 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Aures22
Date: 2005-09-12 07:24
Hi, I want to know if anybody here has been to the Selmer factory in Elkhart, Indiana to purchase instruments. I live in NJ and sort of frustrated by the lack of Selmer clarinets in the dealers around my area. Usually they only have one clarinet of the model in stock and I know that unless I have a selection, I should not try to purchase at these stores.
I have emailed the person at Selmer and he told me they have plenty of Selmer Paris clarinets in stock. I’m looking to try the Signature, Recital, St. Louis, Odyssee, and whatever they have in stock. How to arrange for the visit and if I am driving from NJ what other music stores should I visit along the way? What has your experience been like at the factory; do they keep many good instruments in stock or rather do they have plenty of left-over rejects left? Are there technicians or engineers there to help you with adjustments with the instrument? How open are they to amateur musicians? Have you been able to find the instrument that you liked?
Thank your for reading and look forward to your response.
Post Edited (2005-09-12 07:26)
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Author: redwine
Date: 2005-09-12 12:53
Hello,
I'm a Selmer artist/clinician. I have visited the Selmer factory and took the tour--very interesting.
If you want to make the trip to just purchase an instrument, I would recommend not doing so. If you want to check out the factory and the surrounding landscape, then definitely go. There are two Frank Lloyd Wright houses in South Bend and the river is georgeous. Elkhart is quite small and not overly interesting.
If you just want to buy an instrument, there are better ways, I think. My good friend, Jean-Francois Bescond, worked for Selmer Paris for many years. Then, his wife got a job in the French Embassy in D.C. So, he is now employed by Selmer USA, promoting the Selmer Paris instruments. He has quite a lot of them at his house that you could drive down to test (about 10 hours closer than Elkhart). You'd better hurry, however, as he has about 1 year left before his wife transfers back to France.
Another great way is to go to a music convention. There you can try many instruments at one time and purchase one off the floor, if that is the one you like. I know Selmer will be at the MidWest show in Chicago this December.
There is also a dealer in Delaware, named Vince Marinelli. I'm sure he has several instruments to test. If you go there, please tell him I sent you.
Please let me know what you decide to do. If you come to see Jean-Francois, it would be nice to meet you.
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
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Author: William
Date: 2005-09-12 15:36
Ben said, "Another great way is to go to a music convention."
Personally, having been to the Mid-West B&O Clinic many times, the convention floor is the WORST place to audition any instrument or mouthpiece. The accoustics are terrible (at best) and you are competing with all of the other percussive and brass displays--with adults and students playing everything available (and all at once)--that are often "right next door". You cant really hear. Charles Bay was often nice enough to let me take several mpc up to my room to try, just to get away from the mob and the noise. And often the clarinets, saxs and flutes on display are not properly adjusted and therefore do not play even close to their potential--Selmer and Leblanc included. One year, the LeBlanc rep brought one of their bassett clarinets for me to audition and do to several leaky pads and a stuck little finger key that would not even operate, a decent audition was not possible--even with the noise and confusion that makes conventions "so much fun".
On the other hand, I've had good success visiting both the Selmer plant in Elkhart, the old Buffet distribution center in Libertyville and the LeBlanc facility in Kenosha. Each one provided me with hundreds of clarinets to try--already assembled and properly "set up"--and a quite room in with to play them. I recommend factory visits, but you still will have to buy your instrument through one of their respective music dealerships (music store) as they do not sell to the public direct. However, if your name is ED or CH, they might give you a freebie just for being famous. Good luck.
However, I do agree that just going "down the road" to visit with Jean-Francois would be a good plan for you.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-09-12 20:23
.....and the cost of gasoline to boot...
Bob Draznik
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Author: redwine
Date: 2005-09-12 20:31
Hello,
I do agree that convention rooms are not good for testing instruments. Take them to your hotel room.
Ben Redwine, DMA
owner, RJ Music Group
Assistant Professor, The Catholic University of America
Selmer Paris artist
www.rjmusicgroup.com
www.redwinejazz.com
www.reedwizard.com
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Author: BobD
Date: 2005-09-13 16:06
Elkhart was part of the territory I used to cover for technical service to our customers. It gets very crowded when they have "trailer conventions" and I had to stay at a small motel in Goshen one night. Hope you don't encounter that. Such memories!
Bob Draznik
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