 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Katherine Handcock
Date: 2005-06-13 11:20
Hello to everyone,
As well as being a clarinetist, I work in a music store retailing band instruments, and I've recently had the fun opportunity to order in a Selmer Paris basset horn for a customer of mine! It's arrived, which is worrying, because I'm already becoming seriously attached to it ;-) I'm concerned, though, because the instrument was a repack (returned from a customer or other retail location) and I'm not certain that everything was repacked correctly. I know for certain that the floor peg is missing altogether. It's also arrived in a case labelled Selmer USA, which fits the instrument terribly. I know that Selmer's USA division often replaces or provides instrument cases itself, but if someone here has recently seen/purchased this instrument, could you confirm what the case was like? I've already left a message with our Selmer supplier representative, but the more of a case I've got for there being something wrong, the easier I'll find it to get things corrected. Thanks for the help!
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Author: bflatclarinetist
Date: 2005-06-13 11:45
Cool, yesterday I went to the tso and one of the pieces was Mendelssohn: Konzertstück No. 1 for Clarinet and Basset Horn. The basset horn player, Dennis Smylie had such a long peg since he was standing up. How far can a peg go?
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Author: Katherine Handcock
Date: 2005-06-13 12:36
Hi GBK,
I know Selmer lists the Vanguard case for basset horn, but do you know for sure if that's the case the horn itself comes in? We've observed that, at least in the Canadian market, the instruments themselves often come with very basic cases, with the upgrade cases available for purchase separately if desired. It seems odd, though, that that would be the case for the basset horn. I'm starting to suspect that the previous store or tester that had the instrument has switched the case. Also, if you know where I can find a picture of the Vanguard case, that would also be helpful. Thanks again!
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Author: msloss
Date: 2005-06-13 13:31
Katherine,
Call Stan Garber at Selmer in Elkhart, IN. He is for all intents and purposes the woodwind manager (I don't recall his actual title) and oversees the Paris horns as they come into Selmer North America. He can tell you exactly how a Basset should be outfitted for sale.
And FWIW, the cases are indeed awful. That was a consistent hassle with the Model 37 bass clar as well.
Glad to hear you are making the extra effort to take care of the customer. Good for you!
MS
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2005-06-13 14:53
I've got a Model 32 bass to low C for which I have been trying to get a new case for over five years. Nothing seems to work. Ordering through a dealer gets a case for the current horn (into which the Model 32 will not fit). Ordering directly from Selmer gets a case for the current horn (into which the Model 32 will not fit).
Mind you, money isn't an object here, but getting the right fit is. Aftermarket cases don't work either, and in any case (pun intended) are not up to the original in quality.
This is all the more puzzling in light of the fact that, when I bought a Series 9 A horn to pair with my older Series 9 Bb full Boehm, it was shipped in a standard double case (into which the different joint length full Boehm would not fit, of course). The "factory" told me to send them the case, and a month later it came back modified (and very nicely done, too) to fit my "funny horn".
They apparently like soprano clarinets more than they do bass ones. That theory will receive a test when I try to order a new external cover for the case for the two sopranos.
I've had the current case repaired so many times that the guts are starting to run out of "holding power" for screws and other fasteners. (The outside cover and the leather trim already look like disaster areas just from thirty years of normal wear and tear.) I've not spoken to Stan in ten years or so, but I guess that a direct call to the tall and formerly fair haired boy of Selmer USA to make one more try can't hurt.
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
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Author: archer1960
Date: 2005-06-13 15:07
Terry Stibal wrote:
> Mind you, money isn't an object here, but getting the right fit
> is. Aftermarket cases don't work either, and in any case (pun
> intended) are not up to the original in quality.
Do you know anybody who is a woodworker? You might have better luck getting a custom case made by a furniture maker than you seem to have had so far, especially if you already have a case that you like for them to use as a model.
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Author: Katherine Handcock
Date: 2005-06-14 13:27
Hi everyone,
Thanks for all your help! This customer (aside from being a friend of mine) is really living out a dream, and the last thing I want is for anything to be a problem. I have a message in to our supplier representative, so hopefully we can get everything addressed quickly.
Just a quick note for Terry: there are two cases that I've seen that might help for your Selmer bass clarinet woes. One is the Bam trekking bass clarinet case, and the other is the Wiseman tubular bass clarinet case. A local pro player with the low C Selmer model has used both of these in the past with great success. The Bam is quite nice; I've got the double soprano trekking case, and love it. You can see information about that at www.bamcases.com. The Wiseman is amazing--compact, tough, safe enough that you could consider checking it into baggage on a plane, and it can hold one or two soprano clarinets as well, depending which version you get. It's very expensive, though. You can see pictures and information on those cases at www.wisemancases.com. I know for sure that the International Music Company carries the Wiseman cases; the Bam cases are easier to find, available through many stores.
I hope this helps, and thanks again
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