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Re: polycylindrical bore

Author: shmuelyosef
Date: 2017-02-27 06:44

Reawakening this old thread. I understand everything that's been said here (I'm an ex-machinist), but I have yet to see a clarinet that is cylindrical even at the top joint. I play mostly older Selmers (I have two Centered Tones and a Series 9). If I measure the top and bottom of the LH joint of those, I get bore diameters that differ between 0.25mm and 0.3mm. I just measured my daughter's late model (ca 2000) R-13 and it has a difference of 0.3mm at the top and bottom of the LH joint. It does, however, have undercut holes which neither of my Selmers have. I also have a Leblanc Dynamique (early model before the Dynamic, Dynamic II and Dynamic H) and it has different entry and exit bores in the LH joint, but does have undercutting (large), and was made in the mid-50s.

The Selmers I own are generally referred to as "cylindrical" and the R-13 is, of course, the template for "polycylindrical" clarinets.

Is this really a useful set of designations? It appears that even in the early 50s when the CTs were launched, Selmer understood that intonation (and other aspects) could be improved by varying the bore diameter.

Regarding the 'cone shape' at the bottom, I believe that the conic transition to the bell has started in the RH joint since at least the turn of the century (1900)...correct??

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