 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: mad dog
Date: 1999-11-29 20:10
I just spoke with Ralph Morgan, long-time Selmer employee (I'm advised that his employment included a lengthy stint as head of woodwind design). He states that the "star" above the serial number on a Selmer clarinet indicates a factory replacement part. He said that if a piece cracked shortly after purchase, Selmer would replace the joint free of charge, and would stamp the original serial number on the replacement part along with a "star" above it to indicate that it was a replacement. I have seen this mostly on CT's, but it is likely seen on other models as well. In times past, the most common repair method for a crack was one or more flush bands, which is generally considered unsightly, often believed to have a negative impact on the tone, and will cause an almost certain reduction in value. Given this choice, I can understand why someone who had just shelled out a goodly sum for a top-line clarinet (this was in the days when it was not uncommon to pay full-retail) would rather have the cracked piece replaced than flush-banded. (Let me make it clear to all readers that the star above the serial number to which I refer herein has nothing whatever to do with the "star" which is referenced as part of the model designation of a Selmer "9-Star" clarinet.)
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Author: J. Butler
Date: 1999-11-29 22:47
Mad Dog,
Thanks for calling Ralph for me. I saved a dime or two on the phone call. I was going to wait until Wednesday and call him if I didn't see a posting on the BB. I've gotten a lot of email over the origianl post, so I hope those people see this one also.
John
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Author: John Dean
Date: 1999-11-30 17:48
That's interesting. My 1959 starred CT has two cracks now in the twelve months since I bought it!I wonder if there was a weakness in the batch of wood it was made from?
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