 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: RewBicks
Date: 2011-08-21 22:24
I just wanted to ask the board a quick question re: the supposed tuning issues on the Series 9. I got an excellent deal on a 1965 in very nice shape about 7 years ago as I finished high school (i.e., there was no money for an R-13 or anything like that), and was preparing to audition for some local amateur orchestras. However, that didn't end up happening. I had to move several times in the next few years for school, and hadn't played in some time. I've started playing every day again, and things have come to me quite quickly. Tuning was initially a problem after I started back up, but I've recently had the clarinet completely repadded and added a Ridenour 67mm barrel. I also pull out about half a mm at the middle tenon. Given what I've been reading on this board, the result has been quite surprising - I'm now no more than 7 cents flat or sharp on any given note (7 cents being the maximum, at high B). With the exception of a few other notes (e.g. low F, high A), I'm no more than 3-4 cents flat or sharp anywhere else through the scale.
I'm curious about the following: given all of the flak I've heard these clarinets receive for tuning issues, is my experience unusual, or what? Or is this an unacceptable amount of variation, and I'm out to lunch (granting that standards differ depending on the venue)? How much better tuning could I expect throughout the range on an R-13?
EDIT: forgot to mention, M13 lyre mp.
Post Edited (2011-08-21 22:30)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-08-21 23:06
I've only heard people complain about tuning problems when they've come from playing another make of clarinet and go to a Series 9 or 9* - they play as predictably as any older Selmers if you're used to older Selmers, so will take some time to get accustomed to if you've previously done a lot of time on Buffets.
The only troublesome notes I have with my Selmer Series 9, Series 9* and CT clarinets are the usual culprits - flat low E and F and high C can go sharp (which is easy enough to bring down to pitch) and that's using a 67mm barrel. I've got a 68mm barrel as well for summer use so I don't have to pull out, but never found any problem playing alongside other (and better) players who play Buffets, Leblancs, Yamahas, B&Hs, Peter Eatons, etc. so never found any significant tuning or intonation problems with them all - provided you can play in tune with other players around you is far more important than playing along to a tuner just on your own. I find them very flexible instruments and can do more on them than Buffets I've played.
My main Bb clarinet is a 1978 Series 9 full Boehm which is paired up with a 1962 full Boehm A Series 9 (which is the much better made instrument of the two - your 1965 one should also have excellent workmanship), but my prized set of clarinets is a 1967 pair of Series 9* that were made as a set a they have consecutive serial numbers - this set were once owned by Gino Cioffi and later sold to one of his pupils (who I bought them from) so I hope by some means (either at an atomic or spiritual level) some of Gino Cioffi's tone and talent will be transferred from them to my fingertips!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: RewBicks
Date: 2011-08-24 06:30
Chris - thanks for the input, as I suspected. Sounds like you've got some nice clarinets! I'm envious.
Bob - it's the Bb.
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