 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: LMA
Date: 2026-08-17 13:24
Dear members,
I am looking for some advice here.
I have not been playing clarinet for more than 30 years, I played between the age of 10 to 18 without great achievement... Now turning almost 50, I am preparing myself for a challenge of practicing again and I need to pick an instrument. The Selmer I used 30 years ago has disappeared in the various house moves...
However I had the opportunity to recently buy a lot of clarinets at an antiques fair near my house in France. Result is I now have 8 clarinets out of which I'd like to keep one or two, have them restored to make them playable. Just to clarify : the seller was willing to sell the whole lot and not one by one.
I believe there are some interesting pieces (which led me to buy the whole lot). I made some research on the serial numbers and years and here is the outcome:
Leblanc E FLAT SN 41175 1974
Selmer D SN BO946 1980
Noblet C Leblanc 40 SN B91657 1990
Selmer B FLAT Centered Tone R Series R3277* 1958
Buffet Crampon B FLAT R13 193019 1979
Selmer A Full Boehm Serie 10 W1096 1969
Thibouville B FLAT Sib Rosewood no SN
Buffet Crampon B FLAT 25274 1938
Post Edited (2026-08-17 13:29)
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Author: LMA
Date: 2026-08-17 13:31
Here are the pictures.
all in very good condition without cracks. Most of them require probably new pads, and mecanism overhaul.
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Author: LMA
Date: 2026-08-17 13:31
Attachment: IMG_4218.jpg (744k)
Attachment: IMG_4283.jpg (177k)
Attachment: IMG_4405.jpg (177k)
Here are the pictures.
all in very good condition without cracks, came each with a box. Most of them require probably new pads, and mecanism overhaul.
Post Edited (2026-08-17 13:42)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-08-17 14:34
Attachment: series9eb.jpg (263k)
Personally I'd keep the Selmer B FLAT Centered Tone R Series R3277* 1958
The full Boehm Selmer D clarinet is definitely something of a rarity, but won't find much use when it comes to playing standard and published repertoire written specifically for it.
It would make an ideal case partner to my full Boehm Series 9 Eb clarinet though!
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 (2026-08-17 15:58)
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Author: graham
Date: 2026-08-17 16:36
Thibouville for me. But the D clarinet could be very handy indeed if it is in tune.
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Author: rmk54
Date: 2026-08-17 16:57
The full Boehm Selmer D clarinet is definitely something of a rarity, but won't find much use when it comes to playing standard and published repertoire written specifically for it.
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Unless you play in a professional orchestra:
R.Strauss Till Eulenspigel and Domestic Symphony
Mahler: Symphonies 5 and 6
Stravinsky: Firebird (ballet) and Rite of Spring
Schoenberg: Chamber Symphony No.1
Also, some E-flat passages in Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe are easier on a D clarinet.
Of course, the OP will probably never play this repertoire, but I bet there are more than a few professional players that would be interested in purchasing the instrument.
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Author: LMA
Date: 2026-08-17 17:37
Yes, absolutely, comes with 2 barrels.
It is in like new condition but all are untested tunewise...
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Author: LMA
Date: 2026-08-17 17:38
The Thibouville is really beautiful. I could not find any equivalent on the internet. Perhaps a special order?
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Author: LMA
Date: 2026-08-17 17:40
Thanks for the feedback and noted for the Selmer Full Boehm in D.
I will never get the occasion to use it...
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-08-17 19:41
http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/download.html/1,8810/IMG_4842.JPG
Are you sure that's a Series 10 and not a Series 9 full Boehm? I've got a Series 9 full Boehm of a similar age (W11xx) and that doesn't have the Series 9 logo engraved on the top joint, but does have the hexagonal speaker bush and also the metal tenon ring on the top tenon which the Series 10 doesn't have.
If it has the large hexagonal speaker bush and tenon ring, then it's a Series 9.
If it's got a plain speaker tube like a Buffet and no tenon ring, it's a Series 10.
Also it's in Bb as the ring key spacing is the same as the CT.
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 (2026-08-17 19:47)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2026-08-17 19:53
As for D clarinets, Till Eulenspiegel is much easier played on an Eb clarinet than a D clarinet, plus you're more likely to find an Eb clarinet than a D 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.
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Author: lmliberson
Date: 2026-08-17 22:56
"As for D clarinets, Till Eulenspiegel is much easier played on an Eb clarinet than a D clarinet..."
Quite true although I have heard (without any confirmation) that one might find many Germanic clarinetists using the D clarinet.
However, why anyone would use the D clarinet for the Rite of Spring is beyond me. Also, the complete Firebird lies better on Eb, IMO.
And, btw, I have a D clarinet - a very fine one!
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Author: LMA
Date: 2026-08-18 00:48
Thanks Chris for the feedback and pointing out my errors on both Selmer and Thibouville.
If you need any specific close ups of any clarinet for further assessment please let me know!
I am really puzzled by the Thibouville Frères (Ivry sur Eure) because it looks so new that at first sight I thought it was a recent production but it is actually quite old ( breveté SGDG markings)
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Author: m1964
Date: 2026-08-18 01:43
The Buffet Crampon R13 #193019 from 1979 is probably most useful for an everyday player.
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