 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-01-20 04:11
After playing on the same R13 since 1983 (has it been a part of me that long?), I'm interested in finding out more about Selmers. This has been instigated by my trip to Bulgaria this summer, where I took several lessons with a folk player there. He plays a Selmer Full Boehm system. Now, I don't wanna relinquish my right arm, oops I meant my R13, but I really want to get one of those horns. After much poking about on the Selmer website, I found no listing of models and when they were produced. Can anyone tell me what the model names, numbers, etc. were that Selmer made (makes??) as Full Boehms?
Thanks in advance,
Katrina
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2002-01-20 05:12
I believe the 10S model can be special ordered with full Boehm keywork. Might take a while though.
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Author: KevinS
Date: 2002-01-20 16:28
If you're just looking for the features of the Full Boehm, you can order a Buffet RC with Full Boehm keywork also. I saw one on Ebay about 6 months ago, so I asked the LMS. They say they can be ordered. I think they quoted about 5800.00 for the RETAIL price.
Kevin
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2002-01-20 16:49
Also maybe consider Leblanc. The LL model, a pro-level horn with a medium bore (14.80 mm), can be ordered in full Boehm. Price would probably be in the $3000 range. Full Boehms are nice but they definitely jack up the price. The Buffet RC mentioned above could probably be had for $3000-$3500 assuming a 40% or so discount. Never pay full retail. Always insist on at least 35% off; preferably 40%.
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Author: Noah Stern Weber
Date: 2002-01-20 19:44
I would just let you know the trasition from Buffet to Selmer is not as easy as it seems. Especially if you have been playing one for many years. There are little (friendly) quirks that buffets have (especially the older ones) that will frustrate you. Also, just a comment about the selmer wood, they don't age it. My friends have bought many selmers, and about half of them have cracked. I have heard (I cannot confirm it) that the Selmers are aged for a year or two, not 20 like the r-13. It is like a religion. You can convert, but it is a long hard process. Best of luck.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2002-01-20 20:40
I have heard from a knowledgeable repairman that Selmer and Leblanc age their wood while Buffet kiln dries their's. From reading this bulletin board over the course of the last couple of years I get the impression that Buffets are more prone to cracking than Selmer or Leblanc. But this is all hearsay and is inadmissable as evidence in a court of law. Take everything with a grain of salt.
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Author: Peter
Date: 2002-01-21 01:48
Noah Stern Webber,
May I inquire where you heard that Buffet ages their wood for 20 years? It's very doubtful that they do, most especially under B&H ownership.
Nothing personal against B&H. They have produced excellent clarinets for many years (I use them all the time,) but they, as everyone else, are in business to make money and, in today's economy, an instrument made of wood which is aged for 20 years would be prohibitively expensive.
Besides, all the cracking comes from younger-cut, greener wood, not older, longer-aged wood.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-01-21 02:06
Peter is correct.
Read the Moennig article in which he talks about the increasingly short time that grenadilla has been allowed to age. At the time of the interview, Moennig had already noted that grenadilla had gone from 25 years of aging down to 7.
He predicted that it would soon be less than 3 years...GBK
http://www.corkpad.com/dispose.html
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2002-01-21 02:36
Did you read this? http://www.selmer.com/htdox/clar4.htm
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Author: Rob
Date: 2002-01-21 23:50
I would be very surprised to find that Buffet clarinets are made with aged wood. There is NO mention of it on the B&H website. If they were, I'm sureit would be mentioned because it would be a significant marketing coup.
As for switching from Buffet to Selmer you can of course expect some minor differences, as you would whenever you change from one model of clarinet to another, even from the same manufacturer. There is nothing I have ever found about the R13 that is superior to any comparable Selmer-Paris model except for the price. My own preference is not to own a Buffet because I have found the quality somewhat lacking compared to what I have seen from Selmer-Paris. I have always found the R13 to have a rather unpleasant sound quality in the clarion and altissimo which can be corrected with some effort, as well as less than stellar intonation, also correctable with some effort. I would rather spend my effort on the music than fighting the horn, but all of that is just my opinion. If you have played an R13 for quite a while, you may find playing a horn from a manufacturer other than Buffet a pleasant experience, I know I always have. However, Buffets are very cheap, indeed. I can't deny that. I have met many students who have never tried any professional grade clarinet other than Buffet and believe them to be "the best" and this is a shame because the clarinet world does not need to revolve around Buffet-Crampon et Cie., or any other single company.
Both Buffet and Leblanc offer a full-boehm model in their catalogs. Selmer does not, though it is my understanding that any authorized Selmer-Paris dealer in the US can find out about availability and pricing of such an item for you.
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Author: Robert Small
Date: 2002-01-22 02:22
I'm looking at a Selmer catalogue right now (it's a little out of date--'96) that shows a B 20B-10S model with forked Bb/Eb, articulated G#/C#, and Eb/Ab lever. Except for the absence of the low Eb this is a full Boehm. Maybe as close to a full Boehm as Selmer makes. Might be that in order to get a true full Boehm Selmer you would have to get an older model as apparently Selmer at one time made them. But I would think the horn I just described would be a very nice horn. I'd like to have one myself.
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Author: Kat
Date: 2002-01-23 04:40
Yeah, it would be nice to be able to just get a new horn like what I want, but unfortunately many of the specific Bulgarian ornaments require the low Eb key!
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2002-01-24 09:13
I would be surprised if a top maker did not oblige with a custom request, but yhou may need to wait a while and it may be significantly more expensive because some (or many) operations normally done by automated machinery would have to be done by hand.
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