The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: cinnamie
Date: 2009-11-04 10:05
Hello. I am writing from sweden and have a question about this clarinette. I found this at my fathers house after he past away and i am wondering if it is some value in this clarinette?
Regards ulrika
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-11-04 11:58
Series 9 clarinets are in some people's opinions the last of the 'great' Selmers - I play Series 9 clarinets myself and couldn't wish for anything better.
So to people like me who are fans of the older Selmers, they are highly praised.
As this is the Omega series, it'll be worth more than the standard Series 9 which varies in price from around £400-£800 depending on the condition and keywork configuration.
Do you know the serial number, and is it possible to post some photos of it?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2009-11-04 13:12
There have been two Selmer Omega models.
The first was a luxury version of the Centered Tone from the 1950s, which was made in France. It came with a gorgeous brown leather case, 3 barrels, interchangeable register vents and engraving on the bell and the bottom of the lower joint. It also had a special throat Bb mechanism -- see http://www.woodwind.org/clarinet/Equipment/SK.jpg.
The second was an intermediate wood Selmer USA instrument from the 1990s, with a standard register key and engraving only on the bell.
The Series 9 was a successor to the CT. The plain Series 9 was much like the CT, with the same large bore. The Series 9* had a smaller bore and undercut tone holes, matching the Buffet R-13. I'm pretty sure there was no Series 9 Omega, or at least I've never seen one, and Selmer stopped making the Omega before the Series 9 was introduced.
The CT and Series 9 are popular with non-classical players, and the 9* with classical players.
I played a pair of the earlier model Omegas for several years and thought they played no different from the regular CT. They're not common, but I think they'll bring only a little more than a standard CT, except perhaps to a collector. Chris's price estimate seems right. The Selmer USA Omega will bring less.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-11-04 23:13
Here's a photo of the CT Omega: http://www1.webng.com/myclarinet/pic2.htm
There was a more recent Selmer Paris Omega - more recently than the Series 9, though it didn't have such elaborate engraving as the CT pictured here.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: donald
Date: 2009-11-05 09:27
The Bflat/reg key exchange mechanism shown in the photo comparing an R13 with a Selmer is not the "SK mechanism"... I'm pretty sure of this, but tell me if I'm wrong... A very elaborate caption that does a good job of clearly explaining how the mechanism operates, it's true, but the SK mechanism isn't a true "exchange". The SK mech has both the reg hole and an extra resonance hole operated by the reg key, and if the thumb ring is closed then only the reg key opens.... so i believe- at any rate this is what Jack Brymer has a photo of in his book, and i have been shown this mech also by former students of Stubbins.
dn
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2009-11-05 13:56
Hi Don[ald]- I gave my Stubbins-Noblet to NMM at the request of Debbi Reeves. She has made a fine study of the many mechanisms seeking to improve the pinch Bb, as I'm sure a number of keying experts have done as well. A number of these have been published in the ICA Journal Historically Speaking series. My own observation, that of the several patented systems now available for production, only the Wm. S and K and the Leblanc earlier, had much commercial use, the Leb also being discussed in the ICA, with more use made on the bass et al than on the soprano. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-11-05 14:18
As Stubbins was affiliated with Leblanc, it's most likely he wouldn't have had anything to do with Selmer back then as they were both completely separate companies.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: donald
Date: 2009-11-05 19:44
The caption describes the mechanism as an "SK" mechanism, I was merely pointing out that it isn't. One of the advantages of the SK mechanism (over a true "exchange" mechanism) is that the clarinet will still play if the register mech goes out of adjustment.
The Jack Brymer book has an illustration correctly labelled, but his description in the text incorrectly describes how the SK mechanism works
dn
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2009-11-05 20:01
Chris - Do you know of more cl ?cooperation? of W S with L Leblanc, other than as a maker [Noblet]. I have looked in W S's P B book and found a "Thank You" to Leon as well as to Kaspar et al, but no mention of L's work in this same endeavor, so far. The patenting "look at" of S's US 2,508,550 and L's 1,926,489 and 2,832,250 and cross citations, interests me, but prob. bores most others ! Will pursue when time is available. Don
Thanx, Mark, Don
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2009-11-05 20:50
All I know about Stubbins is what I've previously read on here or on Sherman Friedland's messageboards - sorry I can't be any more specific than that.
The photo in Jack Brymer's book is of a Noblet or Normandy clarinet with the improved Bb mechanism fitted - and very much made by Leblanc going by the design.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2009-11-05 20:51)
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