 The Clarinet BBoard
|
Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-03-05 21:18
A Selmer series 10 in apparently nice condition just went for a very low price on Ebay. I saw it and passed on it because of the mismatched serial number issue (top half does not match bottom). I thought that since the numbers were so vastly different and that the insignia didn't make clear which Selmer series 10 the bottom came from, that there was no guarantee that the two halves would make a harmonious pair. In general is this proper thinking on the issue? Can mismatched tops and bottoms sometimes work out well? The seller made no special claims that the top was sent by the factory as a suitable replacement for a damaged section.
Garth
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2012-03-05 21:36
> Can mismatched tops and bottoms sometimes work out well?
They can. They don't necessarily do so, though. It's a trial and error game.
--
Ben
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2012-03-05 22:05
Garth Libre wrote:
> The seller made no special
> claims that the top was sent by the factory as a suitable
> replacement for a damaged section.
As Ben mentioned it is possible for mismatches to work. The standard practice at Selmer for replacement joints was for a replacement joint to be stamped with the same serial number as the original and for a "*" to be stamped above the number to indicate a replacement.
In general I wouldn't even consider buying a clarinet with mismatched joint without a play test. In the case of the specific instrument you are referring to the lower joint was an R-series, meaning it came from a late CT or an early series 9. These instruments had a substantially different acoustical design compared to the later Series 10 so I suspect that the intonation on this mismatch is probably horrible.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-03-05 22:16
How far apart are the serial numbers?
Since the production of the Series 9, Series 10 and 10G overlapped, it could have either a Series 9 or 10G lower joint or maybe even a Series 10S one if the lower joint serial number is significantly higher than that of the top joint.
Not sure I'd particularly want to buy a cut'n'shut like that unless it played exceptionally well.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: SteveG_CT
Date: 2012-03-05 22:51
Chris P wrote:
> How far apart are the serial numbers?
>
The upper joint was V3691, and lower joint was R9346. Based on the charts I've seen that represents around an 8 year difference in date of production.
Post Edited (2012-03-05 22:51)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-03-05 23:12
The lower joint's either from an early Series 9 or late Centered Tone!
Seeing as the bidding has ended, can you post a link to the listing?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2012-03-05 23:16)
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Garth Libre
Date: 2012-03-05 23:33
Here is the link to the ebay listing (closed now)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/110829883231?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
I thought about this one for a long time and then decided that because the seller made no claims that the replacement section was provided by Selmer or even a reasonable and appropriate replacement, that there could be severe and unsolvable problems down the road for the purchaser. There was not a reference to which was the older piece (I naturally assumed the replacement was the upper but didn't check out the serial numbers to see if that was true). This could have been one of those deals where the owner just happened to find another Selmer 10 and figured that if they fit and looked good than they were made for each other. At $300 one could buy ten of these mismatches and try to make some good pairings. The seller didn't recognize the need to comment that melding was a good one or that problems could exist if they weren't.
Garth, 305-981-4705. garthlibre@yahoo.com
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-03-06 08:36
http://www.ebay.com/itm/110829883231?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
Looks like it was originally a CT but the top joint was replaced with a Series 10 one as it's still got the CT bell and barrel. I've seen various new old stock CT joints listed, but they're factory fresh and they've got undrilled pillars, so swapping the keys and all the existing pillars over will have to be done - the problem with that is making sure the pillars all line up properly. And then sourcing a CT speaker vent tube with the large hexagonal head.
Not bad at that price (which was just over $300) if you could do that kind of work yourself if you could source the parts.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
|
|
Reply To Message
|
|
The Clarinet Pages
|
 |
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
.jpg){kind=small}
