 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Leonard D
Date: 2025-12-13 02:35
Attachment: IMG_20251212_165439696.jpg (398k)
Attachment: IMG_20251212_165502900.jpg (381k)
Hello All,
Having been a brass player most of my earlier life, in my retirement I have been learning clarinet the past 4 years. I also have a small collection of Selmer USA Mazzeo clarinets (about which I have read much in this forum).
I understand how the later Mazzeo mechanism works: this is the variant with the small coil-sprung "piston" that engages the 3rd trill key when the second finger of the left hand or right-hand rings are depressed with the left thumb off. I have working examples of these (a 70s era Buescher Mazzeo with no clutch mechanism and a late 60s example of a Selmer USA Signet Special with the cylindrical clutch mechanism).
However, I have three examples of what I believe are early 60s Selmer USA Mazzeo clarinets (an unmarked Bundy and two examples of an early Selmer Signet Special that while all labeled as "Mazzeo System" have a different mechanism (with no clutch). There is no coil-sprung piston that opens the 3rd trill key when the left thumb is off. However, there is an odd looking curved key attached to a rod that opens the 3rd trill key (but only when the 3rd trill key itself is pressed and the left thumb is off). The curvy part presses against the pad cup associated with the left-hand second finger, but is not fixed to the pad cup.
My dilemma is that none of the three "early" examples having the curved key and no clutch mechanism seems to function in Mazzeo mode. I do not see any evidence of any parts having been removed, yet there appears to be no mechanism to open the 3rd trill key when the 2nd finger of the left hand or fingers of the right hand are down with the left thumb off!
I hope that someone can provide some help. I am attaching photos.
Post Edited (2025-12-14 00:39)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-12-13 14:48
I've not seen a Mazzeo system in person to work out what's going on, but it looks like it's down to balancing the spring tension and bias of the springs.
I'd assume the Bb vent is sprung open when the thumb is off the thumbplate but held closed by the stronger springing of the LH2 ring key. The Bb trill key itself is sprung as normal to keep it in situ, but it only serves to open the Bb vent.
The small rocker linking the LH thumbplate to the Mazzeo mechanism doesn't appear to have a flat spring on it from what I can see, so check if it ever had one (which would be secured with a small screw).
In the last photo you can see the needle spring on the Bb vent is holding the vent closed - try reversing the spring (hitch it around the other side of the cradle) and see if that works.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Leonard D
Date: 2025-12-13 15:57
Hello Chris,
Thank you for your suggestions. The rocker arm (called the "detent lever" in the original Mazzeo patent) has no provision for a spring and I have not seen any evidence of a spring there on any of my other Mazzeo examples (working and not working).
If I reverse the spring on the Bb vent it still stays closed. It seems to me that there has to be some missing physical connection to open the Bb vent when the 2nd finger left hand ring is closed. All three of these "early" Mazzeo clarinets I have (having the odd-looking curved key arm) appear to be sprung the same way with no apparent missing parts, yet none operate in Mazzeo mode.
I am hoping that some reader(s) of this bulletin board have an example of one of these "early" Mazzeo clarinets that functions in Mazzeo mode and perhaps could share photos.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-12-13 18:45
I keep meaning to buy one to see how it functions, but never seem to find any listed in the UK. There's plenty in the US, but the postage and customs fees will probably be astronomical to warrant buying one from over there.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2025-12-13 20:17)
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Author: Leonard D
Date: 2025-12-13 19:05
Attachment: Buescher Mazzeo_1.jpg (526k)
Attachment: Buescher mazzeo example.jpg (186k)
Hello Chris,
The later Bundy or Buescher examples (without the curvy arm piece) turn up frequently in the US on that well-known auction site. However, many of them have had the small screw/coil spring/plunger assembly removed to disable the Mazzeo mode. It can be difficult to communicate with a seller to determine if that small spring-loaded plunger is intact or not (requires a close-up photo and the seller understanding how the Mazzeo mode is supposed to function).
I am attaching two photos. One photo is what I sent to a seller explaining how the Mazzeo mechanism is supposed to work. The other photo is a close up of an example with a missing plunger mechanism (removed to disable the Mazzeo functionality). I was eventually able to find an example with the plunger intact.
Post Edited (2025-12-13 19:10)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2025-12-13 21:47
There's no way the Bb vent can open with the needle spring on the pad cup side as that's only holding it closed. It needs to have the spring hitched on the opposite side of the cradle to allow it to open (like an articulated mechanism) and the spring tension of the LH2 ring key beefed up a fair amount to keep it closed when both the left thumb or LH1 and LH2 are off.
The thumbplate or LH1 will hold it closed via the rocker and will free it up (but still not let it open) once the thumbplate or LH1 is released and then allow LH2 or the RH ring keys to let it open for either throat A or Bb when they're held down.
It looks like a real spring tension balancing act as well as having the Bb vent open sprung just strongly enough so it won't close the LH2 ring key (E/B) vent, but not sprung too lightly so the pad will stick (as articulated mechanisms are prone to doing).
Teflon coated tech cork or ultrasuede on the underside of the bendy arm in contact with the E/B vent pad cup will keep friction to a minimum - natural cork is the enemy with any linkage or sliding linkage as that creates too much friction and will make the action sluggish or hang up.
Another problem I can see with the Mazzeo mechanism is the Bb trill key cant be used while the left thumb or LH1 is held down, so that will bugger up some trills and tremolos using that trill key.
Chances are the Bb vent has been reverse sprung to hold it closed so it can be played like a regular (non-Mazzeo) Boehm system clarinet.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
Independent Woodwind Repairer
Single and Double Reed Specialist
Oboes, Clarinets and Saxes
NOT A MEMBER OF N.A.M.I.R.
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2025-12-13 21:57)
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Author: Leonard D
Date: 2025-12-14 00:27
Hello Chris,
Thank you!! Your advice was exactly spot on!
"Chances are the Bb vent has been reverse sprung to hold it closed so it can be played like a regular (non-Mazzeo) Boehm system clarinet."
One of the early examples (a Selmer Signet Special) had enough spring tension left and I was able to "reverse the reverse" sprung set up to allow the Bb vent to open when the 2nd left-hand finger is pressed (or the bridge key is raised).
I am attaching a photo showing the needle spring of the Bb vent rod pressing against the stop from above. The "curvy arm" keeps the Bb vent closed when the key cup linked to the 2nd left-hand finger ring is in the open position; when that key cup is closed, there is then enough force provided by the needle spring of the Bb vent rod to open the Bb vent.
Mystery solved! Bravo to you Chris!
Still trying to add the photo.....
Post Edited (2025-12-14 00:39)
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Author: Leonard D
Date: 2025-12-14 00:30
I will try again to add the photo.
Seems I have exceeded a threshold for posting photos, even though I have removed some.
Post Edited (2025-12-14 00:40)
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