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What A Difference A Bell Makes ...

Author: Chris P
Date: 2021-05-10 23:59

... and not always for the best.

I had someone bring their Selmer Privilege Bb over to me as they're finding the full fingering for altissimo F (Sp.Th.xxx C#/G#| xxx) very wild compared to the short fingering - it either overblows to another note completely or is unstable and windy, changing between an E and F.

They had no problem when they tried my St. Louis which is one of the few clarinets I have with a standard C#/G# key as my others have articulated ones so I can't use the full fingering for altissimo F (or the Bb above it, but I do use another fingering for that note).

Then today I had a look to see why altissimo F should be that unstable and it was scooping and bending for me as well, when my St. Louis was rock solid. The only significant difference between them was the fact the Privilege has an aftermarket bell with a very narrow throat and a distinct choke between the lower joint bore taper and the narrower diameter of the bell.

I put a couple of my Selmer bells on the Privilege and that cured the unstable altissimo F - the Selmer bells have a much wider throat and far less of a choke where the bore taper in the lower joint tenon meets the base of the socket.

So before you buy a fancy aftermarket bell, try it and make sure EVERY note responds well - it's surprising how much of a difference they will make and it isn't always for the best if they prevent you using certain fingerings or cause tuning problems.

Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.

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