solid silver. Then the CT had the large hexagonal headed single-piece speaker bush.

Early CTs still had the large diameter screw thread (M13 I think) when the later ones from later P series still had the large hexagonal head but a narrower thread which was carried onto the Series 9/9* (which has the speaker bush located higher up the top joint).

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010

The opinions I express are my own.

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 Re: Vintage Selmer clarinet
Author: Ed 
Date:   2025-04-12 01:25

Quote:

BTs were never marked with any model name


I recall playing one many years ago that belonged to a teacher that had a BT stamped below the logo. Could that have been something that Selmer did in the US after importing?



Post Edited (2025-04-12 01:25)

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 Re: Vintage Selmer clarinet
Author: Chris P 
Date:   2025-04-12 13:57

The late ones from the late 1940s to early '50s weren't stamped besides the logo, but it turns out the early ones were stamped *BT*: https://www.woodwindforum.com/clarinetperfection/selmer-paris/

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010

The opinions I express are my own.

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