 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Molloy
Date: 2008-02-09 00:04
I have an old metal Selmer mouthpiece, and another with no name but of very similar construction to the Selmer. They are undamaged except the plating on the table is quite pitted. I want to get them restored.
I know I could get them replated at Anderson, but wouldn't I need to have them 'detailed' by a clarinet mouthpiece expert? Can anyone point me in the right direction?
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Author: BobD
Date: 2008-02-09 11:21
Is it possible that the mp is not plated but is simply unplated aluminum?
Bob Draznik
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Author: Molloy
Date: 2008-02-09 14:41
"Is it possible that the mp is not plated but is simply unplated aluminum?"
No. They are both very heavy, and definitely plated. These are the cousins of the metal sax mouthpieces Selmer made in the 1930's.
The Selmer has a couple of dings on the tenon where the plating is gone, and it looks like brass underneath to my untrained eye. There is a little spot of blue-green corrosion in the chamber, which I think indicates some copper or nickel in the mix.
The non-name I can be sure is silver-plated by the tarnish. I would guess it too is made of brass.
These are just like the metal sax mouthpieces of that era.
Post Edited (2008-02-09 14:41)
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Author: Chris Hill
Date: 2008-02-09 15:21
I think you would probably have to have them refaced once you have them replated. If I were you, I wouldn't attempt to have the refacer change the facing much, rather they would have to simply straighten out the facing. I don't have time to take on another project right now, but I would love to try them when they are finished!
Chris Hill
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Author: stevesklar
Date: 2008-02-09 17:26
The old Selmer metal clarinet mpcs were silverplated over brass
Andersons will strip the existing plating off, including the toothpatch material (and cork) before buffing then replating it.
You will have to reinstall a new toothpatch material and the cork.
I have one that i have been refinishing as a sax player took it and made it into a soprano sax mpcs - changed the roll over baffle and enlarged the tip opening.
If it needs any refacing it would be best to have it completed before replating otherwise the silverplating on the rails/tip/baffle would get removed and thus not look as nice =-)
Andersons is really good - it would look wonderful with just one treatment of silverplating - nice and brilliant !! It seems, per Andersons information, the thicker the plating the less brilliant the look.
Do you have pics ?
==========
Stephen Sklar
My YouTube Channel of Clarinet Information
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Author: donald
Date: 2008-02-09 20:33
I have seen a saxophone mouthpiece that was re-plated and in this case the plating process completely ruined the facing. I would take the advice of Chris Hill (above) on this and make the re-facing the last stage of the restoration.
dn
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2008-02-09 21:08
The essential question: How do they play now? If you put a reed on, block the bottom and suck the air out through the tip, how long does it hold the vacuum?
The Selmer "S" lay is shorter and closer than average.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Molloy
Date: 2008-02-09 23:57
"The essential question: How do they play now?"
They are both unusable in their current condition.
"If you put a reed on, block the bottom and suck the air out through the tip, how long does it hold the vacuum?"
Interesting test, I had never heard of checking a mouthpiece that way. The Selmer S won't even establish a vacuum. The no-name will sort of get a vacuum but won't hold it at all. The wooden Pomarico I normally play held a vacuum for a second or two before it popped open. What length of time is considered "passing" the test?
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Author: Molloy
Date: 2008-02-10 00:05
"I have seen a saxophone mouthpiece that was re-plated and in this case the plating process completely ruined the facing. I would take the advice of Chris Hill (above) on this and make the re-facing the last stage of the restoration."
The work will expose the brass core, I think there's no way the plating can come first.
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Author: stevesklar
Date: 2008-02-10 01:49
FYI
Those mpcs came with the Selmer metal clarinets, such as this one
http://www.uark.edu/ua/nc/NCCollectionPage/Page/SelmerMetalFullBoehm.htm
on the Selmer - does that black crude wipe off? Try a silver polishing rage or silver cleaner.
Also, on the Selmer mpc I have here it has the facing information on the table
PRECISIONE GARANTIE
table HS**
on the other mpc - does it say "Alexandre" anywhere on it ?
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Stephen Sklar
My YouTube Channel of Clarinet Information
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Author: Molloy
Date: 2008-02-10 02:13
"on the Selmer - does that black crude wipe off?"
No, it's not crud (at least, not what I would call crud), it's pitting and, I presume, corrosion underneath the plating. It is going to take a fair bit of restoration.
"on the other mpc - does it say "Alexandre" anywhere on it ?"
No markings at all, not even on the ligature. In some ways it's quite different from the Selmer, so I'd guess it is not a Selmer-affiliated piece. I've seen an old Lelandais tenor mouthpiece with very similar bite-plate material, but probably that doesn't mean anything.
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Author: donald
Date: 2008-02-10 02:55
"the (refacing) work will expose the brass core"
the problem being?
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Author: Molloy
Date: 2008-02-10 03:42
" 'the (refacing) work will expose the brass core'
the problem being?"
I'm not sure I understand. Are you asking what the problem would be with a mouthpiece that's partly plated and partly exposed brass?
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Author: Wes
Date: 2008-02-10 06:46
It would also be interesting if someone would discuss the process of replacing the tooth plate. Thanks.
I also have a mouthpiece similar to the Selmer but have not yet considered restoration.
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Author: skennedy
Date: 2008-02-11 06:55
There may be a problem with putting naked brass in your mouth. Maybe it's an urban legend, but I was under the impression that one could contract brass poisoning from.... also brass players plate their mouthpieces.
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Author: donald
Date: 2008-02-11 07:11
as the "exposed brass" bit has a reed strapped to it i'm not sure why you think it's a problem. Note the advice from Chris Hill, i'm sure he knows what he's talking about
dn
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Author: skennedy
Date: 2008-02-11 19:20
"i'm not sure why you think it's a problem" .....maybe your reed will turn green. ....maybe your mouth will get puffy and break out in sores. ....maybe not. It's not my mouth. I knew a guy at music school that removed the plating from his tenor sax mpc. I was told the reason he wasn't at rehearsal because he was admitted to hospital with brass poisoning. Maybe he ate the brass filings. I don't know, and I didn't investigate. That is why I think it's a problem.
Investigate or not the choice is always yours.
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Author: redwine
Date: 2008-02-12 02:58
Hello,
If the mouthpieces were mine and I wanted to play them, I would send them to a saxophone mouthpiece refacer (someone with a lot of experience with metal mouthpieces) to reface. I would skip the replating step, unless the mouthpiece refacer convinced me otherwise.
(Disclaimer--I do not work on saxophone mouthpieces)
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
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Author: donald
Date: 2008-02-12 07:30
the REED would be between your mouth and the exposed brass
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