 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: willie
Date: 2001-07-23 01:55
The only thing that would worry me would be those three cracks in the tenon. I would like to have it examned by a good tech to see how serious they are. The rest of it looks very clean and well kept. Even the silver on the touch keys looks to be intact. And LOVE THAT BELL! Maybe one of the techs on sneezy can comment more on the cracks.
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Author: Don Berger
Date: 2001-07-23 13:57
Willie expresses my opinions very well. The R series Selmers date from 1958, and IMHO they made the best basses, contras also?? then. The dents would worry me a bit, rough handling by early students? It prob. has double-register/Bb keying which requires very good tech work for proper functioning. With 2 days to go and not yet up to reserve, it may be quite high. I'd suggest asking for a trial period, for skilled evaluation. Much luck. Don
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Author: Stephen Froehlich
Date: 2001-07-23 19:03
Probably some of it is the photography, but its a very dark rosewood. Probably stunning. If I had the cash, I'd bid as this price in an attosecond. Its worth the risk. Its a commercial seller, so they are likely to want what its worth, which is well below where it is.
The keywork looks identical to every other Selmer Rosewood I've played on (including a double bridge key). The register key isn't THAT hard to adjust, its essentially the same mechanism as most good basses (one weak spring to lift the lower key and a stronger one to override that and lift the higher key).
As for the bell dings. The bell on these things is huge. I would be surprised if it hadn't been bumped once or twice in normal handling given its age. As usual, its purely ornamental except for low Eb et al. (Which is always fun because when you play it, the world blurs vertically.)
The other thing to remember is that if there were hairline cracks in a new instrument, they'd be more likely to become a problem than ones in an instrument of this age. Finally, I'm willing to bet that the keywork is nickel, not silver plated.
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2001-07-23 19:09
The rosewood Selmers are indeed gorgeous to look at, but as I understand it their mechanisms, and general playing qualities, are essentially identical to those of the much cheaper and readily available plastic Bundy/Buescher EEb contra-alto clarinets. Which is not a bad thing.
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2001-07-23 19:33
That's what I play. Funny how every clarinet I play is a Bundy.
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-07-24 19:47
I recently got a similar Selmer Eb contra, a bit older and without the low Eb. Steve Fox did truly elegant repair work, including fixing a lot of cracks. He has a gigantic backlog, though. I had to wait nearly 8 months. At the very low Canadian exchange rate, his prices can't be beat.
I've also played a Bundy, and this is a definite step up.
I'd expect this one to go for around $3000 or a little less, and you have to expect $500 or so to fix the cracks and get the pads set, even at the Canadian rate.
The Selmers are less consistent and have a less even scale than the metal Leblancs, but have a better sound.
Mouthpieces are a problem, since the Selmers are very inconsistent. Clark Fobes makes one -- figure another $200. Walter Graebner or Roger Garrett, who make bass mouthpieces that a lot of people like, may be willing to make a contra mouthpiece, or reface one you supply, for less money.
Good luck.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2001-07-25 01:15
Charlie Bay can probably make a pretty good contra piece.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2001-07-25 17:48
Yes, probably $300 or so. I know of people who play $700 sax pieces so $300 doesn't sound too extreme. But I wouldn't pay any more than that.
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Author: jim lande
Date: 2001-07-26 02:41
Ken, looks like you and I are playing all the same Eb instruments! I recently bought a Stephen Fox refinished EEb only down to E. No question, it plays better than my old Bundy (which is an excellent value.)
I used to have a Leblanc paperclip BBb and did not like it nearly as much as the Bundy. Partly, I like the contra alto more than the contra bass. Partly, the mech. was clunky. Mind you, I am a metal clarinet nut, so selling the Leblanc to get the Selmer required some mental adjustment for me.
Mine came with a Selmer C* which Mr Fobes had refinished. I had a new Selmer C* on the Bundy. If my new one breaks, I will buy another Fobes.
I have had plenty of adjustment problems with the double register key and really can't hit above A in the upper register at the moment. But the other notes are so smooth I have not cared enough to take it in. (Skill is also a problem. Hamiet Bluett took tried my Bundy and effortlessly played way up in the altissimo.)
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