 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2001-02-23 05:57
I just got two low C Selmer basses (model 37) from WW/BW to try out. Both of them play much better in the clarion and altissimo registers than my low Eb bass (Selmer model 35) which has some resistance around top line F and altissimo D. I had a repairman go over this horn right after I bought it (a little less than a year ago) and he said he found nothing wrong but having now played two basses that do not have these problem areas I know that something is wrong. I intend to have another repairman look over the 35 to see if something is out of adjustment (I suspect the first repairman did not do a thorough examination) . But if the second repairman can detect no adjustment problems than it seems likely that the 35 is a lemon. Has anyone had this experience and if so what did you do about it? As the horn is less than a year old it should still be under warranty (I bought it from WW/BW). Has anyone tried to exchange a defective horn? I'll get it looked at again before I call WW/BW to see about an exchange but I figured I'd solicit some advice first. If my repairman can find nothing mechanically wrong and WW/BW tries to put up a brick wall would it be likely that a skilled clarinet technician such as Tom Ridenour or Charlie Bay could get this horn playing the way it should? Both of the 37s play like a dream so I now know how a bass clarinet should play. I had thought that a resistant clarion and altissimo was just something you had to deal with on the bass but I now know that that is not necessarily so.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-02-23 16:08
Robert -
Most bass clarinets are stuffy and resistant on the clarion F (and also the neighboring E). Those notes are near the bottom of the range that uses the upper register key, so it's a built-in problem. I think you'd have a hard time getting things fixed under warranty. If the new instruments don't have that problem, count yourself lucky and make the trade.
Bay and Ridenour can often improve these notes by adjusting the height of the pads and undercutting the tone hole. If you want to keep your present instrument as a backup and have the money (Bay in particular doesn't work cheap), it would be worthwhile at least shipping the instrument to one of them and asking what can be done.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Francesca
Date: 2001-02-23 21:46
Good luck exchanging the horn if that's the path you go. I bought a Selmer 37 bass clarinet from BW and WW and it cracked within the 4 month warranty period I had. BW and WW said they could do nothing about it and referred us to the "local" Selmer factory in Elkhart, Indiana. (Keep in mind these are all long distance calls!) Selmer lived up to the (stereotypical) French tradition of being quite rude, and it took over 2 months for them to be willing to replace the joint. Getting a diffferent instrument was out of the question, though we still don't understand why. Hopefully you don't have to go through all of that. It sounds like your warranty is better, but you should be willing to take a stance if either company tries to give you the go around. The happy ending is that my instrument plays better than ever. Sorry about the ranting. I'll get over it someday.
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Author: Ken Rasmussen
Date: 2001-02-24 04:13
I'll bet your horn is fixable. I've got an old series 9 bass, and it plays nice and even. I suspect most of the difference between horns lies in the adjustments and pads. A crumb of dirt in the wrong spot could turn your excellent horn into a lemon. I hope you can find the problem and enjoy your lovely bass for years to come!
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2001-02-24 05:23
I probably don't have a strong case to have the horn replaced under warranty as the problems could be considered subjective--a couple of notes that don't respond the way I think they should. Hopefully I can get a repairman here in my home area (metro D.C.) to improve the problem notes. If not I'll condider sending the horn to a clarinet specialist like Bay or Ridenour. Meanwhile I have been playing the two low C horns mentioned above. Both horns play well with one playing especially well. The problem areas of the low Eb horn (model 35) are non-existent on the 37s. The clarion and altissimo registers are really effortless. The chalumeau has a rich, fat, and powerful sound and the only problem I have encountered is the tendancy of the low C#/Db and the low C to distort or gurgle when I try to play at a loud volume. But I think this will clear up as my embouchure adapts to the extended range. I can already get a good sound at MF or so on these notes and I feel it shouldn't take long to be able to produce a FF without the aforementioned gurgling. I had this problem with the low Eb on the 35 when I first got it but now I can really punch it (the low Eb). So it looks like I'm going to have to get one of the 37s. Unfortunately I'll have to pay for it out of a fund that I had earmarked for a much needed new car. But I suppose I can squeeze another four or five years out of my '89 Dodge Caravan.
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