 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Clarineteer
Date: 2012-10-18 08:36
Since doing some regulation on a customers Selmer K Series Bb clarinet due to the fact that these were excellent professional level instruments with amazing tone and intonation I have since switched to working on these era instruments exclusively. I discovered that as soon as the RI Radio Improved and the BT Balanced tone were introduced Selmer changed their key composition resulting in extremely soft keys that will bend from extensive playing or even percussive playing. Seems like when they introduced the M Series they went back to the stronger key composition again. They were all unplated German silver.
Post Edited (2012-10-18 08:37)
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Author: Bill
Date: 2012-10-18 15:10
Interesting. I never noticed it. I have a Winged Globe, K series (lower numbers w/ dotted oval logo), and RI, BT, two M's, an N, and a P-series CT. I'll hjave to compare today.
(I need to get out more, right?)
Bill Fogle
Ellsworth, Maine
(formerly Washington, DC)
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Author: Clarineteer
Date: 2012-10-18 16:00
RI keys seemed extremely soft and easily bendable. Selmer must have changed the metal composition on the RI and BT and found that that the K Series metal comp was more solid and created less problems of the keys going out of regulation so they returned to the more solid comp again starting with the M Series. Maybe it was a cost saving issue that made them switch.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2012-10-18 22:52
My 3-figure basset horn (winged globe over the oval logo) has seamed tubing on all the key barrels, socket rings and other tubular metal parts - some key barrels are even solid silver. The metal looks pretty much the same as other unplated Selmers from a later era.
Maybe some of the nickel silver supplied at one point had a higher zinc content than usual.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: BartHx
Date: 2012-10-19 03:35
I acquired a Selmer Model 55 awhile back (same general era as the RI and BT). I noticed that the keys seemed to be considerably softer than my CT. The metal is definitely not plated and tested as sterling (my wife collects silver). The edges of several rings on the side away from the hinge tube have worn to less than half their original thickness. The instrument plays beautifully, so I was considering asking a jeweler to try to rebuild the badly worn rings. Does anyone have any experience dealing with this sort of repair?
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Author: Clarineteer
Date: 2012-10-19 06:14
The value of silver is at a high price currently. I wonder if it would not pay to have the keys melted down for scrap and look for a Selmer of that era that is cracked and has the stronger comp keys and use them in your 55 because even if you build them up again the nature of the softness of silver will allow them to wear down again and even go out of regulation.
I am currently buffing a set of unplated German silver keys on a 1931 Selmer early L Series L35X which falls between the K series and the BT and the keys are rock solid composition similar to current instruments.
Post Edited (2012-10-19 08:13)
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