 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: haberc
Date: 2006-10-31 01:19
I have a Selmer Series 9 *, serial number S8590. Looking for info on history.
It plays very fine. BIG warm sound. This one's a keeper for me, love to play it. Would appreciate any information you could give me. thanks!
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2006-10-31 02:36
Hi,
I play a 9* and have commented several times on this BB. Do a search but use 9* for the search word. Great clarinet and totally different bore than the Series 9.
Happy Hunting!
HRL
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Author: SVClarinet09
Date: 2006-10-31 02:47
Well you can tell the age by this
http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/Equipment/HowOld/Selmer.html
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Author: ghuba
Date: 2006-10-31 15:40
9*s were also made as Selmer Mazzeo clarinets (with the Mazzeo key modifications and unique Mazzeo bell). The two examples I have played have a different (richer, bigger) sound than the four Series 10 Mazzeo clarinets I have had the opportunity to play. The workmanship and key design on the 9* and 10 Series Selmers appear to be about comparable.
Regular (non-Mazzeo) 9*s appear about 3-6 times a year on the big auction site.
I believe that the T series are the most common, at least at resale, and the S series was the first one in which 9*s appear. I also believe that these units concluded in the U series. In the standard list of Selmer serial numbers, years are associated with letter prefixes, but it is not clear how many of the serial numbers were associated with a specific model since Selmer seems to have had several different types of clarinets in production at one time, and to have mixed the serial numbers (perhaps assigning them sequentially to whatever clarinet was made that day).
George
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2006-10-31 17:17
Series 9 and the 9* clarinets are very fine and have a great scale..sadly to say they are becoming quite rare. You are lucky to have one.
David Dow
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-10-31 17:37
And an S series one at that!
I reckon these early Series 9 and 9* are much better than the later ones (probably as they're at the tail end of the Centered Tone, and at an era when Selmer workmanship was still of a high standard), I have an 'S' series A and an 'A' series Bb pair of full Boehm Series 9 - I prefer the overall quality of workmanship on my 'S' series than my 'A' series.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Ralph
Date: 2006-11-04 00:18
The production of the 9 and 9* actually began with the R serial numbers and continued well into the W serial numbers. There are a few 9s and 9*s that show up with X, Y, and Z serial numbers.
Ralph
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Author: Terry Stibal
Date: 2006-11-04 02:09
My Series 9 Bb has a U series serial. The A has a X series serial.
leader of Houston's Sounds Of The South Dance Orchestra
info@sotsdo.com
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Author: ghuba
Date: 2006-11-05 00:52
I stand corrected on the series part of the serial numbers for 9* clarinets.
Is there a table around that links the Series (letter) part of the serial number and Selmer models (that is, Models X, Y, and Z were produced in the R Series; Models A, X, Y, and Q were produced in the S Series, etc.)? I have never found a table like that on this Board or elsewhere.
George
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Author: Ralph
Date: 2006-11-06 21:39
George - to answer your question, I believe that Selmer does not reserve a series of serial numbers (such as W) for one particular model. For example, wirh seial numbers beginning with W, I've seen 9s, 10s, 10S, 10Gs, altos and basses. I believe the serial numbers are randomly assigned to the next instrument in the queue, no matter what the model.
Ralph
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2006-11-07 02:13
I know with oboe finishing the serial number was assigned to each instrument as it was finished, and assume most manufacturers do the same - or have a system whereby the joints are numbered as they come off the CNC machine.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: kenny1
Date: 2007-03-22 03:52
I apologize for the late thread add... I'm new to the group and I just found this thread.
I have a Selmer Series 9* Bb too, but I think mine is a weirdo.
It has the serial number R9xxx, and on the upper joint it has two asterisks over the serial number (replaced upper joint?) and what is possibly a date over that, the numbers 7-60.
I love the way it sounds, and I can't imagine why some others would put it down. If this horn isn't any good or popular, why is it so spendy on 'that auction site' IF you can find one?
I'm curious, how many people here have one of these 9* anyway? Is there a group/website specifically for Selmer collectors?
Thank you,
Kenny1
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2007-03-22 14:40
"It has the serial number R9xxx, and on the upper joint it has two asterisks over the serial number (replaced upper joint?) and what is possibly a date over that, the numbers 7-60."
That's right - the top joint has either been transplanted by Selmer themselves or by an official Selmer repairer and the date of the last transplant stamped on the joint.
I had a lovely P-series 'Centered Tone' (17/6) which had a replacement top joint (just the one *) and the date was under the key barrel for the rings - and it was the whole date (can't remember it now) in this manner - date-month-56.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: William
Date: 2007-03-22 14:58
All I have to add is that the 9* model clarinet model was supposed to be Selmer's "answer" to the Buffet R13. I picked mine out at the Selmer factory in Elkhart with Joe Artley's help and it was a real "keeper"--big warm sound, even scale and well in tune. Benny Goodman had just picked his 9* out the week before (at least, I was told that).
I am a "pack rat" and still have that 9* clarinet, but it was never the same after I dropped it on cement and broke the middle joint socket. The repair was not done well and the clarinet is no longer the same. Great sound, still, but the intonation was destroyed by some damage to the bore. Lesson-- be careful out there (or if the unthinkable happens, have the work done by some of our BB experts, not your local music store repair junkies).
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Author: Cindyr
Date: 2007-03-22 19:43
The story about dropping the S9* on cement is making me think twice about playing my recently acquired S (Z serial number) in outdoor concerts. Not like these clarinets are easy to replace. I may get a Yamaha 20 or a Vito for outdoor use.
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Author: kenny1
Date: 2007-03-24 03:31
I now avoid 'music store junkies' like the plague, since the 9* was almost totally disassembled when I bought it, and all the keys were lying in the bottom space of the case. The 'music store' person who assembled it and replaced a pad kept after me for a week to sell it to him... for $50 and forgiving my bill. My buddy (sax player) recommended a repairman, so I think I'll send it over there for a checkup.
Is there an accurate list of serial numbers for this model of clarinet? If the 7-60 on my upper joint is a repair date not a build date, I'm wondering how old it really is.
Thank you for the good information,
kenny1
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